Eight years out from when Erica Flores started the nonprofit Vincent’s Clubhouse, it’s hard to imagine she could’ve foreseen the role it now plays in the community. Or, rather, maybe it was all she could hope for…Flagler County has long had a lack of comprehensive services for children and adults with autism which tailors programs to their individual needs. Now, with the Clubhouse in a permanent location in Palm Coast’s European Village, the community may finally have what it needs.
Flores named the center after her son Vincent, a 16-year-old student at Flagler Palm Coast High School who has autism and attends the afternoon enrichment programs at his namesake clubhouse. When Vincent’s Clubhouse began, it was a summer camp with only seven attendees. Flores ran it herself, using her own vacation time from her previous job. Eventually the scope expanded to outreach events, social gatherings, and support opportunities for autistic people of all ages and situations.
“My goal for Vincent’s Clubhouse is to continue to grow to be able to impact families and individuals with autism and other disabilities in our community to create an inclusive, diverse and welcome community here in Flagler County, and to create a place where people feel comfortable coming,” Flores said. “We offer support and kindness and we can grow together as an organization and as a community.”
Lynn Student and Erica Flores at Vincent’s clubhouse. ⓒ Eryn Harris
The journey from rag-tag summer camp to fully-fledged and fully-housed clubhouse took place as all great things do: with the help of others. Real estate agent Eddie Lang serves on Vincent’s Clubhouse’s Board of Directors, and per Flores, he tracked down the location. Debbie Lynch, a volunteer with the group, opened her own wallet to purchase the space, with Vincent’s Clubhouse paying the lease.
Also working toward the expansion of Vincent’s Clubhouse is a partnership with Flagler Schools, who are perennially in need of community support in order to adequately address the needs of their neurodivergent students. Once a month at the Government Services Building, the Clubhouse offers gatherings with accommodations for kids in exceptional student education (ESE).
Tantamount to Vincent’s Clubhouse’s mission, however, is serving more than just those of grade-school age. An adult program is held at the clubhouse five days a week and five hours a day, focused on teaching skills that will lead to successful employment and potentially independent living for its members. The group playfully refers to itself as the ‘Neurospicy Collective’, having self-aware fun with a diagnosis which not long ago was extensively stigmatized. A scholarship fund has also been set up to help young adults on the spectrum pursue higher education, especially helpful for families who may be financially pressed from the challenges of caring for a special-needs student (or from prices in general).
Those interested in learning about Vincent’s Clubhouse have plentiful opportunities to do so without the commitment of enrolling themselves or their loved ones as a member. The Clubhouse will be hosting or present at several community events in the coming months, including the following:
- Vincent’s Clubhouse Annual Gala (April 3rd, 2025 – 1 Yacht Club Dr, Palm Coast)
- 3rd Annual Autism Awareness Festival & Resource Fair (April 5th, 2025 – 975 Central Ave, Palm Coast)
ⓒ Eryn Harris
