Need Project Podcast

The mission of Labeled and Loved is to embrace and strengthen families with disabilities by providing connective experiences and educational resources for the primary caretaker igniting personal growth and systemic change within the community. We discuss the mission and programs of Labeled and Loved with Kati Moser, the Colorado Springs chapter president.

Our guest is Kelsey Bellanca, Kelsey is the owner of Human Power and the Executive Director of Project Limitless. We discuss the benefits of exercise on the mind and body of our ourselves and family members.

Sharon Cox is the Founder of Unending Possabilities. Unending Possabilities (UP) is a God-centered vocational community that provides meaningful work, a sense of belonging, dignity, and respect for adults with disabilities. We discuss the lack of programs for adults and what they are doing to make a difference.

Stephanie Hubach is a Research Fellow in Disability Ministries and a Visiting Instructor in Educational Ministries in affiliation with Covenant Theological Seminary. She is also the Author of the book we discuss, Same lake different boat.

Dennis Blaisdell is the pastor of Access Christian Church. It is a place where you can come as you are. We know going to Church can be intimidating. But rest assured, Access Christian Church is made up of imperfect people doing their best to serve God and serve others. We have a laid back atmosphere where you can feel comfortable and not have to worry about pretending to be perfect. We invite you to become part of our family, no matter where you are in your journey with God. We look forward to meeting you!

Sarah Nolan is the Respite Programs Specialist for The Resource Exchange(TRE). We discuss all the respite programs TRE offers for children and adults in El Paso county.

Randy and Kesti Suggs are the founders of Reigning Hope. Their mission: To provide life changing therapies at our sensory-rich farm clinic. Their hope: Children with disabilities struggle to reach developmental milestones and to be independent. A combination of therapies and supportive community can help these children reach their goals. At Reigning Hope we provide life changing therapy for the entire family at our sensory-rich farm clinic.

Christopher A. Noll,  MA, CAA Director of Athletics & Activities District 11 schools. We discuss the school district's Unified Sports Program and how D11 students can get involved.

Team Impact with Sarah Sapiro, Regional Executive Director, West Emily Burns, Matchup specialist Jackie Avila, Case Manager and Shikha Shah, Regional Director, Programs. Team IMPACT matches children facing serious illness and disability with college sports teams, creating a long-term, life-changing experience for everyone involved. See more at https://teamimpact.org/

Family Voices Colorado is a grassroots organization run by parents of children with special healthcare needs. The support you receive is free of charge and provided by someone who understands the many challenges of having a child with special health care needs in their life. Every day we give parents the information and knowledge they need to navigate complex healthcare systems to get things like wheelchairs, oxygen, or surgery for their children. With our help, parents can be the heroes their children are counting on. Parents also receive information about other systems they should access based on their child's diagnosis and needs.

Maranatha Charity Trust is an organization in Romania. It's about children who didn't have the chance to grow up in a family. Maybe it's because their parents left too soon to watch over them from above, or maybe it's because their parents - biologically speaking - didn't know how to receive and appreciate them as a blessing into their lives. Children for whom "home" was far from being a real home. Children who did not enjoy the warm hugs of a parent, who do not remember a rich lunch taken with their parents, who did not have anyone to talk to about school, about what they want to become when they grow up or about how beautifully they draw. And they are not the ones to be seen as guilty. In fact, we are not even looking for people to blame. We do not need to point fingers. We only need solutions. https://asociatiamaranata.ro/en

We talk with Tasha Noble about the mission of Special Olympics and what it means for families in Colorado.

Kevan Chandler is the founder of We Carry Kevan and the author of the book of the same name. We discuss the beginning of We carry Kevan and how a big dream lead to the book, a documentary, and a non-profit. We carry Kevan works to connect families with backpack carriers which allow for up to 60 pounds, and they are about a lot more.

Marcia Nathai-Balkissoon is the author of a new book "Lighting the Path: Leaning into a Hopeful Future as a Special Needs Parent". Marcia is a storyteller and educator who believes that we each have a powerful purpose that should guide our lives. As one of her children is brain-injured and bedridden, Marcia and her family have traversed significant challenges. She is passionate about helping special needs families to feel more connected, gain visibility, access and support, and tap into their resilience. Marcia helps others to connect deeply with their purpose so they can experience more joy and fulfillment. Through intuitive and logical interventions, her work seeks to shift mindsets, build habits, foster creativity and curiosity, and enable people to live their best lives each day, trusting they are enough. As a tenured lecturer at the University of the West Indies, Marcia is most drawn to the fields of health, safety and wellness, business and personal strategy, and teaching and learning. She is a certified Parent Skills Master Trainer and enjoys working with her husband to adapt interventions for their daughter and helping other parents to do the same for their children.

Our guest is Michelle Morris-Wright. Michelle is the Agency Director/Director of Case ManCase Management for the C-HCBS Medicaid Waiver for A Special Needs Connection and Medicaid Waivers. We discuss Medicaid waivers and eligibility in the state of Colorado. Michelle also shares about becoming a CNA and how A Special Needs Connection helps families get plugged into medicaid.

