Joyful Hearts

Goal: $50,000.00

Specific Need

   

A huge THANK YOU to all our donors from last year's Match Day.

Since last year's fundraiser, Natalie's Story has been featured in The Sentinel and awareness of our project has increased! Partnering with Marian Hope from Independence, MO who contracts local therapists to provide services, we have founded a developmental therapy center in a rented space in St. Marys, providing Speech and Occupational therapies and soon Physical therapy! We expected about 40 children in our first year—already, Since June, in just 5 months, over 60 children have requested services! We grossly underestimated! We are working quickly to expand both staff and space to meet these needs and we couldn’t be more excited about this rapid growth. 

Even more exciting is that we have recently been offered to purchase the building in which we rent! How could we refuse? Purchasing this building will be a major milestone for Joyful Hearts. In the coming years we will be able to take over the other spaces in the building and offer MORE services which are highly sought after. The potential for 6 private offices plus a classroom and gym would expand our ability to serve more families in this rural area, with the potential to have 10 therapy sessions happening simultaneously. We are very excited about this opportunity.

This year's fundraiser is also focused on greatly improving our therapeutic sensory gym! With your generous donations we will support not only the costs of our facility but also the ongoing development of our sensory gym—a specially designed space filled with equipment and activities that engage a child’s senses, improve balance, coordination, and strength, and promote cognitive and emotional growth. This environment helps children practice and strengthen essential motor skills, develop confidence, and reach their milestones to live life to their fullest potential! The quote for the gym we received was $45,000! We are working hard to find ways of bringing the cost down and providing a wonderful space. 
We need your help to make this all possible and to continue to grow our therapy center! If you can find it in your heart to spread the joy which these children bring out of everyone, please donate to the Joyful Hearts Fund!

Thank you so much for your generosity and please pray for us!

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Why the name “Joyful Hearts”?

First, our own daughter is named Natalie Joy which means "Birth of Joy". She was born with Down's Syndrome and needed open heart surgery to live. Her heart is so precious and the amount of joy she exudes is unmatched. God puts children in our lives for a reason. When you slow down and engage with a child who has challenges, you see that the more you give to them the more joy they give back to you and the world around them.

Second, children with disabilities are very capable. They just need a bit more aid to achieve the milestones the average child breezes through. These achievements are such a joy to witness! Sometimes families, as loving and caring as they are, cannot provide the support which a child needs to flourish, so they turn to professional help. It is heartbreaking when this professional help is unattainable.

If you are one of those families in need of these services, let's get you signed up. We are here for you! If you are a professional or someone who wishes to get involved in the project, please reach out as well! Check out our new website for more info:

https://www.joyfulhearts.info

THANK YOU, and may God bless you!

 

Jennifer and Nickolas Peros 

and The Joyful Hearts Team