Fall into Service with Pause
Special needs parents can spend an additional 30-40 hours a week in care alone of a child with complex needs. Most can suffer from physical fatigue, emotional stress and/or emotional upset or guilt. They are tired. They need a break.
At Pause, our vision is for each child to be valued, loved and appreciated for their individual gifts and for each family to be given the space to share their family’s joys and hardships. When families link arms with Pause they have opportunity for better outcomes in caregiver stress, family functioning and resilience.
But how does this happen? With the help of our army of volunteers, one way Pause can bridge the gap for families is by providing short term respite (aka a breather) for our families. Thanks to our volunteer base, we are able to host roughly three respite events monthly serving around 165 kids every month! Every year Pause gives 190 hours of respite to our families.
We can’t do it alone. We need YOU to come alongside Pause families and kids to step into the gap. Provide the entire family with a greater sense of hope and rest. Move families out of a place of surviving to thriving. When you partner with Pause, you create lasting connections while making a tangible difference in your community.
Volunteers have shared with us:
“Volunteering with Pause made me thankful for being able to serve and give back. It makes my heart and soul dance because I know how important it is for caregivers to have a chance to reset.”
“Volunteering with Pause gave me a sense of community involvement which I had been missing, the kids had a lot of fun stories and the people around were helpful and made it a truly enjoyable experience.”
“I'm making a difference in my life and the people around me because after volunteering with Pause, I am now more understanding and more patient. I have learned so many skills while at Pause! Plus, the kids help me grow and learn as a person!”
Join Michael, our team and hundreds of other volunteers as we create a brighter and more inclusive future. There are so many ways to get involved!
1. Start slow:
Come for a tour of our space and see where our kids hang out at events and why each room was designed for a specific purpose.
Request to come check out a live event to see our volunteers in action. (email questions@pauseforparents.org)
Set up an opportunity to shadow a volunteer during one of our events! (email questions@pauseforparents.org)
2. Enroll as a Volunteer: Ready to hang out with some pretty amazing kids? Come check us out by completing the volunteer interest form below! At Pause you always get to choose where to serve from food prep, to hanging out with a typically developing sibling, to being a special needs buddy!
3. Register for upcoming events: Already enrolled as a volunteer in our program? Check out these upcoming opportunities available now!
This is CAN DO. This is COMMUNITY. This is YOUR SUPPORT.
