Special Needs Respite: How to Start a Program<\/h3>\n
We hear from senior pastors that often someone in their church wants them to \u2018do something\u2019 about special needs. But the pastor says, \u2018My plate is so full. I\u2019d love to do something, but I just can\u2019t add one more thing.\u2019 So how can we make this easy for your pastor and a huge win for your church?rEcess<\/a><\/p>\n God is using Jill\u2019s House<\/a><\/span> to bring respite and renewal to families affected by disability in the DC area and across the country. But this did not happen overnight. Here are a few of the resources we relied on as we built our programs. I hope they help prepare your church to \u2018do something\u2019 about disability ministry.<\/p>\n First, you\u2019ll need a group of committed volunteers. No matter the level of their enthusiasm and passion, one or two people will not be able to sustain an effective disability ministry. One way to inspire volunteers is to take them on a missions trip where they can work with people with disabilities. Jill’s House Weekend Adventures<\/a><\/span> provides an opportunity for groups or individuals to spend a weekend learning about God’s heart for disability and seeing disability ministry in action. They’ll return to your home church ready to apply what they’ve learned.\u00a0<\/p>\n Second, you\u2019ll need advice. I recommend two amazing ministries (led by two friends of mine) that coach churches on building very doable, impactful ministries to families of children with disabilities: Matt Mooney at 99 Balloons<\/a><\/span> and Marie Kuch at Nathaniel\u2019s Hope<\/a><\/span>. Check out Matt Mooney\u2019s piece about rEcess<\/a><\/span> or Marie Kuch\u2019s amazing Buddy Break<\/a><\/span>. By following their guidance, you\u2019ll find that providing a high-impact ministry to families in your community is easier than you think!<\/p>\n Third, you\u2019ll need to learn from the pros. As your program grows, you should know there are some great \u201csherpas\u201d out there who would be happy to guide you along the path. Jackie Mills Fernald at McLean Bible Church\u2019s Access Ministry<\/a><\/span> has put together some great tips for pastors<\/a>. Joni & Friends<\/span><\/a> was doing disability ministry before it was cool, and they have awesome resources to help churches. I particularly recommend Five Myths About Starting a Disability Ministry<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n God hasn\u2019t taught us to heal children with autism or genetic abnormalities, but He has given us the tools and resources we need to support their families. Our prayer is that as we serve them in Jesus\u2019 name, they come to know\u2014or trust more fully in\u2014His infinite love for them.<\/p>\n Do you have questions about how to start a special needs respite program where you live? Leave them in the comment box for Cameron to answer. Thanks!<\/p>\n Part 1: Special Needs Respite & Jill’s House<\/a><\/span> Do you like what you see at DifferentDream.com? You can receive more great content by subscribing to the quarterly Different Dream newsletter and signing up for the daily RSS feed delivered to your email inbox. You can sign up for the first in the pop up box and the second at the bottom of this page.<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column_inner][\/et_pb_row_inner][et_pb_row_inner _builder_version=”4.4.2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column_inner saved_specialty_column_type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.4.2″ background_color=”#b4dbc0″ custom_padding=”20px|20px|20px|20px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb title=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3IiLCJzZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJiZWZvcmUiOiJCeSAiLCJhZnRlciI6IiIsIm5hbWVfZm9ybWF0IjoiZGlzcGxheV9uYW1lIiwibGluayI6Im9uIiwibGlua19kZXN0aW5hdGlvbiI6ImF1dGhvcl9hcmNoaXZlIn19@” image=”http:\/\/differentdream.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/Cameron-Doolittle-1.jpg” icon_placement=”left” image_max_width=”100px” content_max_width=”800px” _builder_version=”4.10.5″ _dynamic_attributes=”title” header_font=”Rubik|500|||||||” header_text_color=”#44465f” header_font_size=”14px” header_line_height=”32px” body_font=”Rubik||||||||” body_text_color=”rgba(0,6,69,0.6)” body_link_text_color=”#ffffff” custom_css_main_element=”font-weight: 400;” border_radii_image=”on|100px|100px|100px|100px” border_color_all_image=”#ffffff” box_shadow_style_image=”preset1″ box_shadow_vertical_image=”20px” box_shadow_blur_image=”40px” box_shadow_color_image=”rgba(68,70,95,0.27)” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Cameron Doolittle has been President & CEO of Jill\u2019s House<\/a> since it opened in 2010. He loves that families find physical and spiritual rest through Jesus, and that Jill\u2019s House is helping prepare a new generation of leaders to love children with special needs as God does. Before he came to Jill\u2019s House, Cameron was the \u201cnew business launch guy\u201d at Corporate Executive Board. He\u2019s a graduate of Stanford University and holds a JD\/MBA from UC-Berkeley. Cameron and his wife, Carolyn, live in Falls Church with their four young children.