99 Balloons: Annual Update 2019

2019 ANNUAL UPDATE

99 BALLOONS

MISSION & VISION

OUR MISSION Building inclusive communities so that every person with a disability and their family can live a full life within relationships.

OUR VISION Changing the story of disability by proclaiming the worth and image-bearing beauty of each and every human being.

CONTENTS PAGE 4

A LETTER FROM MATT & GINNY

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EQUIPPING::Â RECESS

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EQUIPPING:: BEFRIEND & REMIX

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GLOBAL INITIATIVES:: SUPPORT TRIPS

PAGE 13

GLOBAL INITIATIVES:: ALL-IN

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LOCAL ENGAGEMENT:: ENGAGE

PAGE 17

LOCAL ENGAGEMENT:: RECESS & FELLOWS

PAGE 19 FINANCIALS

PAGE 20 HIGHLIGHTS

PAGE 22

NOTE FROM A DIRECTOR

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the editor in chief after seeking input from reviewers selected on a basis of relevant expertise.

A LETTER FROM MATT & GINNY May I be so bold as to ask you to take the time to actually read these pages? I am keenly aware this is no small request in this day and age where the last thing I, myself, look forward to is another piece of mail or anything added to my inbox.

None of us need more information, statistics or data, but all of us need a dose of hope. I see a thirst- to be reminded that in the midst of a world seemingly so focused on the negative, there are beautiful movements of another kingdom taking shape all around us.

99 Balloons is a space of hope and a preview of what can and will be- if and when humans focus on God’s message of joining Him in loving all of those made in His image.

Whether it is working to get a child with disability in Nicaragua into school, taking a group of bEfriend adults to a community gathering or offering a mother a night off because her church is trained to love on her child through rEcess… all that 99 Balloons is about is quite simple and quite world-changing- all in the same moment.

We are so thankful for the thousands of individuals who have volunteered, given generously and walked with us toward making our communities, churches and schools places that are not merely inclusive of our friends with disability but unwilling to exist without them.

We continue to grow because you continue to come along. We need you and we thank you. We have only just begun.

Matt Mooney Matt & Ginny Mooney PAGE FOUR | 99 BALLOONS

EQUIPPING:: RECESS rEcess is 99 Balloons' longest-standing program.

What started as a small group of Matt and Ginny's friends has become a cornerstone of the organization. We have started fifty-six rEcess sites over the last twelve years, nine of which we started last year. We have rEcess sites in seventeen states and three countries. We love helping churches become more inclusive for families in their communities.

rEcess is the best night of the week.

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"Our family looks forward to rEcess every month. The respite it provides is a real need, but we've made so many friends through rEcess that we simply wouldn't know without the community coming together. It's amazing to see families of all ages participate! Our local church provides meals for volunteers, and people willing to be trained to serve. It's a beautiful thing to watch families come together around the experience of disability."

Seth Duell - rEcess Director & 99 Balloons Development Director

Last year, we had...

42

current rEcess sites

9

new rEcess sites

2,372

opportunities for kids with disabilities

5,894

volunteer opportunities

2,097

opportunities for siblings

19,974 volunteer hours

"rEcess has been a place where ALL of my children feel special. It’s incredible to have a place to go where my children feel so loved and cared for and walk away encouraged.

They are loved for who they are, and they are reminded that God’s love knows no bounds." The Benners Family - Dallas, TX PAGE SIX | 99 BALLOONS

EQUIPPING:: BEFRIEND & REMIX "I like bEfriend because of the people.

It has allowed me to gain more friends and connections."

Nick - bEfriend participant We are proud to share with you our newest model of ministry, bEfriend! bEfriend is relational model of ministry for typical adults and adults experiencing disability which includes 1to-1 pairing in friendships.

Locally, we launched four bEfriend communities, and this fall, we plan to launch numerous bEfriend sites outside of Fayetteville! We are expectant that the Lord will use bEfriend to change the story of disability for our adult friends.

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Lena [left] began attending rEcess eleven years ago and now attends rEmix, a program we are continuing to develop which provides opportunities for social engagement for teens.

We believe when people without disabilities get to know people with disabilities, they begin to care about each other.

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GLOBAL INITIATIVES:: SUPPORT TRIPS SOUTHERN ASIA

After a two year hiatus, 99 Balloons sent two teams to our partners in South Asia over the last twelve months. They have a series of clinics throughout small mountain villages. Our teams provided professional training as well as support and encouragement for the people in South Asia working with families experiencing disability.

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"It was encouraging to see that the work our team was doing could have a significant long-term impact because of our partner's tireless effort."

Erin - Trip Leader These photos were taken during our fall trip for our sponsorship program featured on page 13.

99 BALLOONS SENT...

3

SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS

2

BEHAVIOR THERAPISTS

1

PHYSICAL THERAPIST

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UGANDA In January of 2019 we arranged for two Doctoral Occupational Therapy students to complete the experiential component of their program with our partners in Uganda. They spent a total of six weeks working alongside the Ugandan staff and learning about their culture.