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern Colorado offers a warm, safe, clean, and friendly environment for families. It has two kitchens, family-friendly dining and living rooms, laundry facilities, and indoor and outdoor play areas for children. Our House is a home-away-from-home for families in need.

Thomas Pantoja is the Program Outreach Specialist for ServiceSource in Colorado Springs, Colorado. We discuss the jobs Service Source has open for individuals with physical and intellectual disabilities. This program is for full employment working on Fort Carson army base doing dining services.

The Colorado Initiative for Inclusive Higher Education (IN!) is a non-profit founded in 2014 by educators, disability leaders, students and families who have a vision for better and more fulfilling career opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities (ID). Until recently, society’s low expectations coupled with limited opportunities have prevented people with ID from the benefits associated with a higher education. While peers move to the next phase of their lives, students with ID sit on the sidelines. Consequently, they transition from high school to adult day programs, very low paying jobs, or, in too many cases, simply end up sitting idly at home with limited social outlets. Many individuals live hopelessly below the poverty line, and have little prospect of rising above it. IN! is actively working to have inclusive college opportunities for individuals with ID available statewide and woven into the natural fabric of all higher education.

Our President, Bob West shared with a parents group some of the advice and encouragement people have given him over the years as a parent. He shares why one, in particular, is not his favorite. This message is an encouragement for parents helping them see the value they and their whole family are.

ABLE accounts were created to help families and individuals with expenses while protecting SSDI and Medicaid. Mike Keglovits is the ABLE & Special Programs Manager for College Invest who are the administrators of ABLE accounts for the state of Colorado. We discuss the basics of these accounts and how to set one up.

Sonya is the Transition/IEP/Enrich/CDE Data Reporting Coordinator for the Pikes Peak Board of Cooperative Educational Services. We discuss how services look different for adults and the most important things to remember and do as part of your transition.

Vicki Caruana is an educator, speaker and author of the book Standing Up for Your Child: Without Stepping on Toes. Vicki has hosted an education-based blog since 2005 http://vickicaruana.blogspot.com/

Our guest is Heather Jackson; Heather is the Executive Director of Realm of Caring, a non-profit that provides support services and resources for those using Cannabinoid products.

Tait Berge is the author of “In the Accessible Church”. We talk with him and Bishop Ken Ross from the International Anglican Church about inclusion of everyone in the church.

A celebration of the past eight years of producing the Need Project Podcast. This podcast brings together clips from some of our favorite guests like Dr. James Dobson, Joni Ereckson-Tada and DR. Peter Armstrong to name a few.

Lon helps us to encourage married couples to have a thriving marriage despite the challenges of raising a special needs child, or a spouse that has a disability. Lon has been a counselor at Focus on the Family since 1985, and in the wheelchair since Feb.1991, due to Spinal Chord tumors, and surgeries to remove them.

Our guest is Dr. Lorna Bradley. Dr. Bradley is the author of the new book “Special Needs Parenting” from coping to thriving.

Mike is the Supervisor of Church Relations for Joni and Friends International Disability Center. We discuss how to encourage our churches to support families with special needs members, and how Joni and Friends can help.

Our guest is Jackie Mills-Fernald. Jackie is the Director of Access Ministries at Mclean Bible Church in Virginia. We learn about the unique programs they have and some tips from their years of experience.

Our guest today is Dr. Diane Foley. Dr. Foley is President/CEO of Life Network, a life affirming ministry in Colorado Springs, CO, which provides physical, financial, and emotional support for women and men facing unexpected pregnancies, mentoring for young parents, recovery counseling for those who have been affected by abortion, as well as sexual risk avoidance education presented in local middle and high schools.We discuss the options and best ways to teach our children about sex.

As an ASCP certified medical technologist, Melanie expected an exciting career in the health field. Instead, she soon discovered that parenting was an even greater passion. The mother of one child who was neurotypical and two with neuropsychiatric disorders, Melanie used her education to interact with specialists and to research interventions for her children. As parents raising children with these and other brain chemistry differences, we need compassionate voices who can listen and help us with the practical issues: fighting despair, judgment, and educational challenges; deciding about medications; handling the labeling of children with behavioral challenges; and negotiating the responses of schools and the church. Perhaps most importantly, we need assurance that our children will be okay and that we will survive spiritually as we grapple with the daily challenges. listen as we continue our conversation.

As an ASCP certified medical technologist, Melanie expected an exciting career in the health field. Instead, she soon discovered that parenting was an even greater passion. The mother of one child who was neurotypical and two with neuropsychiatric disorders, Melanie used her education to interact with specialists and to research interventions for her children. As parents raising children with these and other brain chemistry differences, we need compassionate voices who can listen and help us with the practical issues: fighting despair, judgment, and educational challenges; deciding about medications; handling the labeling of children with behavioral challenges; and negotiating the responses of schools and the church. Perhaps most importantly, we need assurance that our children will be okay and that we will survive spiritually as we grapple with the daily challenges.

Melissa Horvath has a masters degree in special education and has taught preschool through 6th grade in a variety of settings including regular classrooms and special schools.