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column_inner][\/et_pb_row_inner][et_pb_row_inner _builder_version=”4.4.2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column_inner saved_specialty_column_type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.4.2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_comments _builder_version=”4.4.2″ custom_button=”on” button_text_color=”#42313A” button_bg_color=”#EBDCB2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_comments][\/et_pb_column_inner][\/et_pb_row_inner][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_sidebar _builder_version=”4.4.2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_sidebar][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.9.2″ use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_color_gradient_start=”#42313A” background_color_gradient_end=”#EBDCB2″ background_color_gradient_direction=”159deg” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” border_width_all=”3px” border_color_all=”#1c1259″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”1″ _builder_version=”4.9.2″ width=”100%” max_width=”100%” custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”25px|0px|5px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ module_class=”horizontal_optin_column_1″ _builder_version=”4.3.4″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.2″ header_text_align=”right” header_text_color=”#45107a” header_3_font=”Dancing Script|700|||||||” header_3_text_align=”center” header_3_text_color=”#B4DBC0″ header_3_font_size=”45px” custom_margin=”10px||||false|false” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.3.4″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_signup mailchimp_list=”JolenePhilo|89f719a52b” layout=”bottom_top” first_name_fullwidth=”off” last_name_field=”off” email_fullwidth=”off” module_class=”custom_emailoptin” _builder_version=”4.4.2″ form_field_focus_background_color=”#42313A” background_enable_color=”off” custom_button=”on” button_text_size=”16px” button_text_color=”#42313A” button_bg_color=”#B4DBC0″ button_border_width=”2px” button_border_radius=”0px” button_font=”|||on|||||” button_use_icon=”off” button_custom_margin=”5px||||false|false” button_custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” border_width_all_fields=”2px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_signup][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.4.2″ custom_padding=”0px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.4.2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.4.2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.2″ header_font=”EB Garamond|600|||||||” header_text_color=”#B6452C” header_font_size=”50px” header_text_shadow_style=”preset1″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.4.2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.4.2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blog fullwidth=”off” posts_number=”3″ include_categories=”current” show_more=”on” _builder_version=”4.4.2″ header_text_color=”#42313A” meta_font=”||on||||||” read_more_font=”|||on|||||” read_more_text_color=”#B6452C” read_more_font_size=”12px” pagination_text_color=”#B6452C” pagination_font_size=”20px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_blog][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Special needs respite is a concept that needs to sweep the country. This post details first steps and provides resources churches can use to make it happen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10781,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"Step 1: Recruit Special Needs Respite Volunteers<\/h4>\n
Step 2: Locate Special Needs Respite Coaches<\/h4>\n
Step 3: Learn from Special Needs Respite Pros<\/h4>\n
Your Special Needs Respite Questions?<\/h3>\n
Part 2: Special Needs Respite: Camps<\/a><\/span><\/p>\nSubscribe for Updates from Jolene<\/h3>\n
Related Posts<\/h1>\n
![\"Special](\"http:\/\/differentdream.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/Jills-House-respite.jpg\")
