• FIRE Foundation -  FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights in Education) was founded in 1996 by a group of parents who shared a common dream; for their children with special needs to attend their parish schools with siblings and friends. Since that time, through the efforts of parents, a dedicated board of directors, many talented volunteers and community members who embrace inclusive Catholic education, more than $3 million has been granted to partner schools in the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph (MO) to support inclusive Catholic education.
  
  The FIRE Foundation, an independent 501(c)3 organization, makes it possible for partner Catholic schools to hire special educators and paraprofessionals and to acquire learning materials and technology that create successful learning experiences for all children. Without grants from FIRE, most schools would not be able to welcome students with Down syndrome, significant learning disabilities, many who are on the Autism spectrum and students who face other special learning challenges. In inclusive learning environments, children grow up knowing and appreciating each other’s unique gifts.

 

• Special Olympics Virginia Area 26 "The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. This gives them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community."

 

• The National Catholic Partnership on Disability (NCPD) was established in 1982 to implement in parishes and dioceses throughout the United States the 1978 Pastoral Statement of U.S. Catholic Bishops on Persons with Disabilities.  NCPD is guided by the following mission: Rooted in Gospel values that affirm the dignity of every person, the National Catholic Partnership on Disability (NCPD) works collaboratively to ensure meaningful participation of people with disabilities in all aspects of the life of the Church and society.   

 

• President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities 
  Mission "... is to provide advice and assistance to the President of the United States and the Secretary of Health and Human Services on a broad range of topics that impact people with intellectual disabilities and the field of Intellectual Disabilities ...".

 

• The Arc of the United States 
  "... advocates for the rights and full participation of all children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities ..."

 

• American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) 
  "AAIDD promotes progressive policies, sound research, effective practices and universal human rights for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities."

 

• MOSAIC "Mosaic is a faith-based organization serving people with intellectual disabilities."

 

• Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Aging with Developmental Disabilities (RRTCADD) 
  "This web site is designed to provide information on the latest research, model programs, and policy issues pertaining to this population. It describes training and technical assistance opportunities, conferences, and available resources." University of Illinois at Chicago

 

• Think College 
  Conducts "... research, training, and technical assistance for professionals, families, and students related to postsecondary education for individuals with intellectual and other developmental disabilities ...". An initiative of The Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston.

 

• The National Fragile X Foundation Home Page 
  "... unites the Fragile X community to: Enrich lives through educational and emotional support, Promote public and professional awareness, and Advance research toward improved treatments and a cure for Fragile X ...".

 

• NDSC National Down Syndrome Congress Center 
  Mission "... is to provide information, advocacy and support concerning all aspects of life for individuals with Down syndrome ...".

 

• National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) 
  Mission "... is to promote the health of babies, children and adults and enhance the potential for full, productive living ...". Part of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

 

• National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services (NASDDDS) 
  "... goal is to promote and assist state agencies in developing effective, efficient service delivery systems that furnish high-quality supports to people with developmental disabilities ...".

 

• National Association for the Dually Diagnosed (NADD) 
  Mission: "To advance mental wellness for persons with developmental disabilities through the promotion of excellence in mental health care."

 

• National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD) 
  "... organization with the purpose of promoting and enhancing the outcomes of our member councils in developing and sustaining inclusive communities and self directed services and supports for individuals with developmental disabilities ...".

 

• The Coleman Institute for Cognitive Disabilities 
  "... mission is to catalyze and integrate advances in science, engineering and technology to promote the quality of life and independent living of people with cognitive disabilities ...". University of Colorado

 

• University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) 
  "... work with people with (developmental) disabilities, members of their families, state and local government agencies, and community providers in projects that provide training, technical assistance, service, research, and information sharing ...".

 

• Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) 
  Provides "... long-term, graduate level interdisciplinary training as well as interdisciplinary services and care ...".

 

• Intellectual and Developmental Disability Research Centers (IDDRC) 
  "... contribute to the development and implementation of evidence-based practices by evaluating the effectiveness of biological, biochemical, and behavioral interventions; developing assistive technologies; and advancing prenatal diagnosis and newborn screening ...".

 

• Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) 
  "A network of interdisciplinary centers advancing policy and practice for and with individuals with developmental and other disabilities, their families, and communities."

 

• Institute on Community Integration (ICI) 
  "Through collaborative research, training, and information sharing, the "... ICI ..." improves policies and practices to ensure that all children, youth, and adults with disabilities are valued by, and contribute to, their communities of choice." A University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) at The University of Minnesota.

 

• The Research and Training Center on Community Living 
  "... provides research, evaluation, training, technical assistance and dissemination to support the aspirations of persons with developmental disabilities to live full, productive and integrated lives in their communities." Creator of "Self-Advocacy Online". A part of The Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota.

 

• Find My Roommate "FindMyRoommate is an online matching service for people with disabilities and their family members and, in some states, for people open to sharing a home with someone with a disability."