Live Well. Love Strong.

What Children with Disabilities Teach the World | Dash Gordon Foundation

What does it truly mean to be an ally in the disability community? In this episode of the Live Well, Love Strong podcast, Sarah sits down with Tim “Dash Gordon” Glover, founder of the Dash Gordon Foundation, to talk about how a simple idea while DoorDashing unexpectedly turned into a powerful movement supporting individuals with disabilities and their families. Dash shares the story of how putting on a superhero costume to deliver food sparked something much bigger. What began as a fun way to take his wife on vacation quickly grew into a mission to help families in need and shine a light on the talents and abilities of children and adults with disabilities. Together, Sarah and Dash talk about: • What it means to be a true ally in the disability community • Why caregivers and parents often feel unseen and unsupported • How communities can better include individuals with disabilities • The importance of giving every child the opportunity to try • The four life lessons children with disabilities teach the world Dash also shares how this work transformed him personally and why he believes a major shift is happening in how society sees disability and inclusion. This conversation is heartfelt, honest, and full of encouragement for caregivers, parents, and anyone who wants to make a difference. If you have ever wondered how you can step forward as an ally, this episode is for you. Learn more about the Dash Gordon Foundation: https://www.thedashgordonfoundation.org [https://www.thedashgordonfoundation.org/] Connect with Live Well, Love Strong: Website https://www.livewelllovestrong.com/caregiverconnection Caregiver Connection Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/caregiverconnectionlwls/ Keywords: disability advocacy, disability community, disability inclusion, special needs parenting, caregiver support, disability awareness, allyship, disability nonprofits, special needs families, Dash Gordon Foundation

When a Sibling Becomes the Future Caregiver | The Disability Family Story No One Talks About

What is it like to grow up knowing you may one day become your sibling’s caregiver? In this episode of the Live Well. Love Strong. Podcast, Sarah sits down with author, advocate, and nonprofit director Amanda Owen to talk about the sibling perspective in disability families. Amanda shares her experience growing up with her brother Nick, who has a rare chromosomal disability, and the emotional reality many siblings quietly carry. From childhood memories to the weight of future caregiving, this conversation explores the parts of disability family life that are rarely discussed. Amanda also shares insights from her book Rarely Different, written to help parents better understand the experience of neurotypical siblings in special needs families. In this episode we talk about: • Growing up with a sibling with disabilities • The emotional weight siblings carry • Preparing for the future when parents are gone • How parents can support neurotypical siblings • Letting siblings be siblings, not caregivers Learn more about Amanda Owen and her work: https://piecesofme.org [https://piecesofme.org/] Learn more about Caregiver Connection: https://www.livewelllovestrong.com/caregiverconnection Join the Caregiver Connection Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/caregiverconnectionlwls/

The Grief No One Talks About in Caregiving

Caregivers often experience a kind of grief that few people talk about. In this episode, therapist and mom Amanda Griffith-Atkins joins us to discuss ambiguous grief, the kind of grief that happens when someone you love is still here, but life looks very different than you imagined. Amanda shares her journey raising her son with Prader-Willi Syndrome and explains why caregivers often feel guilt or shame around their grief, even when they deeply love their children. We explore: • The reality of ambiguous grief • Why grief and joy can exist at the same time • The pressure caregivers feel to stay positive • How to practice self-compassion • What healthy grieving looks like over time This conversation is honest, validating, and deeply human. Learn more about Amanda Griffith-Atkins: https://amandagriffithatkins.com [https://amandagriffithatkins.com/] Learn more about Live Well. Love Strong.: https://www.livewelllovestrong.com [https://www.livewelllovestrong.com/] Join our Caregiver Connection community: https://www.livewelllovestrong.com/caregiverconnection Join the Caregiver Connection Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/caregiverconnectionlwls/

Building Strength and Confidence for Every Ability

In this episode of Live Well. Love Strong., Sarah sits down with Tammy and Teri from Special Strong and Special Strong West Houston, an adaptive fitness program designed to support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. After years of working in education and serving families in the special needs community, they recognized a gap. Traditional gyms are often not designed with individuals with disabilities in mind. Instead of accepting that limitation, they created a fitness environment where people of every ability can build strength, confidence, independence, and community. Through personalized training and a supportive approach, Special Strong helps individuals with autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injuries, and other developmental or physical challenges experience the benefits of movement and fitness. Tammy and Teri share the heart behind their mission, the transformations they have witnessed, and why inclusive fitness can have a lasting impact not just on individuals, but on entire families. Learn more about Special Strong West Houston: https://specialstrongwesthouston.com Learn more about the podcast and resources from Live Well. Love Strong: https://livewelllovestrong.com

Navigating Texas Disability Services

Navigating disability services in Texas can be confusing, exhausting, and far more complex than families expect. In this episode, Sarah Washington is joined by advocates and autism moms Tenika Combs (Got Advocacy) and Angela Kimble for a practical and honest conversation about Medicaid waivers, Social Security Disability, LIDDA intake, and what supports are available as children transition into adulthood. They discuss long waitlists, eligibility changes after age 18, how to approach IDD vs mental health intake, what day habilitation programs provide, and how Texas Workforce Commission Vocational Rehabilitation can offer support starting in the teen years. They also talk openly about caregiver burnout and the kind of self-care that makes this long journey sustainable. Resources mentioned: Got Advocacy – https://gotadvocacy.org Got Advocacy Resource Page – https://gotadvocacy.org/resources [https://gotadvocacy.org/resources] Texas Workforce Commission – https://www.twc.texas.gov [https://www.twc.texas.gov/]