Autism & Related Disabilities Gym Program, Inc.
Jim Beech Recreation Center, 1820 A D Mims Rd, Ocoee, FL 34761
About
Autism & Related Disabilities Gym Program, Inc. offers activities such as sponsored swim lessons, bowling, field trips, and visits to the Showcase of Citrus. The program also holds events including an annual golf tournament, dinners, BBQs, a holiday party, a prom, and a variety of gatherings with bouncy houses, food, music, gifts for the kids, and a free dinner for parents.
• Ages: 0–18 years old
• Schedule: Options on Tuesdays from 6:15 PM to 7:15 PM, with additional pool-only times on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:15 PM to 7:15 PM
The program was started in 2000. The stated goal and mission are to establish a center with recreational programs for individuals with autism and related disorders, to build new friendships, promote learning, community involvement, and disability awareness, and to support the body, mind, and spirit of participants and their families. The Autism & Related Disabilities Gym Program, Inc. has achieved non-profit status, and all donations are tax-deductible, with all proceeds going to support their children. The program’s only fundraiser is the Annual Golfing for Autism event. The organization reports that its mailing list includes approximately 1,650 families, who are welcome to participate whenever possible, and that all individuals with disabilities, of all ages, and their family members are invited to attend. The program has also become a support group. Leadership includes Program Director Joanne (Jo-Anne) Houwers. The program receives help from the city of Ocoee, the Winter Garden Elks Lodge #2165, and many local businesses, and the Winter Garden Elks Lodge #2165 sponsors a free dinner for parents every year with entertainment, awards, and prizes. In 2006, the program started a holiday party with bouncy houses, food, music, and gifts for the kids. The organization states that it is looking to purchase its own building on the west side of town for a recreation facility with features such as a theater room, gymnasium, pool, kitchen, horseback riding, a stable for horse boarding, and therapy rooms available for rent to generate revenue, and that it is looking into a workshop facility to start with.
Last updated February 11, 2026.
• Ages: 0–18 years old
• Schedule: Options on Tuesdays from 6:15 PM to 7:15 PM, with additional pool-only times on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:15 PM to 7:15 PM
The program was started in 2000. The stated goal and mission are to establish a center with recreational programs for individuals with autism and related disorders, to build new friendships, promote learning, community involvement, and disability awareness, and to support the body, mind, and spirit of participants and their families. The Autism & Related Disabilities Gym Program, Inc. has achieved non-profit status, and all donations are tax-deductible, with all proceeds going to support their children. The program’s only fundraiser is the Annual Golfing for Autism event. The organization reports that its mailing list includes approximately 1,650 families, who are welcome to participate whenever possible, and that all individuals with disabilities, of all ages, and their family members are invited to attend. The program has also become a support group. Leadership includes Program Director Joanne (Jo-Anne) Houwers. The program receives help from the city of Ocoee, the Winter Garden Elks Lodge #2165, and many local businesses, and the Winter Garden Elks Lodge #2165 sponsors a free dinner for parents every year with entertainment, awards, and prizes. In 2006, the program started a holiday party with bouncy houses, food, music, and gifts for the kids. The organization states that it is looking to purchase its own building on the west side of town for a recreation facility with features such as a theater room, gymnasium, pool, kitchen, horseback riding, a stable for horse boarding, and therapy rooms available for rent to generate revenue, and that it is looking into a workshop facility to start with.
Last updated February 11, 2026.
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