
Since their humble beginnings in borrowed space, located in the basement of West Jackson Elementary School, The STAR Center has been on a mission. That mission is to help any person with any disability realize their potential. This has enabled them to impact tens of thousands of families since their founding in 1988. In the beginning, there were two clients, George and Angela. This past year, STAR served over 4,000 clients across West and Middle Tennessee.
Beginning in October 2021, The STAR Center began serving clients from Memphis to Mountain City. While West Tennessee has been home base and our headquarters will remain in Jackson, our reach has expanded over the last few years. The first expansion added forty counties in Middle Tennessee in 2019.
Dave Bratcher, The STAR Center President, added, “We are mission driven and if there are people in our state who need our services, we stand ready to go.” This expansion will be the largest in The STAR Center’s 33-year history. “Our person-centered approach is one of the things that makes The STAR Center different. This is a recognition we were all created unique and should be treated as such,” said Jennifer Cunningham, Vice President of Client Services. Everyone in our state will have access to the same life-giving services those in West Tennessee have come to know and appreciate. “We will be adding additional staff to meet the demand and look forward to getting involved in each of those communities, just as we have right here,” said Dr. Gregg Mitchell, The STAR Center Board Chair.
This expansion is specific to the area of Assistive Technology. Assistive Technology could be something as simple as a pencil grip, your smartphone, or thousands of other items which contribute to independence, employment, or simply a better quality of life. The mission of The STAR Center is to help any person with any disability realize their potential.