About Kelley Girl and M.A.T.A
Kelley was born in St. Louis, MO in 1967. As a multiple handicapped individual that has spent her early years in special education programs and later on in sheltered workshops, she was fortunately capable of working and interacting with other peers throughout her life. Most recently day habilitation consists of arts and crafts, sports, and volunteer work, such as at the Wild Blue Cats rescue facility. Participation in these activities has furthered her love for animals and art.
As children, Jon was the little brother who helped and protected Kelley, creating a special bond between the two. Our family always called her Kelley girl, and he carried that over when starting the company. About 5 years ago, Jon became Kelley’s full-time caregiver as a host-home provider through the M.A.T.A group, which is Mindset Acquired Through Abilities. The day habilitation group through M.A.T.A. has provided Kelley with positive growth through arts and crafts. Noticing the productivity from the MATA group, Jon was able to fulfill a long-time aspiration of giving back to Kelley’s community through her paintings.
100% of the donations received from her paintings are given back to her group, which helps fund various field trips and group activities. Some of these activities include trips to SeaQuest and Pizza and Cupcake parties. One of Jon’s long-term goals is to provide the group with a restoration project, similar to Habitat for Humanity where the MATA groups can assist in giving back to the community.
