E8 — Asking for help shouldn’t feel impossible. In this episode, Jordan Arogeti, CEO of SupportNow, joins Amy Julia Becker to talk about why asking for help can feel so hard, especially for disability families. They explore how SupportNow offers a simple path toward connection and lasting support.

Connect to Community download: A one-page guide to help families experiencing disability map out the connections that matter most within their communities. Get the guide: amyjuliabecker.com/connect-to-community-guide-free-download/

00:00 Introduction to Support Now
05:11 Barriers to Connection and Asking for Help
10:07 How to Ask for Help
13:39 Real-Life Examples of Support Now
16:21 Understanding Support Languages
20:03 Next Steps for Getting Connected

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Jordan’s Support Languages TEDx
• Supportnow.org
• Support Languages quiz
• Instagram: @supportnow_org

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WATCH this conversation on YouTube: Amy Julia Becker on YouTube

SUBSCRIBE to Amy Julia's Substack: amyjuliabecker.substack.com

JOIN the conversation on Instagram: @amyjuliabecker

LISTEN to more episodes: amyjuliabecker.com/shows/

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ABOUT OUR GUEST:

Jordan Arogeti is on a mission to change the way we support friends and families in hard times. As CEO and Co-Founder of SupportNow—a free platform that simplifies giving funds, meals, and time—she’s helped raise over $5 million for families across all 50 states. Her background in tech sales, passion for women in leadership, and personal experience as a mom of three shaped the vision behind SupportNow. A graduate of the University of Georgia, Jordan lives in Atlanta with her husband Scott, and their three kids; Nace (6), Remi (5), and Hayes (2).

IG: @supportnow_org

Website: Supportnow.org and www.supportlanguages.com

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Take the Next Step is produced in collaboration with Hope Heals. Hope Heals creates sacred spaces of belonging and belovedness for families affected by disabilities to experience sustaining hope in the context of inclusive, intentional, inter-ability communities. Find out more about our resources, gatherings, and inter-ability communities at hopeheals.com. Follow us on Instagram @hopeheals.

We want to hear from you. Send us a text!

E7 — Q+R: How do I take care of myself and avoid burnout? How do I make sure siblings aren't overlooked? Is it okay to grieve? Where can my child build lifelong friendships? How do I stop feeling guilty? In this episode, Amy Julia Becker and Matt Mooney, co-founder of 99 Balloons, respond to your questions. Thank you to our audience for your thoughtful contributions!

Chapter List

00:00 Introduction
04:30 I’m so tired as a parent. How do I avoid burnout?
06:13 How do I make sure siblings aren't overlooked?
10:35 Is it okay to grieve?
17:16 Where can my child build lifelong friendships?
23:29 How do I let go of guilt and take the next step?

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WATCH this conversation on YouTube: Amy Julia Becker on YouTube

SUBSCRIBE to Amy Julia's Substack: amyjuliabecker.substack.com

JOIN the conversation on Instagram: @amyjuliabecker

LISTEN to more episodes: amyjuliabecker.com/shows/

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ABOUT OUR GUEST:

When Matthew Mooney and his wife Ginny were 30 weeks pregnant, they learned their son Eliot had trisomy 18. Eliot was born eight weeks later and lived for 99 days. The Mooneys founded 99 Balloons, a nonprofit supporting individuals with disabilities locally and globally.

Matt now serves on the 99 Balloons Board and lives in Fayetteville, Arkansas, with Ginny and their three children—Hazel, Anders, and Lena.

A writer, speaker, and consultant on disability and inclusion, Matthew is also an attorney and received his PhD in Theological Ethics at Aberdeen University. His work has taken him to Haiti, Mexico, Ukraine, Uganda, India, and beyond.

Websites: 99 Balloons :: matthewlylemooney
Social: insta

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Take the Next Step is produced in collaboration with Hope Heals. Hope Heals creates sacred spaces of belonging and belovedness for families affected by disabilities to experience sustaining hope in the context of inclusive, intentional, inter-ability communities. Find out more about our resources, gatherings, and inter-ability communities at hopeheals.com. Follow us on Instagram @hopeheals.

We want to hear from you. Send us a text!

E6 — What if one powerful way to advocate for your child is simply to delight in who they are? Author and advocate Heather Avis talks with Amy Julia about learning to find joy in family life, even when the world isn’t built for disability. They explore:

• Why delight can rewrite the disability narrative
• What it takes to move from deficit to delight
• The ripple effect of delight in our relationships and communities
• How to lean into love and delight instead of anxiety and fear

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UPCOMING Q+R EPISODE: Record your question for our upcoming Question & Response episode: amyjuliabecker.com/qr/

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Reimagining the Good Life episode with John Swinton: amyjuliabecker.com/swinton-disability/

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01:44 Advocacy and Family Dynamics

04:51 Delight and the Disability Narrative

09:54 How to Move from Deficit to Delight

13:12 Finding Delight in Family Life

19:39 The Ripple Effect of Delight in Relationships

23:31 Leaning into Delight and Love Instead of Anxiety and Fear

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MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• The Lucky Few
• Heather's new Book, I Like You So Much

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WATCH this conversation on YouTube: Amy Julia Becker on YouTube

SUBSCRIBE to Amy Julia's Substack: amyjuliabecker.substack.com

JOIN the conversation on Instagram: @amyjuliabecker

LISTEN to more episodes: amyjuliabecker.com/shows/

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ABOUT OUR GUEST:

Heather Avis is a New York Times bestselling author, public speaker, podcaster, and a Down syndrome advocate. She is the founder of and chief visionary officer at The Lucky Few, an advocacy organization dedicated to shouting worth, shifting narratives, and reimagining what it looks like when we create spaces of belonging. She lives in Southern California with her husband Josh and three kids, Macyn, Truly, and August and two Goldendoodles, Maeby and George Michael.

Website: https://www.heatheravis.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theluckyfewofficial/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheLuckyFewOfficial/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC99_OFh29y9lVqZyHY2Xztw

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lucky-few/id1349646917

New Book, I Like You So Much: https://www.amazon.com/Like-You-So-Much-Celebrating/dp/0310166594/

Photo Credit: © Camilynne Photography

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Take the Next Step is produced in collaboration with Hope Heals. Hope Heals creates sacred spaces of belonging and belovedness for families affected by disabilities to experience sustaining hope in the context of inclusive, intentional, inter-ability communities. Find out more about our resources, gatherings, and inter-ability communities at hopeheals.com. Follow us on Instagram @hopeheals.

We want to hear from you. Send us a text!