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For a family raising a child with special needs, life can be difficult. There are many storms to weather and struggles to address, and we often feel isolated and alone due to the nature of our circumstances. Families have a need to connect and find resources, a need to be encouraged, and a need for hope as we walk down what can be a very hard road at times. Hope on the Hard Road Special Needs Podcast was created for this purpose. Our vision is to grow a thriving community, where families with children of all ages with special needs can feel connected, be encouraged, and find hope for the road ahead.
Episodes
Monday Oct 30, 2023
Monday Oct 30, 2023
Ministry Series:
”Reframing Special Needs Ministry” with Colleen Swindoll Thompson
We are beginning our Ministry Series and we are excited to be talking today with Colleen Swindoll Thompson. Colleen is no stranger to trauma and trials. Her experiences parenting a child with multiple disabilities have given her an unwavering passion to encourage and equip caregivers and their families with truths and tools that help them live well regardless of life’s ever-changing circumstances. @colleenswindoll has founded Reframing Ministries, a division of Insight for Living Ministries, that focuses on providing a community that“ gets it,” as well as hand-picked and heart-developed resources that help give you strength for today and hope for tomorrow.
Thanks for joining us
Contacts:
Connect with Us:
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.
- Email us
- Website: hopeonthehardroad.org
- Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/hopeonthehardroad/
- Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/hopeonthehardroad/
- Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/2621447987943459/?source_id=105530184205752
- Free Youtube Resource Library https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsSAfvTkSy87X-fEqtVR2qvo7w9UQBuxz
Monday Oct 16, 2023
Monday Oct 16, 2023
Future Planning Series:
“Blissful Seeds” with Rita Saliba
We are Continuing on with our Future Planning series talking today about creative job opportunities. And we have an incredible interview today with Rita Saliba founder of the local nonprofit Blissful Seeds, Inc. Blissful seeds is a strength-based business tailored to launch the entrepreneurial journey of young neurodivergent adults, propelling continued growth and social opportunities as they age out of the school system.
Contacts:
Insta: blissful_seeds
Facebook Blissfull Seeds
Connect with Us:
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.
- Email us
- Website: hopeonthehardroad.org
- Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/hopeonthehardroad/
- Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/hopeonthehardroad/
- Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/2621447987943459/?source_id=105530184205752
- Free Youtube Resource Library https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsSAfvTkSy87X-fEqtVR2qvo7w9UQBuxz
Tuesday Oct 03, 2023
Tuesday Oct 03, 2023
Future Planning Series:
“Creating Residential Opportunities” with Jess Ronne
Jess Ronne is an author, speaker, podcast host at Coffee with Caregivers, associate producer of the Unseen Documentary. She is founder and executive director of The Lucas Project, a non-profit dedicated to providing recognition, resources and respite support for special needs families. She and her husband Ryan live in Michigan with their 8 children, including their son Lucas who has profound disabilities. Her story of beauty from ashes has been shared on The Today Show, Daily Mail and Huffington Post and is detailed in her memoir “Sunlight Burning at Midnight” as well as her latest books “Blended with Grit and Grace” and “Lovin’ with Grit & Grace”.
Contacts:
Founder and Executive Director of The Lucas Project, caregiver advocate, speaker, podcast host, featured in Unseen, & author of Sunlight Burning at Midnight, Blended with Grit and Grace & Lovin with Grit & Grace (release Feb 2023)
 Buy Now |
 Order |
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 Watch Trailer |
Website: jessplusthemess.com
Website: https://www.thelucasproject.org/
Podcast: https://anchor.fm/jess-ronne
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jessplusthemess
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessplusthemess
Pinterest: pinterest.com/jessplusthemess/
Twitter: twitter.com/jessplusthemess
Connect with Us:
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.
- Email us
- Website: hopeonthehardroad.org
- Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/hopeonthehardroad/
- Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/hopeonthehardroad/
- Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/2621447987943459/?source_id=105530184205752
- Free Youtube Resource Library https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsSAfvTkSy87X-fEqtVR2qvo7w9UQBuxz
Monday Sep 18, 2023
Monday Sep 18, 2023
Future Planning Series:
“SSI supports” with Wendy Dumlao
Hi guys, we’re in our future planning series and so glad to have attorney Wendy Dumlao back on the podcast. Today Wendy is talking about SSI. Wendy is an incredible advocate for families of children with special needs. You are going to love her caring, fun, and engaging way of presenting the insights that bring hope as we plan for the future of our children.
Wendy Dumlao has been an attorney for almost 14 years practicing disability law. She worked for 5 years as the Clients Rights Advocate in San Diego, before opening her own practice. She specializes in advocacy related to Regional Center services, Social Security, Medi-Cal, IHSS and Special Education. So she has a lot of great insights to share.
Connect with Us:
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.
- Email us
- Website: hopeonthehardroad.org
- Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/hopeonthehardroad/
- Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/hopeonthehardroad/
- Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/2621447987943459/?source_id=105530184205752
Free Youtube Resource Library https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsSAfvTkSy87X-fEqtVR2qvo7w9UQBuxz
Monday Sep 04, 2023
Monday Sep 04, 2023
IEP Series:
“IEP Supports” with Crystal Sanford
We’re starting our IEP series this fall with Crystal Sanford. Crystal is a local Educational Consultant, IEP Advocate, Speech Pathologist and business owner. She is also an author and podcaster, cancer survivor, and mother to an autistic tween. Crystal's passion is advocating alongside families, helping them to persistently pursue the supports that their children need at school. So we know you’ll want to hear what she has to share.
