In order to support families and others in the community who are raising children with disabilities, Aaron’s Acres has been offering educational seminars on various topics. We have offered these sessions virtually since COVID and this format has generally worked well, allowing for increased flexibility and accessibility for participants. 

As part of our 25th anniversary year in 2023, we hosted a larger in-person resource fair event for our Aaron’s Acres families and the general public that provided additional information and support.  We heard from attendees that they appreciated the opportunity to connect one-on-one with representatives from various agencies in the community. They also appreciated hearing from our panel of experts about the unique mental health challenges that occur particularly when raising a child with varying abilities.

This year, we hosted another similar in-person event, this time at Manor Church in Lancaster on Saturday, August 24 from 10am-12pm. We again invited organizations from throughout the community to have informational tables at the event, sharing resources that are available for individuals and families. Our theme for this event was general health and wellness (physical, emotional, financial, etc.). We also added a section of the event that offered family fun and entertainment options featuring Papa Tater (magician), carnival-style games, a bounce house, and face painting. Daniel’s Den accessible playground was also on site for everyone to enjoy while they were there! In addition, we welcomed two food trucks to the event – Character Coffee Cart and Here We Dough – that were offered free of charge to attendees.

Thanks to the sponsorship support of a generous community donor, we were grateful to be able to offer over 150 attendees a low-stress morning with some family-friendly fun and the opportunity to gather helpful information on a variety of wellness topics for their loved ones (those with and those without disabilities). One of our attendees shared with us that they felt it was a “safe space” for their family and this feedback made us feel like the event was successful!

The following organizations participated in the event and are part of a follow-up summary document that includes organizational highlights and key contact information. We would like to thank all of these community organizations for partnering with us on this event and we would also like to thank everyone who joined us that day! It was a fantastic morning of connection and community!