Florida Auto Dealer Gives $1M for Disability Center

The Gettel Foundation is investing $1 million in a future where people with disabilities have more opportunities to learn, connect, and stay safe during storms.

The philanthropic arm of Bradenton-based Gettel Automotive made the donation to The Haven, a Sarasota County nonprofit serving 700 individuals with disabilities every day. The money will help build an 8,800-square-foot career and community center on the organization's 32-acre campus.

The new center will include a theater, gymnasium, activity spaces, and specialized training labs for workforce development. But perhaps most importantly, it will serve as a hurricane shelter where residents can ride out storms in a familiar place with their regular caregivers.

"The Haven plays an essential role in our community, and we are honored to support a project that will have a lasting impact on so many lives," says James Gettel, president of Gettel Automotive Group. The company has deep roots in the Bradenton area, making this gift a hometown investment in neighbors who need it most.

The center addresses a critical gap in emergency preparedness for people with physical and mental disabilities. During hurricanes, finding accessible shelter with trained staff can mean the difference between safety and crisis.

The Ripple Effect

This $1 million gift represents more than just a building. It creates a hub where people can develop job skills, explore careers, and build friendships in their own community rather than being isolated or institutionalized.

The center's total price tag is $6 million, and The Haven has now raised $3 million. That means they're halfway to breaking ground on a space that will serve generations of Floridians with disabilities.

Jennifer Groff, The Haven's Vice President of Philanthropy, calls it "an investment in dignity, opportunity and belonging." Those three words capture what happens when communities choose inclusion over exclusion.

The center will transform daily life for hundreds of people while standing ready to protect them when the next storm comes.