Tavon Learning Center is a greater Seattle based 501(c)(3) non-profit that empowers adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities by providing active learning and goal-based programs. We use our unique combination of outdoor gardens, real-life settings, and peer coaching to help people acquire home and community skills for better living.

Our Mission

Tavon Learning Center empowers adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to experience personal growth in nature, the community, and the classroom.

Our Vision

We believe in the fundamental human right of people with disabilities to have an equal opportunity for learning. Our vision is a future in which adults with disabilities participate in post-high school learning and thrive in inclusive communities

Our Story

"The story of Tavon Learning Center began over 40 ago when our daughter Sabah was born with a significant disability. We certainly weren’t expecting to have to learn to parent a child with a disability. As Sabah got older, we dared to have the same hopes and dreams that every parent has for their child – good health, happiness, friends, and community.

As time went on, we found that we had a few more challenges than most families in helping Sabah realize her dreams.  When Sabah was ready to leave high school, we realized she was losing a big part of her community. She was not heading off to college or into a vocation yet we knew she needed a place where she could continue to work on new skills and remain engaged with the community.

We reached out to friends and family to help us create Tavon Learning Center a place where Sabah could have friends, find happiness, and continue to develop life skills that would make her as independent as possible. The Tavon Learning Center program is now over fifteen years old. In this time, we have gone from serving three members to serving 80, and the need continues to grow.

As I walked in the garden, I saw Sabah working with the staff and her friends, and I knew that the program at Tavon works – Sabah has friends, community and a sense of purpose. This realization fills me with hope and optimism for my daughter’s future."

-Therese Vafaeezadeh, Founder