Advocacy Rooted in Caregiver Experience
Families raising children with disabilities navigate complex systems every day—education, healthcare, community access, and long-term support. Lumina of Hope supports caregivers by elevating lived experience, educating communities, and organizing families to advocate for more equitable systems.
What Advocacy Means at Lumina of Hope
Advocacy at Lumina of Hope is nonpartisan and non-lobbying. The organization does not endorse candidates, support political campaigns, or advocate for specific legislation.
Instead, Lumina of Hope supports advocacy by:
- Educating caregivers about systems that affect their families
- Elevating lived experiences through storytelling and community dialogue
- Bringing caregivers together to identify shared challenges
- Encouraging civic participation, public awareness, and community engagement
Why Advocacy Is Urgent
Many families receive support when children are young, but services often become harder to access as children age. Caregivers continue to shoulder responsibility long after school systems and programs end.
Families face:
- Limited access to inclusive camps, extracurriculars, and community programs
- Gaps in therapy, respite care, and family supports
- Few resources during the transition from youth to adulthood
- Ongoing caregiving and financial responsibilities
How Lumina Supports Systems Change (Without Lobbying)
1. Caregiver Education – Providing spaces for learning about education, disability supports, and community resources.
2. Storytelling & Public Awareness – Elevating caregiver voices to increase public understanding.
3. Community Organizing – Bringing caregivers together for shared learning and nonpartisan dialogue.
Caregiver Advocacy Cohort
A six-month cohort that brings caregivers together to:
- Share experiences and identify common barriers
- Build leadership and communication skills
- Participate in collective learning and public education efforts
Healing is the foundation. Community voice is the outcome.
Compliance Statement
Lumina of Hope is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All advocacy activities are educational and nonpartisan. The organization does not engage in lobbying, political endorsements, or campaign activity.
Georgia by the Numbers
• Approximately 13.3% of Georgia public school students receive special education services.
• Around 2.5% of 8-year-old children in Georgia are identified with autism.
• Over 7,000 Georgians are on waiting lists for Medicaid-funded Home and Community-Based Services (NOW/COMP waivers).
• More than 3,000 adults with disabilities are reported waiting for caregiver-related services.
• Racial disparities exist in access to disability services across Georgia.