Stone Soup Group is a statewide non-profit organization that provides support and assistance to families of children with disabilities. We are the federally funded Parent Training & Information Center for the State of Alaska, and a dedicated advocate for families raising children and youth with special needs.

We are thrilled that families of children and youth with special needs are being recognized by both candidates in the presidential election as an important, valuable, and growing population in the United States. We strongly urge voters to learn what each candidate’s positions are on crucial issues facing families of children with special needs, such as health care coverage, IDEA (the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), and equal rights for Americans with disabilities.

There are an estimated 17,000 Alaskan children living with disabilities, and there are still significant gaps in the system of services and supports for them and their families. Stone Soup Group hopes that in the coming months, each candidate will directly address his or her plans to improve the lives of these families by supporting existing effective programs and new legislation to fill the gaps that continue to exist.

Stone Soup Group does not endorse any particular candidate, but strongly encourages families raising children with special needs to register and vote in this historic election.

“We want families to vote, because it’s a way for them to guarantee that their voices are heard,” says Becky Braunstein, Stone Soup Group’s press representative. “It’s always a positive thing for candidates to mention our families, but now we want plans of action that will be meaningful to our community.”

This entry was posted on Friday, September 5th, 2008 at 1:45 pm and is filed under Uncategorized .