Captain Sandy Yawn of Bravo TV’s hit series, “Below Deck Mediterranean”and Jacksonville School for Autism (JSA) advocate, recently purchased a historic firehouse building at 618 W. Adams Street in downtown Jacksonville, with plans to convert it into a restaurant with a rooftop bar and lounge. Jacksonville School for Autism (JSA) is a full-service school for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders with programs to support students from Early Childhood Development through K-12. JSA also has a robust Post-Secondary and Vocational Training Program.

For many years, Captain Sandy has been a voice for JSA due to her celebrity status and the family ties she has with JSA. With her new endeavor, this could mean a potential partnership for the students of JSA by providing our young adults with on-the-job training opportunities such as cooking, food preparation and product sales. This not only provides our young adults the skills necessary to be successful and productive members of their community but also brings more autism awareness to the city of Jacksonville.