2024 Year End Review

As the year comes to a close, we’re taking a moment to reflect on some of the most powerful and inspiring moments from our fall season. In this special year-end review episode, we revisit stories of resilience, the power of community, and the joy of celebrating milestones — big and small.

Join us as we highlight these memorable clips and the incredible voices that remind us we’re never alone on this journey. Thank you for being part of our community, and here’s to more hope, encouragement, and connection in the New Year!

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Series: Medical  

“Advocacy and Fundraising for Medical Families” with Abby Zachritz

Today is our final episode in our medical family series, and it’s a good one. Abby Zachritz is an advocate, corporate consultant, speaker, and a mother of five including a son with disability. Known as 'Advocacy Abby,' she provides essential support and resources to families facing life-altering situations. As Co-Founder of the Connect Platform, Abby empowers families by connecting them with over 1,000 grants, equipment, therapy, and financial support options across the U.S., Canada, and internationally. Through Connect, she ensures that no family has to face challenges alone, making vital resources accessible.  

You’re going want to grab a pen and paper for this insightful and informational episode. So let’s get started. 

Bio 

Advocacy Abby, also known as Abby Zachritz, is a mother of five, advocate, and guiding voice for families navigating disability and complex medical challenges. Known as 'Advocacy Abby,' she provides essential support and resources to families facing life-altering situations, sharing guidance, tools, and emotional support during their most critical moments. Her approach is both deeply personal and professional, rooted in her own experience as a mother and advocate for her child with a disability. As Co-Founder of Connect Platform, Abby empowers families by connecting them with over 1,000 grants, equipment, therapy, and financial support options across the U.S., Canada, and internationally. Through Connect, she ensures that no family has to face challenges alone, making vital resources accessible. In addition to her work with families, Abby consults corporations on how to better serve their clients with unique needs and perspectives. She’s also an inspirational speaker, sharing her message of hope and resilience with audiences, showing that strength and connection can make a profound difference in the lives of individuals and families. 

https://www.advocacyabby.com  

instagram.com/advocacy.abby 

Connect Platform

Series: Medical 

“Medical Caregiving and Community” with Andy and Laura Gibson

Intro:

We are talking today with Andy and Laura Gibson, co founders of Certain Hope Community, a nonprofit bringing hope and support to families located in Michigan, and we love that ofcourse.  Andy and Laura have 4 children and their youngest daughter Briella was born with a rare chromosome disorder that came with a long list of diagnoses and challenges. Because of the day to day challenges they experienced as a family they noticed the need for community and founded Certain Hope Community. We loved our time sharing with this dynamic duo and we know you’ll love their story too. So lets get started and listen in to our conversation with Andy and Laura Gibson.

Bio:

Andy and Laura Gibson and their 4 kids can often be found outside seeking accessible adventures for the whole family and sharing time with friends over a delicious meal.  

Their youngest daughter Briella was born with a rare chromosome disorder that has come with a long list of diagnosis and challenges. There is quite a list of things she can’t do but you will often find their family talking about what she CAN do and how she is filled with so much joy.

Through the day to day challenges they noticed the deep need for in-person community, It was because of this that Certain Hope Community was started. Our passion is to meet other families and share the hope and joy we have because of Jesus.

Contacts:

https://certainhopecommunity.org/

[email protected]

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Series: Medical

“Finding Hope in the Midst of Medical Complexity” with Andrea Bourne Foster

Welcome to the podcast. This episode is full of heart and hope. Today we begin our Medical series with author, speaker, educator and advocate Andrea Bourne Foster. Andrea is the mom of 2 beautiful daughters diagnosed with tuberous sclerosis and epilepsy. She is no stranger to hospital stays and ongoing procedures and we are blessed to have this most amazing mom and advocate on with us today. Let’s listen in as she shares her families story.

Bio:

Andrea Foster is a speaker, writer, disability advocate/educator, wife and mom. Andrea has been married to Kirk since 1998 and they are parents to four young adults. Their youngest, Audrey and Annie are identical twins who were diagnosed with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex at age five months. This resulted in further diagnoses of epilepsy, autism, intellectual disability and other medical complexities. Andrea and Kirk experienced grief at the loss of dreams and face daily challenges as they fulfill the role of parent-caregivers for their twin daughters. They live in Brampton, Ontario, Canada where Kirk is a professional Firefighter and have been part of Bramalea Alliance Church since 2001. Andrea holds a Master of Science in Education (Disability Studies), Bachelor of Theology and Early Childhood Education Diploma. She shares her experiences through speaking and writing. Her articles are published in Testimony Magazine (PAOC), Alliance.ca magazine, ChristianWeek online magazine and in Women Together online magazine. She has also been a guest writer for Key Ministry and guest blogger for the Huffington Post. She has been interviewed on 100 Huntley St., The Drew Marshall Show and by other podcast hosts. Andrea guest lectures at Bible Colleges and Seminaries, and is working to make Disability Studies part of all such curriculums. Andrea longs to help families not only cope, but also thrive and truly know the joy of the Lord, in spite of disability, disappointment and ongoing seasons of trial. She believes all people belong in the Church but understands that not all leaders are well prepared for ministry with people affected by disability. Her passion is to equip everyone for better interaction so the Body of Christ will become a place of belonging for everybody. One of her favourite things is encouraging other families affected by disability to press into Jesus through Bible study, Church connection and Corporate Worship.

