To Belong Means to Flourish

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We’re pleased to share a very powerful article in the spring issue of Baylor Magazine titled “When Everyone Belongs.” Written about the work of Dr. Erik Carter and the Baylor Center for Disability and Flourishing, the article explores a simple but profound idea: Communities are transformed when individuals with disabilities are not merely accommodated, but truly welcomed and valued.

As Dr. Carter writes, “When we include and learn from people with disabilities, we don’t just make their lives better—each of us grows. We become more human, more faithful, and more whole.”

At Jill’s House, that truth comes to life every day. The children and families we serve continually remind us that belonging is not just about providing services or meeting needs. It is about relationships. It is about celebrating each person as a beloved child of God. And it is about the way a community grows richer when everyone has a place within it.

This vision of belonging is also reflected in the Baylor Impact Study, a research partnership between Baylor University and Jill’s House that examined how respite care and supportive community affect the well-being of families raising children with intellectual disabilities. The findings were incredibly encouraging, confirming what we hear from parents again and again: When families receive support and experience genuine belonging, their resilience, hope, and sense of community grow stronger.

We’re grateful for the thoughtful work being done by Dr. Carter and the Baylor Center for Disability and Flourishing, and we encourage you to read the full article here:

It beautifully captures something we see every day — when everyone belongs, everyone flourishes.

A Partnership That Prepares Nurses — and Changes Hearts

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By Amy Joyner, DNP, MSN, BC-PMHRN, RN, Clinical Nursing Professor, Marymount University

Last Friday marked the completion of our first six-week pediatric clinical rotation at Jill’s House. What a remarkable experience it has been!

As a pediatric nurse in Northern Virginia for 37 years, I’ve known about Jill’s House since its inception. When I became a full-time clinical professor at Marymount University—truly my dream job—I began looking for innovative ways to prepare our students beyond traditional hospital settings. While our students receive excellent acute-care experience at Inova’s pediatric units, we recognized a growing need: Nursing students must also learn to care confidently for children and young adults with complex intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Jill’s House provided the perfect opportunity.

Over six Friday evenings, six undergraduate nursing students each completed 40 clinical hours, shadowing nurses at check-in and serving alongside the team throughout the night. From the very first evening, Jill’s House welcomed us with warmth, organization, and enthusiasm. Our students were included in intake conversations, learned family histories, and gained valuable insight into each child’s unique needs—always with parents’ permission and genuine excitement about the learning taking place.

What has impressed me most is the transformation in my students. During the first week, they were understandably cautious. A week later, they were jumping in without hesitation, assisting with bedtime routines, engaging in activities, and thoughtfully responding to behavioral challenges. One student gently discovered that a young child who seemed distressed was repeatedly saying “up,” and realized he was asking to be held. When she picked him up, he melted into her arms. That moment of connection is nursing at its very best.

Experiences like these cannot be replicated in a textbook. Nationwide, few nursing programs offer this level of exposure to individuals with profound intellectual disabilities. Yet this population is growing, and healthcare professionals must be prepared. The Virginia Department of Health has encouraged additional training in autism care, recognizing that more pediatric and adult patients will require informed, compassionate support. Marymount is proud to be ahead of the curve through this innovative partnership with Jill’s House.

Jill’s House promises families that they will be celebrated, welcomed, and experience true belonging. I can honestly say they extended that same spirit to our group of nursing students. Each week, we were given space for pre- and post-conference meetings, thoughtfully briefed on each child’s needs, and warmly invited into staff conversations. We never felt like outsiders in someone else’s space; we felt like partners. That culture of hospitality and preparation not only supports families well; it models for our students what compassionate, dignified care should look like.

All of my students said this was their favorite clinical rotation so far. They were so impressed and grateful that they took the initiative to organize a toy drive, donating two bins of adaptive toys for Jill’s House families on their last day.

This partnership has truly been a two-way blessing. Our students have gained confidence, clinical insight, and compassion that will benefit them, their workplaces, and their patients and patient families for years to come.

Our first rotation ended on Friday, and another begins this week. Our hope is that this partnership continues for years to come.

 

 

Why The Good Feet Store Partners with Jill’s House 

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Guest blogger Jonathan Cotten is CEO of Easy Step Enterprises, a franchisee of The Good Feet Store.

As a business owner, I am in the business of helping people get back on their feet—literally. I’ve seen how something as small as the right arch support can transform someone’s life, allowing them to move freely, run farther, and live without pain. True support goes beyond providing a product, it’s giving people hope on their journey. What started as my own personal journey as a marathon runner to find relief from foot pain led me to a new purpose—eventually growing my company, Easy Step Enterprises, into a 44-store franchisee of The Good Feet Store. But over the years, I’ve come to believe that true support goes far beyond physical relief. Sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do is help carry the weight that someone else has been holding for too long.

That belief is what led me to Jill’s House.

A Personal Connection

My family knows firsthand the challenges of caring for a kid with complex medical needs. Since 2012, we’ve been on a long health journey with my youngest daughter, Kayla. There have been countless doctor visits, hospital stays, and difficult nights filled with uncertainty. Anyone who has cared for a kid with serious health concerns knows that it doesn’t just affect one person—it affects the entire family.

That’s why, when I first heard about Jill’s House, it resonated with me in a way few things ever have. Here was an organization that truly understood what families like mine go through. Jill’s House isn’t just about caring for kids with disabilities—it’s about caring for the whole family. It provides exhausted parents with the chance to rest and recharge, knowing their kids are in a safe, loving environment, having the time of their lives.

I’ve spent years walking with my daughter through her health journey. I’ve seen the emotional, mental, and physical toll it takes on parents and siblings alike. But what about families who are on this journey for a lifetime? What about parents who will spend decades providing round-the-clock care for their child? They are some of the strongest people I have ever met. But even the strongest need support. They need a community that understands, that steps in, that gives them a moment to breathe.

That’s exactly what Jill’s House provides.

More Than Just Giving—A True Partnership 

At Easy Step Enterprises, we don’t believe in just writing checks to causes we care about. We believe in investing in organizations that are well-run, fiscally responsible, and making a real impact in the community. We seek out partnerships with organizations that align with our values—ones that are changing lives in a tangible, measurable way.

Jill’s House has become one of those partners. This mission isn’t just important to me—it’s important to my family. Two of my sons are actively involved in our business, but I’m deeply proud that my entire family together is committed to supporting families who need it most.

Why Jill’s House Needs You

I’ve seen firsthand what happens when people come together to support something bigger than themselves. The impact is life-changing.

Jill’s House is a place where kids with disabilities experience belonging, joy, and adventure, where parents find rest and renewal, and where families are reminded that they are not alone. But none of this happens without people who believe in their mission and choose to give—whether it’s time, resources, or financial support.

If you’ve ever wondered how you can make a real difference in someone’s life, this is it. Jill’s House changes lives—one family at a time.