TEAM Abilities, an organization that provides Day Habilitation services and Group Home care to special needs adults, has launched a new dance exercise program that even those wheelchair-bound can participate.
The new program is called REFIT and is provided by Sara Tracey, a certified REFIT instructor since 2016. Tracey currently teaches free, open classes at Tomball United Methodist Church and holds classes for both teens and adults with different abilities at other locations.
"It brings me such joy to see the happiness on their faces," Tracey said. "So many special needs adults have been told they cannot do certain things and they come to believe that. It's wonderful to see their faces light up realizing they absolutely can do dance and exercise in their own unique way."
The REFIT instruction engages everyone at different levels.
"TEAM Abilities is known for accepting low- to high-functioning adults so everyone's skill level is different," Rachel Jelks said, Executive Director for TEAM Abilities. "To know that everyone can engage in exercise at their own comfort level is awesome to watch."
TEAM Abilities, an acronym for "Together Everyone Achieves More", is devoted to creating fun events, field trips and in-house curriculum.
"Every Wednesday we have a field trip to get our Team Members out of the facility and to socialize with others. We go to local venues, Houston venues and even have plans to go to the Texas State Fair this year," Jelks said. "In addition, we volunteer at NAM and the Food Bank, we go to the library twice a month, have Splash Day at the Shadowbend YMCA, we go to the movies once a month, have our Adopt-A-Park program thru The Woodlands Township and we participate in Special Olympics. This is all in conjunction with our daily curriculum. So our Team Members definitely do not sit here and watch TV all day that's for sure," Jelks said.
TEAM Abilities is an HCS and TxHml provider providing Day Habilitation, Group Home care, Respite services and After-School programs. The organization has two locations: The Woodlands on 1092 Pruitt Road and Houston on 14300 Cornerstone Village Drive off FM 1960. For more information on TEAM Abilities, go to
www.MyTeamAbilities.com or call Jennifer Hernandez at 832-965-5549 ext. 1002.