'Remarkable place': Gov. Lee and First Lady visit STAR Center in Jackson

The STAR Center administration in Jackson welcomed Gov. Bill and First Lady Maria Lee on Monday morning to explore the facility's various services for those with disabilities, including a robust music therapy program, and to hear first-hand success stories.

First Lady Lee, who was in attendance through her "Tennessee Serves" initiative, explained that her initiative is partnering with different nonprofits that exclusively serve those with disabilities.

She also highlighted the benefits music therapy can provide for those with cognitive disabilities.

"This month, we're focusing on intellectual and developmental disabilities, so we've partnered with the STAR Center to help supply some things for their music therapy program, which is just so essential in helping with cognitive abilities, communication and social and emotional abilities. Music therapy is huge," she said.

STAR Center President Jennifer Graves led the Lees through the organization's advanced assistive technology and allowed them to sit in on a musical therapy session, which the governor.

Gov. Bill Lee called the center a "remarkable place that serves remarkable people."

"Part of what today does for me, and for us, is to understand most of what this organization is doing and how better to partner with them," Lee said in reference to the number of state agencies STAR works with. "When we recognize the work that they are doing, it allows the agencies within the state to determine how we can be better partners."

More: Graves ready to continue helping in new role at STAR Center

With an overarching goal of securing employment for those it serves, The STAR Center is a disability support organization that serves all ages with a wide range of disabilities.

"Just in the last two years, we've placed almost 100 clients in positions where they're impacting their families, they're impacting our local economy, and just their own futures," she said.

Founded in 1998, The STAR Center currently serves over 4,000 clients each year across all 95 counties and has an annual operating budget of approximately $4.5 million, according to Graves.

At a single time, the center serves 100 clients through assisted technology and 25 music therapy clients.

"I'm so proud of the STAR center and everything that we offer in the community, so we're proud to have shown the governor who we are and what we do," Graves said.

She added that she hopes one of the Lees takeaways from the visit is to recognize the all-encompassing services the center offers and how the center is "truly doing workforce development here every single day."

Tennessee Serves is a service project initiative that the First Lady's office began four years ago to bring volunteers together and help communities. During that time period, the Tennessee Serves initiative has partnered with 3,841 Tennesseans to complete 195 service projects, while working with 151 organizations.

This article originally appeared on Jackson Sun: Gov. Lee, First Lady help those with disabilities at STAR Center tour