KEYSTONE HEIGHTS – Misty Dawn is a woman on a mission.

Dawn works full-time as a job training facilitator at Agency For Life Transformations, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to empowering people 14 and older with disabilities to live productive lives.

The organization is based in Titusville, but Dawn recently moved to Keystone Heights to spearhead the group’s plans to reach more individuals in the four-county area consisting of Clay, Duval, Putnam and St. Johns counties.

Agency for Life Transformations made its first Clay County appearance in December. It has several offerings available for special needs students and adults, including pre-employment services, job training, continued education and assistance in finding a job following high school graduation.

The nonprofit got off to a splashy start in the county just two months ago when it participated as an official partner for the second annual “Rockin’ For Stockings” at the Boogerville Hideout in Green Cove Springs. That program included guitar legend Paul Wayne, who rocked more than 60,000 fans with his rendition of the “Star-Spangled Banner” ahead of the Jacksonville Jaguars’ final regular season game.

Other services available at the nonprofit include customized employment based on the individual’s skills, knowledge, preferences and passion, supported employment, work readiness, self-advocacy training, self-employment services and peer mentoring.

As Dawn shifted her focus to Clay, she had several goals she wanted to accomplish.

One of Misty’s major checklist items would be kickstarting a summer work program allowing parents to bring their children to work at local retailers. Children and young adults would learn how to interact and engage with customers in the workplace.

Bringing in a vocational teacher to teach financial literacy classes and creating a career day for special needs students is possible.

Dawn said she discussed her ideas with Laurie Coburn, assistant principal at Clay High School, during a local market event to help spread awareness for nonprofits and small businesses. Radiance by Misty Dawn sells organic, natural homemade products such as fermented microgreens, elderberry syrup and instant pain relief oil.

The entrepreneur with a passionate dedication to serving special needs children also has several other potential plans she would like to inactivate.

Misty’s motivation to spread awareness is fueled by her 19-year-old autistic son, Jeffery Fry.

Jeffery serves as just another success story for the special needs community.

“I’m a parent who’s been in the trenches. My son is a success story,” she said.

Fry serves a vital role at Misty’s small local business.

“He helps grow our fermented microgreens and travels with his sister to represent our business. He engages with people and sells the products. He’s an extremely instrumental part of our business. He inspires people that there is a way through this and around this, but you can’t go through the in-the-box way,” Dawn said.

She said that sometimes, traditional workplace environments are not always the best way for some children and young adults with special needs.

“They can thrive and do they do have skill sets, but they might not necessarily work in a mainframe (business) like McDonald’s or Burger King. They might instead go work for a small mom-and-pop business where it’s not so much going to be conducted like a factory, but in a more hands-on kind of (environment),” she said.