Emerald Coast Exceptional Families

When your child gets a diagnosis of additional needs, it changes everything.  Parents experience a wide range of feelings including guilt, blame, fear, sadness, and even relief.  The present can be overwhelming and the future is completely unknown.  Your child's needs can have an impact on all aspects of your life -work, social life, personal interests, and self-care.  Relationships with extended family and friends are also affected. Some relationships grow and change with your new situation, and some completely disappear.  Having a special needs child can often feel lonely and isolating.

For the person with the disability, life can be difficult to navigate.  Communication deficits and underdeveloped social skills create difficulty with social interactions and creating friendships.  Many exceptionalities come with safety and accessibility needs that are not available in public spaces. Developmental age does not always coincide with chronological age, so interests and behaviors are not always what others consider "age appropriate". 

Sometimes, being a special needs family feels a lot like swimming upstream.  Emerald Coast Exceptional Families wants families to know that they are not swimming alone! Our mission is to connect and support special needs families and enhances their lives through events and education:

• We know that sometimes it's hard to go out and do fun things as a family.  We offer family events in safe, judgement-free environments.  These opportunities allow our families to connect, experience events that might otherwise be impossible, and have a great time together! 
• Exceptional parents have a thirst for knowledge.  Our workshops provide opportunities for parents to tackle topics specific to our community such as safety, planning for the future, and special education.  
• ECEF also works to develop positive relations between families, our schools, other organizations, and the community at large. This helps everyone embrace diversity, promote acceptance and inclusion, and ensure equality.  
• Sometimes, all you need to hear is "I get it!" and "Me too!"  We provide several opportunities throughout the year for moms and dads to meet and swap stories. Either mom's morning out or a dad's night on the town, we always have fun! We also provide an annual #GiveMomABreak Special Needs Moms' retreat that allows moms the chance to connect, recharge, and rest. 

ECEF is established by people who truly understand because they live it every day.  It is our belief that having a true support system creates a better quality of life for all special needs families.  No matter the diagnosis, we are better together!