Tampa nonprofit for children with disabilities closes doors

The board of directors for a Tampa-based nonprofit dedicated to advocating for children with developmental disabilities has voted to formally dissolve.

According to an announcement on its website, the group 21 & Change officially closed its doors Aug. 31. No further operations or programming will take place, and the organization’s website and social media accounts will only remain active for a limited time to share information about its closure, the statement says.

“This is a decision reached after careful consideration and with gratitude for the progress we’ve made and the community we’ve built,” the statement says. “Our purpose now is to honor the work we’ve done and to celebrate the families and partners who stood with us along the way.”

According to the group’s last annual report, published in 2023, 21 & Change was founded in June 2018 by John and Yani Bodor, two Army veterans with three children, one of whom was born with Down syndrome and another with autism. The family’s nonprofit was created to support human rights for those with developmental disabilities through advocacy, support, and niche services, according to the report.

However, in 2023 the group began to see changes in leadership, according to Florida’s Division of Corporations website, with the Bodors stepping down from top leadership positions within their organization. Records show that Clayton Clemens briefly held the job of President until he left in September 2023. His replacement, Michelle Richards, was unanimously elected to the position by the six-person board of directors, according to the group’s annual report. 

“In my six years with this remarkable organization, I have witnessed hundreds of lives transformed, including my own,” Richards says in the statement. “Whether you volunteered at Champions for Change, joined a conference, supported a family whose child received an IEP scholarship, or generously donated, I am deeply grateful to have shared in this essential mission with you.”

Leadership at 21 & Change also included a 12-member Advisory Council composed of top community leaders throughout the region, including Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, Rep. Jackie Toledo, R-Tampa, Rep. Allison Tant, D-Tallahassee, Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera, Hillsborough County Commission Chairman Ken Hagan, as well as business leaders like Port Tampa Bay CEO Paul Anderson. 

According to IRS records for 21&Change, the group only brought in $8,512 in revenue in 2024 and had $22,095 in expenses, leaving a net loss of $13,583. In 2023, the group brought in a total income of $64,302 and had $63,250 in expenses, leaving a little more than $1,000 in assets. 

All funding for 21 & Change came from corporate/business sponsors and private, individual donors. The group did not receive any public or private grant funding and did not charge membership dues. As an all-volunteer organization, no employees received payment. 

According to the nonprofit’s social media and event pages, the group has previously worked with and received contributions from such organizations as TECO Energy, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Mosaic, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Rays, University of Tampa, St. Joseph’s All Children’s Hospital and Port Tampa Bay.

As 21 & Change dissolves, the organization says all remaining funds will be distributed to two mission-aligned organizations: The Down Syndrome Foundation of Florida and the Autism Society of Florida. 

“We believe these organizations share our core commitment to advocacy, inclusion, and access for families in need, ensuring that the work we began continues to move forward through trusted partners,” the statement said.