Northeast Florida · Adaptive wellness for adults with IDD

Stronger Minds.
Healthier Bodies.
Fuller Lives.

Northeast Florida's holistic adaptive wellness program built for adults with intellectual and developmental differences.

When school-based services end, the support doesn't have to. First Coast Abilities & Wellness Center is creating something Northeast Florida has never had—a research-based wellness program that treats mind and body together, designed around each adult with intellectual and developmental differences. Every step here builds confidence, health, and independence.

Donate now Request more information

A coach guides a young woman with Down syndrome through a boxing drill

Who we serveAdults 18+ with intellectual and developmental differences, and their families

WhereThe Arc Village, Jacksonville, Florida

Our approachMind and body together, research-based and individual

A trainer and a woman who uses a wheelchair share a laugh in the gym

The support shouldn't stop when school does

For too many adults with intellectual and developmental differences, aging out of school-based services means losing access to fitness, recreation, and social connection all at once.

Families are left piecing together workouts alone or chasing the latest fad diet—strategies that fade fast because there's no accountability and nothing tailored to the individual. Time after time, people end up right back where they started. We believe there's a better, more dignified path.

Request more information

Our holistic wellness approach for the IDD community

Mind and body, treated together

There's nothing quite like what we're building. FCAWC looks at the whole person—mind and body—and shapes every plan around individual needs using the latest research and data. This is holistic wellness for intellectual disabilities done as a sustainable lifestyle, not a quick fix. It's the difference we refuse to compromise on.

Whole-person focus

We treat mind and body together—no one in the industry approaches wellness for adults with intellectual and developmental differences quite this way.

Research-based & individualized

Every plan is built on data and the latest research, tailored to the goals and needs of each person we serve.

Built for lasting change

We focus on sustainable lifestyle change with real accountability—not fad diets or short-term fixes that fade.

IDD community fitness and wellness across Northeast Florida

Three programs, one connected path to wellness

Our programs work together to build stronger minds, healthier bodies, and fuller, more independent lives. Explore how each one supports the whole person, then reach out to learn what membership can look like for you or your loved one.

Explore all programs

A man in a wheelchair lifts dumbbells during a strength session

Adaptive Fitness

Strength training, cardiovascular conditioning, and total-body fitness classes designed for every ability level.

Explore Adaptive Fitness

A woman in a wheelchair chops vegetables in her kitchen

Nutrition & Living

Seminars, meal planning, and hands-on cooking that make healthy eating approachable and sustainable.

Explore Nutrition & Living

Two men who use wheelchairs work behind a coffee-shop counter

Education & Life Skills

Technology education, financial literacy, and employment readiness that build confidence and independence.

Explore Education & Life Skills

Upcoming events

Two upcoming events—be the first to know

We have two upcoming events on the way, with online registration coming soon.

Whether you're an adult with IDD, a family member, or a community partner, these gatherings are a first look at the wellness community we're building at The Arc Village in Jacksonville. Reach out and we'll keep you posted on dates and details.

Get event updates See the program schedule

Friends who use wheelchairs play a giant game of Connect Four

Ways to get involved

Help build Northeast Florida's first holistic wellness program for adults with IDD

As a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, we're powered by a community that believes adults with intellectual and developmental differences deserve dignified, research-based wellness. There are several ways to be part of it—give, join, or connect with us to learn more.