Key Ministry was launched in 2002 to help connect churches and families of kids with disabilities. We’ve had a unique interest in helping churches to better serve families of kids with mental illness, trauma and developmental disabilities. Historically, our focus has been on providing knowledge, innovation and support to churches. We’re now looking to create a place for families of kids with disabilities to find community, encouragement, resources and the opportunity to meaningfully connect with a supportive church near where they live.

Key plans to launch our family portal, Key Ministry for Families in early 2016. The portal will include…

A blog authored by twenty Christian parents raising kids with disabilities.

Online groups… Facebook communities (large groups built around common interests – diagnosis, education issues, adoption, etc.), Facebook groups (small to large, for adult education, book studies, Bible studies) and more intimate groups offered through videoconference-based technology.

Church connector… A volunteer-driven database (frequently updated by staff) to connect families who register for the site to local churches.

Video podcasts and training events

Online worship events including devotionals and teaching of specific interest to families impacted by disability.

Resource links… including church-based respite care, parent mentors, support for parents involved with adoption or foster care and educational videos to help parents better manage challenges of daily living when kids are impacted by common disabilities.

In order to launch Key Ministry for Families, we will need to increase our financial support for the ministry above current levels. We estimate during the first year that an additional $25,000 will be required to build the website, provide staff support for establishing and maintaining the church connector and online groups, support a continuous social media campaign to help families discover and make use of the site and to fund a pilot project using our Google Grant to help local churches connect with families impacted by disability in the communities they serve.

To reach people no one else in reaching, we have to try stuff no one else is trying. The 40,000 plus visitors per month visiting our blog suggests that the need is great. Join us as we seek to extend the love of Christ to families everywhere for whom a child with a disability has all too often been an insurmountable barrier to connecting with a local church.

Here’s how you can help…

• Mail your gift to: Key Ministry, P.O. Box 26109, Cleveland, OH 44126

• Securely text your gift to us through our Kindrid app: Text to (440) 337-4338, enter a dollar amount in the message of the text, and then hit “send.” The app will then take your secure credit card information. It was designed by the same guys who designed the Bible app for your phone.

• Go to our Go Fund Me page and give there.

Thanks so much for your prayer and support in the year ahead as we continue to seek to connect churches and families impacted by disability!

The Key Ministry team