Welcome to On My Own
About Us
The founders of On My Own are blessed to be the parents of a beautiful daughter with a disability. As parents, they understand and share the rewarding—and at times challenging—journey that many of you experience, directly or through someone you love.
Kristi Messer, Hannah’s mother and the CEO of On My Own, is dedicated to creating meaningful opportunities for personal and professional growth for adults with disabilities. Through years of advocacy, training, and unwavering love, Hannah has successfully maintained employment for more than ten years at Publix as a Customer Service Representative.
The vision for On My Own grew from a desire to build on Hannah’s success and extend similar opportunities to others. Our organization is committed to providing essential hands-on activities, training, education, and social engagement to empower adults with disabilities. At On My Own, we are excited, passionate, and determined to help adults with disabilities achieve dreams they may have never thought possible.
2024 On My Own Accomplishments
On My Own creates meaningful opportunities that promote independence, healthy living, social connection, community engagement, and personal growth for adults with disabilities.
- Deliver food to underserved individuals and families six days a week, helping address food insecurity while fostering a spirit of service.
- Provide individualized support for participants transitioning into their first independent living experience, including moving assistance and skill-building for successful community living.
- Offer the On My Own Independent Living Excursion Program, a unique 7-day all-inclusive Colorado experience for participants to strengthen independence, confidence, and life skills.
- Provide job readiness training, employment coaching, and workplace support to help participants achieve their career goals.
- Facilitate ongoing healthy cooking and nutrition classes throughout Broward and Palm Beach Counties.
- Assemble and deliver Bags of Blessings each Thanksgiving season to spread kindness and support throughout the community.
- Assemble and deliver Stockings of Love during the holiday season to bring joy to individuals and families in need.
- Host virtual Summer Camp, serving more than 50 participants through recreation, friendship, learning, and community engagement.
- Host annual Halloween and Spring Dances, welcoming more than 100 participants for an evening of music, dancing, crafts, therapy dogs, dinner, and memorable experiences.
- Offer seasonal Salsa Fitness and Dance Classes, combining exercise, confidence-building, and fun in a supportive environment.
- Provide ongoing Health, Wellness, and Hygiene Education Programs at day centers throughout Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach Counties.
- Celebrate life's milestones through our LOVE JOY Program, recognizing birthdays, first apartments, personal achievements, and other special moments.
- Coordinate monthly social and recreational outings, including sporting events, concerts, kayaking adventures, and other community experiences.
- Lead quarterly Park Exploration Programs, encouraging physical activity, outdoor recreation, and healthy living.
- Host quarterly Breakfast Club Experiences, where participants practice social etiquette, healthy dining habits, personal safety, budgeting, and tipping skills.
- Participate in community service projects that allow our participants to experience the joy of giving back while making a positive impact on others.
At the heart of everything we do is a commitment to empowering adults with disabilities to live independently, build meaningful relationships, contribute to their communities, and experience the joy of a full and engaged life. 💙
"Millions Dream of Having A Job and Living Independently, But Sadly…Some Never Will"
A staggering 61 million adults in the United States live with a disability, or approximately 26% of the population. Adults living with disabilities are more likely to be obese, smoke, have heart disease, and suffer from diabetes (CDC, 2019). Sadly, they are also more likely to die 16 years earlier than the general population. The employment gap between the working-age individuals with and without disabilities is 42% (Disability Status Report, 2017). These inequities are simply not fair. On My Own is passionate about changing the way adults with disabilities are perceived in the community and in the workplace by demonstrating to others that a disability is not a limitation, but a gift. On My Own’s independent living skills and job training programs are helping to pave the way for individuals with disabilities to create a life of independence, freedom, and employment.
Welcome to On My Own
From Inequity to Opportunity: Transforming Lives of Adults with Disabilities
A growing number of Americans live with disabilities — more than 70 million U.S. adults, or about 28.7% of the population, reported having a disability in 2024 (CDC, 2024). This includes a range of challenges, from mobility and cognition to self-care and independent living. Unfortunately, health disparities among individuals with disabilities remain stark. According to the CDC (2025), adults with disabilities are significantly more likely to suƯer from chronic diseases (heart disease or diabetes), or engage in behavior that impacts overall health (smoking, high calorie diet leading to obesity).
