OB Gates Elementary hosts disability resource and community fair

TL;DR: OB Gates Elementary will host a disability resource and community fair Tuesday bringing together more than 30 local organizations to connect families with support services.

The story

OB Gates Elementary School will host a disability resource and community fair Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. in the school's gym and cafeteria. The event will bring together more than 30 organizations to connect families and residents with disability support services and community resources.

OB Gates serves as Chesterfield County's largest special education catchment school, with over 25% of its student population having disabilities. The school houses several specialized programs including Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Severe Disability, Intensive Day Program, Autism Day Program, and the Mild Mentally Disabled Program, as well as a Center Based Gifted Program.

Participating organizations include Chesterfield Parks and Recreation, Chesterfield County Public Library, Chesterfield Early Intervention Services, Jacob's Chance, and Goldfish Swim School, among others. Volunteer teachers will provide childcare during the event to allow parents and guardians to fully engage with available resources.

Nyesha Nicholas, whose daughter Joy has high support needs, highlighted the significance of the fair: "This is such a unique opportunity to bring over 30 organizations into one space. You don't often see that." The event welcomes families from across Central Virginia.

Key players

• OB Gates Elementary School: Host of the disability resource fair
• Chesterfield Parks & Recreation: Participating organization offering community resources
• Chesterfield County Public Library: Participating organization offering community resources
• Chesterfield Early Intervention Services: Participating organization offering disability support services
• Jacob's Chance: Participating organization
• Goldfish Swim School: Participating organization

Key dates

• September 23, 2026: OB Gates Elementary disability resource and community fair, 6-8 p.m.

Why it matters: The fair provides families in Chesterfield with a centralized opportunity to access information about local disability support services and community resources in one evening, reducing the time and effort typically required to identify and connect with multiple organizations separately.

Places

• OB Gates Elementary School

Related links

• OB Gates Elementary School
• Chesterfield County Public Schools

Read the original at WTVR CBS 6 Local →

Sources

• Chesterfield school launches disability resource fair
• O.B. Gates Elementary - About
• O.B. Gates Elementary - Chesterfield County Public Schools