"The Heart Behind Rising Abilities Center"

A center built from lived experience, love, and necessity.

Why We Exist

Filling a Critical Gap in Adult Disability Services

Turning 21 should be a milestone - not a cliff

For many individuals with disabilities, aging out of the school system means losing the structured programs, therapies, social opportunities, and daily support that shaped their lives. Overnight, families find themselves facing a future with fewer options and more uncertainty.

The Truth is Simple:

Most communities are not prepared to support adults with autism, developmental disabilities, or sensory needs. Programs are scarce, expensive, or unable to meet the diverse needs of adults who deserve meaningful, dignified lives.

Rising Abilities Center was created to change that.

We are a nonprofit built by families and professionals who have lived this reality. Our mission is to ensure that adults with disabilities have access to high‑quality, affordable, and meaningful support long after age 21 — support that honors dignity, celebrates individuality, and promotes real belonging.

We are not a daycare.

We are not a medical facility.

We are a community — a warm, home‑like environment where adults can grow, connect, explore, and thrive through choice and comfort.

Did you know???

In Florida, over 20,000 individuals with developmental disabilities are on waitlists for services - and thousands more are struggling in silence, unable to access or afford the community support they desperately need.

This is why Rising Abilities Center exists — because families deserve better, and adults deserve opportunities, not obstacles.

Our Mission

To empower adults with autism, developmental disabilities, and sensory needs by providing a home like environment where they can access meaningful programs that support independence, wellness, creativity, and community connection. We are committed to honoring dignity, celebrating individuality, and creating a place where every adult feels safe, respected and supported.

Our Vision

We envision a community where adults with disabilities have access to lifelong opportunities that promote growth, belonging, and personal fulfillment. Rising Abilities Center strives to become Miami Dade’s leading adult support and wellness center – a place where individuals can thrive through choice, comfort and compassionate care.

Our Values

Inclusion

Every person belongs. We design our spaces, programs, and culture so that no one is excluded or overlooked.

Dignity

Every adult is respected and supported as an individual.

Safety

Emotional and physical safety guide every decision we make.

Independence

Programs encourage confidence and self‑direction.

Creativity

Art and movement support expression and well‑being.

Wellness

We promote physical, emotional, and social health.

Our Leadership

René López

President

René López is an experienced business owner and respected community leader with decades of service across Miami-Dade County. As a father and grandfather to two individuals with autism, René has firsthand insight into the challenges families face when seeking appropriate adult services. Now transitioning into retirement, he has made Rising Abilities Center his primary focus, offering operational experience, business acumen, and steady governance leadership.

Arlene López

Vice President & Treasurer

Arlene López holds degrees in Business Administration with concentrations in accounting and small-business management. As the mother of a son with autism, she understands the gaps in adult services and the challenges families face when navigating support systems. In her dual role, she oversees financial stewardship, budgeting, compliance, and internal controls, ensuring sustainability and mission‑driven decision‑making.

Dianettys López

Vice President & Community Engagement

Dianettys López is the Founder and CEO of Better Future Therapy Center, a successful ABA therapy practice serving children across Miami-Dade County. With more than two decades of lived experience raising a daughter with autism, she brings deep understanding of long-term needs and the importance of continuity of care into adulthood. She leads community outreach, partnerships, and family engagement.

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