About AFES Website

Loyalty, Respect, Service

Mission: The Agency For Empowerment & Support (AFES) empowers individuals with physical and mental disabilities by assisting them in developing comprehensive business plans and establishing successful businesses.

Our company provides business development and educational services, such as consulting and training. We are committed to empowering individuals with disabilities to reach their business goals by offering self-employment training and educational resources.

Our firm collaborates with non-profit organizations, private entities, and direct clients. The AFES Certified Business Technical Assistance Consultant (CBTAC) is accredited by the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) to offer services to VR customers. We employ a program developed by Griffin-Hammis Associates as a journey guide for VR customers.

Stephanie George, Founder/CEO

Stephanie George, also recognized as Leah, founded a company in Central Florida in 2019, initially incorporated in Washington, D.C., in 2014. In addition, in 2023, Ms. George and three community leaders were concerned about the increase in young adults who were homeless and needed help, so they organized AFES Workforce, Inc., a nonprofit corporation independent of AFES, LLC.

The AFES, LLC company specializes in business development, organizational management tools, and self-employment services for individuals with physical and mental disabilities. Additionally, it supports veterans and military families, helping them thrive as business owners.

Ms. George is a Certified Business Technical Assistance Consultant (CBTAC). Her experience includes roles as a Waiver Support Coordinator (WSC) and Medicaid Provider with The Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD). She is also the President of AFES Workforce, Inc. With a social work and business foundation, Ms. George earned her bachelor’s degree in organizational management from Bethel University in 2002.

Stephanie George has 15+ years of experience in colleges and universities, specifically in Career Development and Workforce Development & Continuing Education.

Additionally, her commitment to serving disabled clients started in the 1990s. Stephanie was a college intern and job coach at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, MI. Her experience was further enriched by working with the Dean of Student Services at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, New York. A notable aspect of her role was the opportunity to interact with Dr. Betty Shabazz, the wife of Malcolm X. Dr. Shabazz was an administrator in the president’s office. Through these varied experiences, Stephanie developed her skills in advocating for her clients and empowering vulnerable and underserved members of her community.

In 2014, Stephanie’s daughter and son-in-law, who had served in Afghanistan and (South) Korea, returned home with service disabilities. Ms. George spent years assisting her daughter and other military families in accessing the necessary support.

Stephanie became self-employed, learned the risks and benefits of working for herself, and is committed to supporting people with physical and mental disabilities. She continues to provide support services to U.S. veterans and their families.

Stephanie offers peer support to mothers and grandmothers of U.S. veterans and military families. A Christ-centered individual, she is a U.S. citizen, raised in New York. She promotes a respectful environment that honors clients’ cultures, beliefs, and sexual orientations.

Loyalty, Respect, Service

Stephanie George, Founder/CEO

My Proud Military Family