Local Nonprofit Loves on Moms of Children with Special Needs
By Steve Gamel – see the Original Cross Timbers Gazette Article Here
Dr. Regina Crone will always see her mom as a superhero. Regina called her a well-loved red-headed firecracker who had a huge heart. Granted, you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who didn’t feel the same way. She was one of the biggest supporters of her daughter’s mission of blessing the youngest of whom had special needs, Regina walked in those shoes herself juggling a busy life as a single mom raising two children.
In many ways, Regina’s mom is the inspiration behind her current mission as a board-certified behavior analyst. She has a doctorate and is the owner of Therapy & Beyond. And yet, the most striking element of this story is that until Regina, an Argyle resident, became a therapist, she’d never interacted with another family with a child with a disability.
“I just realized that the other day, but it’s also not that surprising,” she said. “There was a time not long ago when you simply didn’t know other families like you. There was no one else to talk to or anyone in your shoes. That can feel extremely isolating—especially for moms. I saw the difference that my brother’s diagnosis made, and I often think to myself, ‘Wow … mom really had to navigate a lot on her own.’”
She added, “Mom was our family’s superhero, and my goal is to create the community she never had.”
The community Regina is referring to is the local non-profit, Labeled & Loved, an organization dedicated to supporting, connecting, empowering, and “loving on” moms of children with disabilities. Nearly 21,000,000 families in the United States have a household member with a disability—yet the vast majority aren’t connected in any way, shape, or form. Regina and co-founder Julie Hornok started Labeled &
Loved seven years ago to buck that trend by embracing and strengthening families with disabilities through monthly meetups, free local gatherings, virtual support groups, and faith-based resources that create spaces for moms to feel seen, understood, and uplifted—no matter where they are on their unique journey.
To date, Labeled & Loved has directly impacted over 3,000 special needs families across 34 states and three countries.
Does that mean they are going to fix a diagnosis or promise development breakthroughs? No. Many of the children these moms care for will never move away from home, get a job, graduate, or care for themselves. What Labeled & Loved offers is validation, healing, a lifeline of hope, and a chance to get plugged in with a sisterhood that gets you and has your back.
“There are so many existing resources for the child. That’s important, but no one says, ‘Hey, mom and dad, here is what you can do to stay healthy and feel supported,’” Regina said. She added that 120 cities are
currently being served with support groups. And as an organization, over 144 diagnoses are being represented. “Many parents don’t go to a doctor and instantly know how to process their grief. They are desperate to get help for their child, so they often don’t take the time to invest in themselves. We are there for the caregiver. Regardless of their child’s diagnosis—autism, cerebral palsy, etc.—they all have something in common. The grief and loss of milestones are the same, and the care and comfort are all the same. This is a room they can walk into, and everyone gets you.”
There are several programs they rely on to achieve this high level of sisterhood.
The first is Moms Mingles. Created for mothers who have children with disabilities (any age or diagnosis), their one-night events are free opportunities to form relationships with other women who fully understand. Participants enjoy food, drinks, giveaways, winners of major inspirational speakers, lots of hugs, and, most importantly, lasting connections with other special needs moms in their city. As soon as a mom walks in the door, she is greeted by a procession of hugs. This kicks off an immersive experience like no other.
From there, the hope is that they will take the next step by participating in a three-day weekend retreat for moms. Nineteen research studies have identified parents of children with disabilities to have an increased risk for depression (95%) and anxiety (90%). The divorce rate is over 85% for parents of children with a disability. At this retreat, women travel all over the country. Every moment is carefully curated to combine activities that allow relaxation, have fun, share meals, and revive, while having time to reflect, unwind, and equip both parents in their marriage and themselves. They will also meet other moms who will act as lifelines to support them well after and long during this unexpected life.
A new and quickly expanding program is Sisterhood Circles. These are smaller home-led groups that discuss specific hope-based topics that arise within special needs households. The best part is that they can be modified anywhere. Labeled & Loved provides curriculum written by Regina’s mom, Mary Urban. Mary is a psychiatric nurse practitioner and published author who takes the time to interview moms and create lesson plans built around real-life stories of hope.
Currently, the Moms Mingles program supports over 700 moms, and 403 women are enrolled in support groups. Another 229 women are enrolled in a retreat. Statistics aside, Regina said heartfelt stories of sisterhood are everywhere.
“Some of these moms will drive over two hours and walk into the room without knowing anyone. For many of them, it’s the first night in years that they’ve been away from their child,” Regina said of the Moms Mingles program. “I remember one we had recently in Frisco … there were over a hundred moms from all over. One, in particular, had a child who could not be separated for long. So, her husband drove her and sat in the car with the child to provide care—just so his wife could attend the event.”
She added, “We are loving these women—it’s really as simple as that.”
As word spreads about Labeled & Loved and its ministry, the hope is that more women will get involved. The organization will be featured on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” on May 13. They also recently hosted their annual Birdies & Big Hearts ladies golf tournament at Denton Country Club. All mom-raised games go straight to supporting Labeled & Loved’s programs.
“It feels purpose-driven. It’s a huge thank you to my mom for being our family’s superhero, and we want to keep showing our community how much we love her,” Regina said. “Moms are powerful, and when we love more, love happens.”
For more information on Labeled & Loved, including ways to get involved, donate, or find a local support group, visit them online at labeledandloved.org