Ministry President Bob West gives an update on current projects and what we are planning for the next year!

Dr. Stephen Grcevich serves as Founder and Director of Strategic Initiatives of Key Ministry, a non-profit organization providing free training, consultation, resources and support to help churches serve families of children with disabilities. Dr. Grcevich is a graduate of Northeastern Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), trained in General Psychiatry at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at University Hospitals of Cleveland/Case Western Reserve University.

Our guest is Kathleen Bolduc, Kathleen is a speaker and Author her newest book is The Spiritual Art of Raising Children with Disabilities. The book is about how to grow in your personal spiritual life while raising a family that may have more challenges then others.

Linda is the Executive Director of Special Kids Special Families, an organization dedicated to provide community support services to families who are raising youth and caring for adults with developmental disabilities and special needs.

Dr. James Dobson has been defending families for over 35 years. He is the Founder of Focus on the Family and his new ministry Family Talk. He is the author of over 28 books on marriage and parenting. Dr. Dobson talks with us about the families and what we can do to help them thrive.

Our guests are Joe and Cindi Ferrini. Joe and Cindi are the authors of "Our Unexpected Journey". A great book about raising a child with special needs. We discuss the emotions and issues couples go through to find what the Ferrini's call, the new "normal" for their lives.

We visited with Dr. Peter Armstrong who was the Chief Medical Officer of the Shriners Hospitals for Children. We discuss the services that the Shriners Hospitals give to children and how they are different from other hospitals.

Bob West, President of Need Project talks about our new booklet written to new dad's helping them understand a few of the issues they will deal with as fathers and husbands who have children with special needs.

Tyler was born with Cerebral Palsy but through his faith in Jesus Christ, Tyler has never let any medical diagnosis, statistic or the negative attitudes of others stop him from dreaming and achieving his goals. Tyler passion is pediatrics and he inspires both the child and their parents to realize that all things are possible. As Tyler says, "People say no and God says yes!" As a speaker, Tyler is able to motivate people of all ages to move past barriers in their lives and develop renewed hope through the power of Christ. Lisa gives a mother's personal insight to the life of her disabled child. From the initial fears of pregnancy to the heartache of being told your child isn't "perfect", it is a mother's story of her child, the blessing of motherhood and the challenges we all face on different levels.

Tyler was born with Cerebral Palsy but through his faith in Jesus Christ, Tyler has never let any medical diagnosis, statistic or the negative attitudes of others stop him from dreaming and achieving his goals. Tyler passion is pediatrics and he inspires both the child and their parents to realize that all things are possible. As Tyler says, "People say no and God says yes!" As a speaker, Tyler is able to motivate people of all ages to move past barriers in their lives and develop renewed hope through the power of Christ. Lisa gives a mother's personal insight to the life of her disabled child. From the initial fears of pregnancy to the heartache of being told your child isn't "perfect", it is a mother's story of her child, the blessing of motherhood and the challenges we all face on different levels.

Jim Mhoon serves as the vice president of content development at Focus on the Family. Jim is heading up Focus's efforts on The Family Project. He and his son who has special needs, are part of a video preview for the project. Which can be seen at: http://community.focusonthefamily.com/b/jim-daly/archive/2013/06/19/please-watch-this-video.aspx

Our guest is Kyle West, son of our founder. We talk with Kyle about going off to college with a special need.

Cynthia has her own business, Apple St. (Applied Learning Styles) and began a career in writing and speaking in the field of learning and communicating styles. When we talk about learning styles, we're talking about not just personality differences, we're talking about the fact that each of us actually takes in information and understands it in a different way and we assume that everybody does it our way.

We talk with Tricia Harris to highlight the work of Foundations for Successful Living, specifically their summer programs. FSL specializes in working with individuals ages 3 and up with Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, Down Syndrome, Brain Injury, Intellectual Disability, and/or general learning dysfunction.

Zach's place was established to provide families in the Colorado Springs and surrounding areas a place for respite care for their children with disabilities ages 5 to 21. They have a new program teaching Anti-Bullying skills to those with special needs. For more information go to http://www.sksfcolorado.org/SKSF%20Zach's%20Place

Bill is the Co-founder of Blue Star Recyclers based in Colorado Springs in November, 2009. They recycle electronics and create jobs with individuals with disabilities. Bill says, "I am the luckiest guy I know —— to love your work and your team this much, while having an opportunity to lead an organization that produces such a positive human, economic, and environmental impact in the communities we serve.

Dan'l Markham is ordained Baptist minister presently serves with the ministry of Life Without Limbs, evangelist Nick Vujicic. Previous to that Dan'l served as Director of Partner Engagement at OneHope, a worldwide ministry bringing God's word and hope to millions of young people every year. He became fully engaged in disability ministry and the Luke 14:12-24 Mandate serving at Joni and Friends from 2001 to 2010, as Director of U.S. Field Services and then Managing Director of Field Services.

Malham M. Wakin is Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. We discuss the various ethical issues surrounding life choices for those with disabilities within the medical community.