Need Project Podcast

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.

Colleen is the Child and Family Services Director at The Resource Exchange based in Colorado Springs, CO. We talk about the importance of early intervention and what the Resource Exchange does to get children the help they need.

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.

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/

Christopher Coleman is a twin and was born with his umbilical cord wrapped around his neck and was announced dead at birth but miraculously survived. We learn Christopher’s story of growing up with Cerebral Palsy and how he’s learned to overcome some of his limitations to become a motivational speaker.

Joanna McVicker winner of Goodwill’s Kenneth Shaw Graduate of the Year Award. Goodwill Industries International’s Kenneth Shaw Graduate of the Year Award honors an outstanding person for completing a Goodwill Industries® career program and becoming competitively employed by a non-Goodwill employer in the community.

Colorado HorsePower is a non-profit organization that is designed to meet the needs of our community by providing equine therapy and teaching horsemanship to individuals with special needs.

Dr. Sarah Schoen is the Associate Director of the Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation. We discuss the work of the foundation and how they help families dealing with SPD.

Colorado Autism Center is dedicated to the treatment of Autism and related disorders. It is a Colorado company focused on meeting the needs of children and families in the Colorado Springs Community.

Our guest Christine Hillesheim talks about Family Retreats from Joni and Friends. Every Family Retreat is packed with exciting adventures for the whole family. Several sites have amenities such as climbing walls and ropes courses, boating, hiking trails, mud pits, and a host of other activities to energize the week.

Bob West, President of Need Project, shares about our new community program. The program is designed to help churches support families with special needs.

Beverly has been a guest on this podcast before and is the author of A Never Give Up Heart—a book for moms who have children who have needs that are particularly challenging. Together they have recently developed a free video series for churches on focusing on God’s purpose and intention for creating the wonderful children he has given us.

Colleen is Director of Special Needs and Disability at Insight for Living. Insight for Living’s Special Needs Ministries is really about bringing hope to those whose lives have been turned upside-down. We desire to educate people about disabling conditions, to equip pastors, churches, and families with tools to serve those with special needs, and to offer encouragement and empowerment to those in need.

Jesse R. McGuire, Sr., B.Th, M.Div, D.Min, Winner, 2009 NATAS EMMY® Award Author, International Recording Artist, Actor, Doctor of Ministry. Jesse McGuire is an American trumpeter from Phoenix, Arizona, famous for his execution of the Star Spangled Banner, which he has performed for three U.S. presidents, and at several major sporting events, most notably the 2000 Daytona 500 and game 7 of the 2001 World Series. He was lead trumpet for the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra of New York City and for the band Tower of Power. Dr. McGuire talks to us about living with dyslexia and what he does to help others.

Mary works to help caregivers connect and understand they are not alone. On the Heart of the Caregiver Study: • God wants us to understand that He did not do this TO us. There is something wonderful and good that He wants to do THROUGH us. This is the paradigm shift, the point of transformation, the essence of this study. We are going to see ourselves, our situation, and the person we are caring for in a new way – through the light of God’s amazing love. • For caregivers, there are at least six obstacles that seem to constantly thwart our ability to let go and trust God-the study unpacks them all: o Doubt. o Another obstacle to trusting God is believing that we are in control. o The disease of disability seems to be in total control. There are many days that it is hard not to believe that the disease or disability is on the throne of our lives instead of God. o The fourth obstacle that we are going to discuss that gets in the way of our fully trusting God is FEAR. o

ChosenFamilies.org is a non-profit, created to provide information to parents, family members, religious leaders and the general public on effective solutions to living in families with hidden disabilities.

We celebrate five years of serving families in the special needs community. We look back on our proudest moments and whats ahead for Need Project.