People with disabilities face higher rates of mental health challenges. For example, 43.6% of adults with a disability reported experiencing depression in 2022, compared to 13.7% of those without (CDC, 2025).
With respect to employment, persistent inequities remain. In 2024, the employment-population ratio for people with disabilities was just 22.7%, compared to 65.5% for those without disabilities (Bureau of Labor Statistics).
These differences in health, mental health and employment are unacceptable. At On My Own, we believe a disability is not a limitation — it’s a different way of engaging with the world, and often a source of unique strength. Services provided by On My Own are rooted in this belief. By offering hands-on training, social engagement, and employment support, we aim to help adults with disabilities build lives defined by independence, purpose, and possibility.
A Will to Win
Bring a winning spirit to our community, our work, and everyone we meet.
Passion
Committing to the whole person: heart, mind, body, and spirit.
Integrity
Remaining true to our morals and values, with the client remaining the central focus in all that we do.
Leadership
Demonstrating courage to shape a better future for our clients and our communities.
A Will To Win
Bring a winning spirit to our community, our work, and everyone we meet.
Our Mission
The mission of On My Own is to provide training to adults with disabilities to support the attainment of independent living skills, overall employability, job sustainability, and community engagement with the overarching goal of successful employment and independent living.
2024 On My Own Accomplishments
My Own continues to make great strides in helping clients build independent living skills and experience life On Their Own. Many of our clients have successfully moved out and are now living.
WHY SUPPORT US?
Our Promise
We promise to positively impact adults with disabilities in our community by providing the following services:
- Independent Living Skills Training
- On-Site Job Skills Training
- Socialization
- Independent Living Housing Opportunities
MEET THE FOUNDERS
Kristi Messer
Dr. Kristi Messer is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with a doctorate degree in Health Sciences from Nova Southeastern University and master’s degrees in public health and social work (MPH, MSW) from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Kristi relocated to Florida in 2010 from Washington D.C where she spent years working with the Department of Health and Human Services to successfully launch community health centers across the nation. As a passionate public health professional, Kristi currently serves the Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) as an Assistant Dean and Professor of public health. Kristi worked as a consultant for Special Olympics on the development and implementation of a health and wellness curriculum for adults with disabilities. Prior to her Federal service and academic career as a professor, Kristi was a special education high school teacher and special education advocate/consultant working closely with families to advocate for the educational needs of their children. Kristi has dedicated her professional life to underserved and vulnerable population groups through her involvement with the homeless, individuals with disabilities, communities affected by disasters, and persons impacted by mental illness. Kristi is proud to be a parent of an adult child with intellectual impairment and is a tireless advocate for the rights of individuals with disabilities. Kristi is dedicated to positively impacting children, families, and adults through education, advocacy, and opportunity.
Eduardo Fajardo
On My Own operates under the financial leadership of Eduardo Fajardo. Eduardo is a Senior Vice President of Finance and CFO with more than twenty-five years of senior-level financial management experience in the telecom and banking sectors. Eduardo will represent On My Own in all financial matters by setting fiscal policy and preparing and directing the reporting and analysis of the organization’s financial position. Eduardo is a member of the Project Management Institute and is a certified Project Management Professional. Eduardo is a seasoned educational tutor, helping students to achieve and realize their full academic potential. Eduardo comes to On My Own from Cable & Wireless Communications, where he served for over 20 years as its Vice President of Finance overseeing cash management, capital investments, operational costs across 20 countries in Central America and the Caribbean. Prior to that, he was Vice President of Finance for Avantel in Mexico City. Earlier in his career, he served as Vice President of Operations for Banamex in their factoring and auto finance division in Mexico City. He holds a Master of Science degree in Operations Management from Michigan Technological University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, in Mexico City.