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Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month
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Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month Tag

March 25, 2026
in Ministry Partner
by cefiggins
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Ministry Partner Spotlight: Joni & Friends MO

March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. What a great month to highlight one of our ministry partners, Joni and Friends Missouri! Joni and Friends helps connect individuals living with disability and their families to the local church and equips the church to better serve those individuals and their families. Read all about Joni & Friends Missouri below and be sure to cover this ministry in your prayers this month.

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All people are made in the image of God. At Joni and Friends Missouri, Area Director Kevin Mullins is committed to bringing hope and belonging to individuals and families impacted by disability.

“Our vision is a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ,” Kevin explains. “Our mission is to glorify God as we communicate the Gospel and mobilize the global church to evangelize, disciple, and serve people living with disability.”

“People living with disability are often seen as ‘less-than ’or not seen at all,” Kevin says. “However, everyone, regardless of ability, is created in the image of God, needs Jesus, and needs community.”

Joni and Friends brings Gospel hope and practical resources to families affected by disability by equipping churches to become welcoming, inclusive places of belonging.

Joni and Friends also offers Family Retreats that provide a safe, nurturing space for families to find rest, hope, and support.

“We value each person as an image-bearer, worthy of dignity and respect. We strive to create a rich, Christ-centered environment at every Family Retreat that is safe and accepting for all members of the family.”

Marriage Getaways are also offered for couples navigating the disability of a spouse or child, providing community with others who understand the unique challenges they face, along with respite and Christ-centered encouragement.

Families who attend these retreats, made possible by supporters and volunteers, say the five days provide a chance to come up for air, find rest, and be encouraged, helping them lean on Christ throughout the rest of the year.

Joni and Friends also hosts educational events, such as the Disability Resource Seminar for Parents and Caregivers on May 9, 2026, at the St. Louis County Library-Grand Glaize Branch. This seminar equips families with practical, Christ-centered strategies for financial and legal planning, preserving benefits, and long-term care.

Members of Harvester who feel led to serve can get involved in a variety of ways. Short-term missionaries are needed at the Missouri Family Retreat, August 3-8, at Cross Pointe Retreat Center, Lake of the Ozarks, serving as one-on-one buddies for kids and adults with disabilities. Training is provided, and the only requirements are to love God, love people, and be willing to serve. Additional volunteer opportunities for Fall Respite events will be shared soon.

To learn more about Joni and Friends Missouri, visit https://joniandfriends.org/missouri/

For additional resources from Joni and Friends, visit https://joniandfriends.org/

Blog written by:
Christina Bollinger
Local Outreach Communications Volunteer
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March 18, 2026
in Volunteer Spotlight
by cefiggins
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Volunteer Spotlight: Brittany Martin

In honor of Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, we thought it would be appropriate to share the serving story of one of our Harvester Christians who lives day in and day out raising children with special needs and passionately serves in the world of disability ministry.  Read on to be blessed and inspired by this fine example of obedience in Loving God and Loving Others!

In today’s Volunteer Spotlight, we’re featuring Brittany Martin, who serves with Kindred, a ministry that was completely created and is completely led by two HCC volunteers. Kindred exists to support mothers of children with special needs. God created His people for community. Throughout Scripture, we are called to gather together, encourage one another, bear one another’s burdens, and point each other to the hope found in Jesus. For many moms raising children with special needs, finding a supportive community can be challenging. As a mother to several children with special needs herself, Brittany Martin understands how isolating the journey can feel and how meaningful it is to be surrounded by women walking a similar path. This is why she and Taylor Jones started the ministry of Kindred.

 

Looking back, Brittany can see how God was preparing her for this calling. During high school and college, she worked with youth ministry, learning to listen attentively, pray earnestly, and walk alongside the girls she served. Today, that experience helps her to care for the women of Kindred as they navigate challenges, celebrate milestones, and encourage one another. Before becoming a stay-at-home mom, Brittany also worked professionally as a lead designer for a local megachurch. These creative gifts help her and co-leader Taylor craft gatherings that feel welcoming and thoughtful, spaces where moms feel seen from the moment they step onto the sidewalk, even before entering the building.

 

While mothers of children with special needs are no strangers to multitasking and complex logistics, these women are willing to rearrange schedules, coordinate specialized childcare, and even travel long distances so that they can attend their biweekly meetings. Their commitment to show up for themselves and others reflects how deeply these spaces are needed. Regardless of spiritual backgrounds, the women of Kindred continue to return because they experience something unique, which many describe as “life-giving.” While the gatherings are thoughtfully curated, Brittany says, “It is not the content or the aesthetic that gives life and peace to the women who attend, it is Jesus.” Some who were initially hesitant, or who have experienced hurt in church settings in the past, have begun asking about attending Harvester with Brittany and Taylor. A few have even come and experienced a complete change of heart about the church. This is the result of Kindred unleashing the hope of Jesus, creating a space where meaningful conversations, encouragement, and genuine care naturally draw women closer to Him.

 

Serving in this way has also stretched Brittany personally. As an introvert, she says Kindred has pushed her to step out in faith and dig into Scripture so she can speak words of life to and pray with women navigating a variety of circumstances. Though the ministry requires time, effort, and sacrifice, she has discovered a deeper joy through it.”The biggest sacrifices tend to lead to the most meaningful rewards,” Brittany reflects.”The story of the widow’s oil in 2 Kings 4:1-7 is a beautiful example of this. Sometimes we feel like that small jar of oil, barely enough, running on empty, and convinced we don’t have even a drop to give to someone else. But when we offer what little we have to the Lord and choose to use our time and energy for something that glorifies Him, He multiplies it. He fills what feels empty and gives us more than enough to pour into others, until those around us are overflowing too.”

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Interested in learning more about Kindred? Check out their website by clicking this link==> https://www.kindredmoms.com/

 

Blog by: Christina Bollinger, HCC Local Outreach Communications Volunteer

 

 

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From the HCC Outreach Team:

Thanks so much for stopping by the Harvester Christian Church Outreach Team’s blog! We hope you find this resource helpful, insightful and encouraging as we strive to Unleash the Hope of Jesus back into our world!

This resource belongs to Harvester Christian Church in St. Charles, Mo.