Hadley Stephens began blogging in 2019, wanting a place to express her Christianity and discuss her disability. While blogging, she became aware of just how badly disability needs were not only in her home area, but also in the United States as a whole.
“Being a wheelchair user myself it has been apparent the different needs that the disability community faces in rural communities. I was writing about my personal experiences and how churches could reach out to those with disabilities,” said Stephens.
People living with disabilities are the largest unreached people group in the United States.
“It is imperative that people with disabilities receive more opportunities that promote socialization, friendship, work training, and acceptance in the faith community and our nation as a whole,” said Stephens.
Often finding herself discussing these issues she found on her blog, Stephens began to feel burdened. She wasn’t taking the steps to actually solve the problems she saw for the disabled community. That’s when ‘Rolling in Faith’ was born.
“After about a year of blogging, I realized that I should be practicing what I was preaching. At that point, that is when I developed a team and started planning our first event, ‘Wonderfully Made Camp’, for children with disabilities,” said Stephens. “Then in October of that same year, we had our first adult respite event for Halloween.”
The first strides of Rolling in Faith came after the initial children’s camp. This is a three day children’s camp, structured much like a vacation bible school.
“This was our first ever program and we are looking forward to offering this for children second grade through seventh grade with disabilities and special needs later this summer,” said Stephens.
In starting a program that works with people with disabilities, there is a level of trust that needs to be earned.
“Myself and the initial volunteers put a lot of effort into creating relationships with our participants. We really want our program to be a community, where we are friends and not just doing something for them,” said Stephens. “I think that once people realized that their family members with disabilities would be respected and cared for at our events, that is when people were willing to try us out and we really began to make strides.”
In 2022, Rolling in Faith plans to hold multiple events, including ‘Summer Skills’.
“Summer Skills is one of two new programs that we are offering for individuals ages 16 and older during the month of June. It will be a twice-weekly event, every Tuesday and Thursday,” said Stephens. “This is for older teens and adults to focus on life skills.”
Topics such as cooking education, safety, money skills, and much more will be offered during Summer Skills, which will be held at Zion Church in Metropolis, Illinois.
“We are so excited to offer this fun and educational program. Participants will learn these skills together and set individualized goals for each participant,” said Stephens. “We are looking forward to bringing in experts to discuss these important topics, as well as, giving the participant the opportunity to go into the community and have real-life experience when working on mastering these skills.”
Once participants have completed this program, they will be invited, as well as their loved ones to celebrate their achievements with Rolling In Faith through an awards ceremony at the end of the month. Sign-ups for Summer Skills are currently live and can be found on the Rolling In Faith website. There are a limited number of spots for this particular program.
“The second program we are offering for adults this summer will be a day camp scheduled for June 20 through June 24,” said Stephens. “Those who register for Summer Skills will be able to pre-register for
the camp.”
There are also children’s programs planned for this summer, aiming to meet every two to three months. Updates on these programs will be posted online.
“Programs like Rolling in Faith and other disability-based programs and services are imperative because people with disabilities deserve to be active members of society just like everyone else,” said Stephens.
Judith Heumann, who is a major disability advocate, is quoted saying, “I don’t think I felt, really, shame about my disability. What I felt more was exclusion.”
What Stephens wants to show through her programs is that there is no shame in being disabled. She wants their participants to be proud of who they are, wants their volunteers to feel invested in the mission, and the overall mission of being an advocate for people with disabilities.
“I want the community to see the value of people with disabilities,” said Stephens. “Our programs and others working with people with disabilities is important because it gives an opportunity to show the community the talents and gifts that these individuals want to share but oftentimes aren’t given an opportunity.”
Rolling in Faith is always happy to expand its volunteer team and encourages anyone who would love to be a part of a life-changing experience to apply. An application process and background check will be required, which ensures that the best volunteers are selected.
“I really want to encourage the community to get to know those with disabilities in your area. Whether it’s Metropolis, Paducah, or anywhere else in the world. Inclusion starts with people taking steps to know each other and understanding our similarities and differences,” said Stephens. “We all have a piece in making our world a more inclusive place. I also want to highlight that if you are a small business owner please consider hiring individuals with disabilities. Many people I come in contact with express their biggest need is interaction and the opportunity to grow. Getting a part-time job/volunteer position would be a game changer for a lot of individuals.”
Donations are also accepted to help support Rolling in Faith and its outreach programs. They are a 501c3 organization. Donations are tax-deductible and all the funds they are given go towards creating opportunities for our friends with disabilities in the Southern Illinois regions.
To keep up with the recent achievements and events, Rolling in Faith updates their website frequently at www.rollinginfaith.com