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.facebook.com/sdautismhelp;
www.instagram.com/sanford_autism_advocacy
Connect with Us:
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.
- Email us
- Website: hopeonthehardroad.org
- Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/hopeonthehardroad/
- Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/hopeonthehardroad/
- Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/2621447987943459/?source_id=105530184205752
- Free Youtube Resource Library https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsSAfvTkSy87X-fEqtVR2qvo7w9UQBuxz
Monday Aug 21, 2023
Monday Aug 21, 2023
Season 3 Intro:
We are so excited to be back for another season of podcast episodes This season we have episodes filled with incredible insights from experts on topics such as future planning and heart felt stories from families like ours.
We’re so excited for this season. We know you’ll find encouragement, connection, and hope for the road ahead. So please take a second to follow us and you won’t miss an episode.
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.
Connect with Us:
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.
- Email us
- Website: hopeonthehardroad.org
- Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/hopeonthehardroad/
- Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/hopeonthehardroad/
- Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/2621447987943459/?source_id=105530184205752
- Free Youtube Resource Library https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsSAfvTkSy87X-fEqtVR2qvo7w9UQBuxz
Monday May 29, 2023
Monday May 29, 2023
Dad's Searies
Season 2 Wrap Up
Wow what a season of podcast episodes filled with incredible insights from experts and heart felt stories from families like all of ours. This season we had experts sharing on topics such as Special Needs Ministries for churches, Supports for families like The Regional Center, Medi Cal, IHSS, and future planning resources like limited conservatorship, SSI and Cal Able accounts, and the highly anticipated “self determination program ”.
Listen in to high lights of Season 2. Then go back and listen again to your favorite episodes. We look forward to seeing you back here in the fall for season 3.
Connect with Us:
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.
- Website: hopeonthehardroad.org
- Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/hopeonthehardroad/
- Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/hopeonthehardroad/
- Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/2621447987943459/?source_id=105530184205752
- Free Youtube Resource Library https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsSAfvTkSy87X-fEqtVR2qvo7w9UQBuxz
Monday May 15, 2023
Monday May 15, 2023
Dad's Series:
“The Additional Needs Blogfather Part 2” with Mark Arnold
We continue our Dad series with author, speaker, advocate, ministry director and co founder Mark Arnold, also known as the Additional needs Blogfather. Mark brings a wealth of knowledge and experience working with churches all over the UK. He is also a dad of a son with Autism, so he understands the joys and challenges of a raising a child with special needs. Dads, after listening to this episode and Eric and Mark’s conversation you will definitely walk away feeling seen and heard.
Join in the conversation and connect with other Dads who get it at our upcoming Dad’s Meet Up this Thursday and be watching for our annual Dad’s Day Out event COMING in THIS SUMMER!
Connect with Mark at:
Episode Links and Resources:
Mark Arnold is the author of The Additional Needs Blogfather blog. You can follow his blog and reach out to him on his website at https://theadditionalneedsblogfather.com/
Mark Arnold (The Additional Needs Blogfather) is the Additional Needs Ministry Director for Urban Saints’ pioneering additional needs ministry, including training, consultancy, conference speaking and resourcing: http://www.urbansaints.org/additionalneeds
He is co-founder of the ‘Additional Needs Alliance’, a learning and support community of almost three thousand organizations, children’s & youth workers, parents and more who are passionate about inclusion and belonging in the UK and beyond: http://www.additionalneedsalliance.org.uk
Mark is founder of ‘The Dads Fire Circle’, a place for dads and dad figures for children, young people and young adults with additional needs to gather, share and support each other: http://www.thedadsfirecircle.com
He is a ‘Churches for All’ partner, a member of the ‘Council for Disabled Children’ the ‘European Disability Network’ and the ‘Living Fully Network’, serves on the executive for ‘Children Matter!’ and writes a monthly additional needs column for Premier Youth and Children’s Work (YCW) magazine as well as being a writer/contributor for Firefly Community, Key Ministry, The Mighty, Different Dream, DAD.info, and BRF Parenting For Faith.
Mark is the author of ‘How To Include Autistic Children And Young People In Church’ creating a place of belonging and spiritual development for all: https://grovebooks.co.uk/products/y-65-how-to-include-autistic-children-and-young-people-in-church-creating-a-place-of-belonging-and-spiritual-development-for-all
Mark is dad to James, a 19-year-old Autistic young man, who journeys with Epilepsy, Learning Difficulties and Anxiety.
Connect with Us:
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.
- Website: hopeonthehardroad.org
- Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/hopeonthehardroad/
- Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/hopeonthehardroad/
- Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/2621447987943459/?source_id=105530184205752
- Free Youtube Resource Library https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsSAfvTkSy87X-fEqtVR2qvo7w9UQBuxz
Hope on the Hard Road, Inc
Hope on the Hard Road Inc. is a 501c3 nonprofit ministry dedicated to helping connect and encourage families with children of all ages with special needs through programs designed to support the unique needs of the individual, the family, and the community.
Check our or website