What Makes F2F Unique

From, Marie Walls

Luckily for me, when I first moved to Houston, one of the first people I met was Eve Cugini and her son, Nicky.  Both Eve and I were on a quest to find information and resources to help us advocate for our children.  We soon discovered that we shared a vision for our children, full participants in their community just as they were full and active members of our families.  Thus became the beginning of an incredible journey, and most importantly a friendship for us as well as our children.

In the beginning of our search for information and resources we discovered that one of the ways we learned best was from other parents who were also seeking knowledge.  After many meetings, support groups, etc… we became convinced that we had to get other parents together to network and share ideas.  Those first meetings we would spend up to two hours just introducing ourselves and sharing our stories.  One person’s stories would lead to a series of questions and an exchange of ideas and resources. 

The common theme seemed to be that our children are an integral part of our families and everyday life.  They are not defined in our household by their disability.  They are loved and valued, just like any other child in any typical household.  Why then, did we all seem to have such difficulty feeling that sense of belonging, of being accepted outside our own homes?

What makes Family to Family Network a unique group of parents is the very fact that we are parents first.  We are a parent driven organization.  We rely heavily on experts and consider the partnerships with other organizations that we have built over the years invaluable.  However, we live it everyday.  We have a vested interest in what the future holds for our children. 

We are non-disability specific.  We come together as a group of parents who share similar experiences and have a dedicated sense of purpose as we advocate for our children in the community.  We embrace the diversity of our group.  We all learn from each other, parents and children alike.  We have learned that when we work together towards a common goal we can make real change.  Families working together provide each of us with strength and confidence and ensure the greatest success.  We know that we all want our children to be accepted, contributing members of their community.  By standing together, we have become a strong voice for change for our own  children as well as those that will follow in our path.

Watching Family to Family grow and develop has truly been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.  It has been a labor of love and dedication by many incredible people.  It has also been very hard work, and I confess to being slightly relieved when I discovered that my family would be moving to Plano, Texas.  I planned to find another group, just like Family to Family and join up without getting too involved in the beginning.  My plans to keep a low profile and  relax for a while were quickly set aside.  I discovered that there was not another group like Family to Family Network.  One year after moving, I called Eve and asked about a F2F chapter in Collin County. 

Family to Family Network is a fabulous, unique organization that brings parents together to learn and support each other.  Many of us have become much more polished advocates along the way, but first and foremost we are the parents of our own children with disabilities.  Together, we have made a difference.