We began working with Creighton University in 2012 and have assisted with student placements for them every year since. This arrangement helps our partners receive training and support in the field of OT, an area of study that is not recognized in many developing nations.

In September of 2018, we sent our partners in Uganda $4,000 to help them purchase a van. A challenge many of our global partners face is transportation. It is often the limiting factor for how many kids they can accept into their programs.

Vehicles like this allow our partners to serve more families in their communities.

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NICARAGUA

99 BALLOONS SENT A...

Nurse

99 Balloons Staff

Special Educator Speech Language Pathologist

Occupational Therapist

In June of 2019 we took a team back to Nicaragua. In three short years, they have gone from a simple yet beautiful idea to opening a center they have already outgrown and, subsequently, purchasing a five classroom school. Our team in June was the first team of professionals they have received since the opening of their center fifteen months ago.

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GLOBAL INITIATIVES:: ALL-IN EDUCATION

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9 out of 10 children with disabilities in developing nations do not attend school.

ALL-IN is providing opportunities for those children to receive an education.

We currently have All-In Education partners in five countries, including Haiti, Kenya, Nicaragua, South Asia, and Uganda. Sponsorships are $33 a month and each student can be sponsored up to three times.

Sponsors receive a quarterly newsletter that includes updates from each of our partners.

Last year, 34 students were sponsored.

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LOCAL ENGAGEMENT:: ENGAGE CONFERENCE

Our annual Engage Conference brings people together from all over the country to speak on and learn about disability, inclusion and the church.

This year, Engage culminated with a Community Gathering in the evening featuring Heather Avis. Engage attendees and our entire NWA community were invited to celebrate. In addition, we held a combined rEcess for all our local sites that night and gave free tickets to our families.

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Last year, Engage had...

10

volunteers

12

booths

30

speakers

138

tickets sold

"There is something to be said about feeling wanted. There is something to be said about feeling like my absence means something because that tells me that my presence does as well. So, if you are looking to befriend someone who has a disability, invite them places. Make them feel welcome."

Emeka Nnaka during his talk at Engage, Building Bridges

202

total attendance PAGE SIXTEEN| 99 BALLOONS

LOCAL ENGAGEMENT:: R E C E S S Our local The very first rEcess was in Fayetteville, AR. While it has changed buildings, that same rEcess still meets the first Friday of every month of the school year and 99 Balloons still helps operate it along with more than fifty volunteers at each event.

We are grateful to continue to serve our families alongside so many wonderful people from our community.

138 rEcess opportunities held 8 for kids with events disabilities and had...

150

opportunities for siblings

1,421

volunteer hours PAGE SEVENTEEN| 99 BALLOONS

LOCAL ENGAGEMENT:: FELLOWSHIP

Pictured above are two of our Fellows, Victoria and Erica, alongside Molly at a bEfriend event last year. Each semester, we invite people from our community who want to learn more about people experiencing disability and the work of 99 Balloons to join our Fellowship. On average, we have 8-10 folks participate each semester. We plug Fellows into our local programming, host regular gatherings where local professionals speak about disability and we share 99 Balloons' philosophies. This is one of our favorite ways to get to know our local volunteers and thank them for their time and dedication.

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FINANCIALS INCOME: $358,500.92 EXPENSES: $375,166.67 Administration - 15% $55,066.91

Fundraising - 15% $56,381.81

Programming - 70% $263, 717.95 PAGE NINETEEN| 99 BALLOONS

TOP 9 HIGHLIGHTS EQUIPPING

56

rEcess sites started since 2007

4,482

interactions with friends experiencing disability

19,974 volunteer hours

GLOBAL

14

professionals sent on trips

$27,003 went to support global partners

34

students sponsored

LOCAL

10

Interns & Fellows

202

in attendance at Engage

82

families served in NWA

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SAVE THE DATE!

Our annual fundraiser benefiting the local and global work of 99 Balloons will be on Sunday, October 13 at 6:30pm.

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NOTE FROM A DIRECTOR

A&M Church of Christ rEcess - College Station, TX

"rEcess has opened first Ourand our eyes, annual then our hearts fundraiser to a new benefiting mindset..." the local and global

"rEcess has opened first our eyes, and then our hearts to a new mindset, and now a ministry of inclusiveness in our community. Through the rEcess program, longterm relationships that cross all sorts of typical barriers have been initiated and fostered via a focus on our passionate support of the families we serve. The rEcess “turnkey” program was a decade in foundational development, yet flexible with our unique situation, with stalwart administrative oversight when we simply called out to them, and only upon our request. Our rEcess event is an extension and fortification to a ministry that focuses on the whole body of Christ and we have been enabled, excited and made confident to share in it with everyone."

Thad Adams - rEcess Director at A&M Church of Christ PAGE TWENTY-TWO| 99 BALLOONS

...changing the story of disability

99 BALLOONS | 99balloons.org