<\/a>Special needs respite should be a component of every special needs caregiver's life. Unfortunately, finding good respite care is difficult in many parts of the country. In the final post in Cameron Doolittle's series about special needs respite, he shares many ideas and oodles of resources churches can use to create respite programs right where you live.<\/em>\nSpecial Needs Respite: How to Start a Program<\/h3>\nWe hear from senior pastors that often someone in their church wants them to \u2018do something\u2019 about special needs. But the pastor says, \u2018My plate is so full. I\u2019d love to do something, but I just can\u2019t add one more thing.\u2019 So how can we make this easy for your pastor and a huge win for your church?\n\nGod is using Jill\u2019s House<\/a> to bring respite and renewal to families affected by disability in the DC area and across the country. But this did not happen overnight. Here are a few of the resources we relied on as we built our programs. I hope they help prepare your church to \u2018do something\u2019 about disability ministry.\n
Step 1: Recruit Special Needs Respite Volunteers<\/h4>\nFirst, you\u2019ll need a group of committed volunteers. No matter the level of their enthusiasm and passion, one or two people will not be able to sustain an effective disability ministry. The easiest way to create this group of volunteers is to lead an Oxygen3 mission trip. Members of your church may not sign up to be a disability ministry volunteer, but they might sign up to join you on a three-day mission trip. Oxygen3 is an awesome opportunity for youth groups, small groups, and college groups to spend a weekend together, learn about God\u2019s heart for disability, and see disability ministry in action. They\u2019ll return to your home church ready to apply what they\u2019ve learned. For more information, visit our website, oxygen3.org<\/a>.\n
Step 2: Locate Special Needs Respite Coaches<\/h4>\nSecond, you\u2019ll need advice. I recommend two amazing ministries (led by two friends of mine) that coach churches on building very doable, impactful ministries to families of children with disabilities: Matt Mooney at 99 Balloons<\/a> and Marie Kuch at Nathaniel\u2019s Hope<\/a>. Check out Matt Mooney\u2019s piece about rEcess<\/a> or Marie Kuch\u2019s amazing Buddy Break<\/a>. By following their guidance, you\u2019ll find that providing a high-impact ministry to families in your community is easier than you think!\n
Step 3: Learn from Special Needs Respite Pros<\/h4>\nThird, you\u2019ll need to learn from the pros. As your program grows, you should know there are some great \u201csherpas\u201d out there who would be happy to guide you along the path. Jackie Mills Fernald at McLean Bible Church\u2019s Access Ministry<\/a> has put together some great tips for pastors<\/a>. Joni & Friends was doing disability ministry before it was cool, and they have awesome resources to help churches. I particularly recommend Five Myths About Starting a Disability Ministry<\/a>.\n\nGod hasn\u2019t taught us to heal children with autism or genetic abnormalities, but He has given us the tools and resources we need to support their families. Our prayer is that as we serve them in Jesus\u2019 name, they come to know\u2014or trust more fully in\u2014His infinite love for them.\n
Your Special Needs Respite Questions?<\/h3>\nDo you have questions about how to start a special needs respite program where you live? Leave them in the comment box for Cameron to answer. Thanks!\n\n
![\"special](\"http:\/\/differentdream.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/Cameron-Doolittle-199x300.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\nCameron Doolittle has been President & CEO of Jill\u2019s House since it opened in 2010. He loves that families find physical and spiritual rest through Jesus, and that Jill\u2019s House is helping prepare a new generation of leaders to love children with special needs as God does. Before he came to Jill\u2019s House, Cameron was the \u201cnew business launch guy\u201d at Corporate Executive Board. He\u2019s a graduate of Stanford University and holds a JD\/MBA from UC-Berkeley. Cameron and his wife, Carolyn, live in Falls Church with their four young children.<\/em>\n\nPart 1<\/a>\nPart 2<\/a>\n\nDo you like what you see at DifferentDream.com? You can receive more great content by subscribing to the quarterly Different Dream newsletter and signing up for the daily RSS feed delivered to your email inbox. You can sign up for the first in the pop up box and the second at the bottom of this page.<\/em>","_et_gb_content_width":"2880","footnotes":""},"categories":[3559,3753,3583],"tags":[3930,3931,3934,3935],"class_list":["post-10789","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-different-dream","category-special-needs-ministry","category-spiritual-support","tag-cameron-dolittle","tag-jills-house","tag-special-needs-respite","tag-special-needs-respite-resources"],"yoast_head":"\n