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Series: Future Planning

"Supplemental Security Income (SSI) & Employment" with Aleyada Toruno

We continue on in our Future Planning Series today with a topic that many of us have allot of questions about. Can an individual receive both Supplemental Security Income or SSI and be employed earning an income. This can be a complicated subject and we are incredibly blessed to have expert Aleyda Toruno on today to explain it all to us.

Aleyda has been advocating for the rights of people with disabilities for over 20 years. Prior to her current position at Cornell as Work Incentives Associate, she represented clients in mediations and hearings in Social Security work incentives, vocational rehabilitation, special education, California Regional Center services and Medi-Cal. Her passion to help clients through the employment continuum led her to the world of work incentives counseling.

Lets listen in as she shares.

Bio:

Aleyda has been advocating for the rights of people with disabilities for over 20 years. Prior to her current position at Cornell as Work Incentives Associate, she represented clients in mediations and hearings in Social Security work incentives, vocational rehabilitation, special education, California Regional Center services and Medi-Cal. Her passion to help clients through the employment continuum led her to the world of work incentives counseling.

For more information on Student Earned Income Exclusion see SEIE

Contact:

https://www.yti.cornell.edu/

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Series: Future Panning

"Future Planning" with Wendy Smith

Welcome back to the podcast. Today we begin our Future Planning Series with Wendy Smith of Home of Guiding Hands.  Wendy is an incredible resource. She is not only a parent of a 31 year old son with a disability, but has also been working with and advocating for people with developmental disabilities for more than thirty-five years.

Wendy has worked in residential, respite, independent living and recreation programs in three states. She has been with Home of Guiding Hands since 1996 and began providing Life Planning workshops in 2006. 

Bio:

Wendy Smith has been working with and advocating for people with developmental disabilities for more than thirty-five years. She has worked in residential, respite, independent living and recreation programs in three states. She has been with Home of Guiding Hands since 1996 and began providing Life Planning workshops in 2006. Wendy is also the parent of a 31 year old son who receives services from San Diego Regional Center.

Contacts:

www.lifeplanninghelp.org

email

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Series: Kicking off the School Year

“Transition IEPs” with Crystal Sanford

Hey guys, as we continue on in our School Year Kick Off Series, today’s episode is going to be a huge help to those of us facing IEP Transition Planning.

If your child has an IEP, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or IDEA requires that students have an Individual Transition Plan or ITP in their IEP by the time they turn 16 years old. The Transition Plan should be based on the student’s strengths, preferences, and needs and all IEP goals must be tied into the 3 areas of continuing education or training, employment, and independent living.

On today’s episode we are happy to have Crystal Sanford of Sanford Autism Advocacy Group back on to explain all of this and more to help parents understand and feel more confident with the Transition planning process. So let’s get started.

Crystal Sanford, M.Ed., M.A. CCC-SLP is an Educational Consultant, IEP Advocate and Speech Pathologist. She is also a podcast, author, and mother to an autistic tween. Crystal's passion is advocating alongside fellow neurodiverse families, helping them to persistently pursue what their children deserve at school. In her free time, she enjoys gardening and spending time with her husband and two children in San Diego, CA.

www.sdautismhelp.com

www.facebook.com/sdautismhelp;

www.instagram.com/sanford_autism_advocacy

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Series: Kicking off the School Year

“Everything No One Tells You About” with Kelly Coleman

Welcome to today’s episode. As a parent of a child with special needs there is so much to know and do! There are school IEPs to advocate at for educational needs, there are insurance companies to haggle with for medical needs, and there are government programs to apply for and renew annually for resource needs. It’s an endless stream of paperwork and there's often not one clear road map to tell you where to go to find all the resources needed. 

That’s why we’re so excited to introduce you to Kelley Coleman. Kelley has written a book called “ Everything No One Tells You About Parenting a Disabled Child: Your guide to the eccential systems, services, and supports”. We know you’re gonna love this informative episode.

Contacts:

www.kelleycoleman.com

@hellokelleycoleman.com

Facebook

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Series: Kicking off the School Year

“Kicking off the School Year Organized”  with Angela O'Brien

Welcome to Season 4 of the Podcast! We hope you all enjoyed your summer. We know how crazy the summer can be with being off schedule.  We hope you had a chance to enjoy time with family and friends.

You are going to love this episode. Angela Obrien from the Especially Organized Podcast is back to kick off the school year with us with a few tips for how to be more organized in a way that reclaims the calm for all of us parents. So lets get started with todays fun episode!

Bio:

Angela O’Brien is a wife, mother of two, professional organizer, certified Enneagram coach, and host of the podcast Especially Organized: Sensible Solutions for Special Needs Moms.

Contacts:

Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @yourspacereclaimed

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If you enjoy this podcast please share us with others and be sure to follow us so won’t miss an episode.  We’d love to hear from you so please leave us a comment or rating and connect with us on social media or on our website. 

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"Season 3 Sign Off" with Eric and Christen Freund

Today we look back at season 3 of the Podcast and reflect on all the fantastic stories and insights from our guests.  We look at some o fothe high lights of the year so you can go back and catch some these episodes if you missed them or just wanted to hear them again. 

Eric and Christen Freund are co-founders of Hope on the Hard Road Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to connecting, encouraging, and bringing hope to families on the special needs journey through a variety of tangible resources and faith-based encouragement. College sweethearts, Eric and Christen have been married for 25 years and live in Southern California with their son Caleb and their daughter Abbey who is diagnosed with Autism. 

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If you enjoy this podcast please share us with others and be sure to follow us so won’t miss an episode.  We’d love to hear from you so please leave us a comment or rating and connect with us on social media or on our website. 

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