Summit Registration is Open! Plus New Fall Updates & Resources 🌟

Dear Parent to Parent USA Community,

As the autumn air settles in and brings a natural shift in our daily rhythms, we want to take a moment to honor the incredible dedication it takes to navigate life alongside a loved one with disabilities or special healthcare needs. Whether you are adapting to new seasonal schedules, managing ongoing care transitions, or simply finding joy in the everyday moments at any age or stage, please remember: you are never walking this path alone, and our state alliances are always here for you.

Looking back over the past few months of July, August, and September, our team has been working busily behind the scenes to expand our network and bring you fresh resources. This summer brought wonderful growth—including our newly expanded collaboration with the Child Neurology Foundation—all designed to ensure families have stronger access to education, guidance, and community nationwide.

We were also thrilled to connect with many of you during our August Coffee Talk, where we partnered with guest speakers to dive into the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) Recommended Practices and the ARP Ambassador Initiative. If you weren't able to join us live, you can watch the recording here.

As we step fully into fall, our focus turns straight to the heart of what we do: celebrating you. We are counting down the days in excitement for our upcoming virtual Support Parent Summit, taking place next month on Wednesday, October 14, 2026! Registration is officially open for this joyful gathering dedicated to uplifting, equipping, and honoring the extraordinary volunteer Support Parents who make our community so strong.

We invite you to take a comfortable moment to yourself today, grab a warm drink, and explore the updates, resources, and inspiring stories waiting for you below. Thank you for the incredible light, strength, and love you bring to our network every single day.

Warmly,

Marsha Quinn and Theresa Maier

Team P2P USA

🗓️ Summit Spotlight & Network News

🌱2026 Support Parent Summit

Registration is officially open for our premier national virtual gathering scheduled for October 14, 2026! Join us for an inspiring day featuring exciting raffles throughout the event—including P2P merchandise and a Bark Watch! Here is how you can get involved today:

• 🎟️ Attend: Register for the Summit
• 💼 Partner with Us: View Sponsorship Information
• 💝 Give Back: Gift of Connection – Cover the cost for a Support Parent to attend
• 📄View the Summit flyer here.

🌟 Alliance Member Feature & Network News

We are deeply grateful for all of our alliances across the country. Today, we invite you to join us in celebrating a few of their incredible recent achievements, publications, and impact stories:

• Center for Family Involvement: Through an innovative partnership with the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), Virginia Commonwealth University's Center for Family Involvement delivers targeted Parent to Parent support through the EPIC Project, helping families navigate pre-employment transition and vocational rehabilitation.

Want to learn more about how the EPIC Project supports 1:1 family mentoring, navigates systemic workplace barriers, and shares resources for state replication? Read the full EPIC Project feature here.

• Parent to Parent of Wisconsin: Read a heartwarming update from a parent who was connected to two Support Parents:

"Thanks guys for reaching out - all has been well! Both ladies are ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL and we have connected on so many levels. Support Parent and I have met up quite a few times with our kids as we are only about an hour apart. Her 5 year old sends my 1 year old daughter mail back and forth and I truly believe my daughter will grow up with a great little role model in her daughter. We have become very close. Other Support Parent and I text quite often. We are a little further apart in distance and haven’t met yet. We both have spent time in the hospital in the last few months and have been busy on that front. Like I said - both ladies are wonderful and so grateful we got connected!"

(Visit P2P Wisconsin to learn more about their local support network).

• Parent to Parent of Pennsylvania: Competence and Confidence, Partners in Policymaking Early Intervention (C2P2 EI) kicked off its 2026–2027 leadership training program for families with an inspiring in-depth opening session in Pocono Manor, PA.

💡 Want to learn about the rest of our network? Click here to meet all our Alliance Members.

🤝 P2P USA & Child Neurology Foundation Deepen Partnership

Parent to Parent USA and the Child Neurology Foundation have officially expanded their collaboration to better serve families facing child neurological disorders. This exciting step forward brings expanded resources and stronger advocacy to our community. Check out the full announcement.

🤝 Welcome Our Newest Friends of P2P USA!

We are also excited to give a very warm welcome to our newest community organizational partners:

• Autism Speaks: Provides free tool kits, a searchable community resource guide, and personalized support to help families navigate an autism diagnosis and find local services, breaking down complex information into practical steps. Learn more at https://www.autismspeaks.org/.
• Courageous Parents Network: Provides educational videos, guides, and tools to empower, support, and equip families and medical providers caring for children with serious illnesses and medical complexities. Learn more at https://courageousparentsnetwork.org/.
• Sibling Leadership Network and The Sibling Support Project:
• The Sibling Leadership Network (SLN) is a national nonprofit with affiliated chapters throughout the United States that are dedicated to providing information and support to siblings of people with higher support needs. Learn more at www.siblingleadership.org.
• The Sibling Support Project, now a fiscally-sponsored program of the SLN, is the first national program dedicated to recognizing, promoting, and addressing the life-long and ever-changing concerns of millions of siblings of people with developmental, health, and mental health concerns. Learn more at https://siblingsupport.org/.

✨ Want to learn more about our organizational alignment? Click here to explore our membership options.

🌟 Pathways to Possibilities: Families Leading the Way

The transition to adulthood is a significant milestone, and Pathways to Possibilities: Families Leading the Way provides a comprehensive resource guide created by parents, for parents. Recognizing that the path to independence is not linear, this flexible toolkit helps families navigate every stage.

The guide includes key sections on:

• Creating a Support Circle: Building networks of peers and professionals.
• Envisioning the Future: Setting expectations and exploring employment potential.
• Discovering Pathways for Possibilities: Identifying strengths, interests, and milestones.
• Implementing Strategies for Success & Safety: Building daily living and work readiness skills.
• Navigating the Journey Ahead: Accessing service systems like AJCs and Vocational Rehabilitation (VR).
• Companion Guide: Helping workforce professionals support employment goals.

Explore the full toolkit here.

🔬 Doctoral Research Program Award (Now Open)

🧬Research Webpage & Research Award Stay informed on the latest data, literature, and updates regarding our peer-supported network. We are especially proud to highlight our upcoming Doctoral Research Program Award, designed to expand high-quality research in our field.

• The Award: Two $5,000 grants will be awarded to eligible U.S. graduate students to help cover Parent to Parent research expenses.
• Timeline: The official Call for Proposals was released on July 15, 2026, and applications are now open with a submission deadline of December 4, 2026, at 5:00 PM EST. Check our research page for application details and guidelines!

🤝 Get Involved & Support Our Mission

• Join a Committee: Interested in shaping our future initiatives? We are currently recruiting for our Development and Membership committees! Learn more about our current committees and task forces.
• 👉 Get to know our full leadership team on our Team & Board Page.
• Make a Difference: Your generosity allows us to keep providing vital peer support training, resources, and programming.

🔍 Need a Connection Right Now? You can find and reach out to your local Parent to Parent program anytime through our Member Directory.

Stay updated in real-time on new resources, events, and community stories:

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