Initiative Description:

• 99 Balloons is working to change the Story of Disability by building inclusive communities so that every person with a disability and their family can live a full life within relationships.
• 99 Balloons Equip is a new initiative to formalize and expand training materials for our rEcess (https://99balloons.org/recess/) and bEfriend (https://99balloons.org/befriend/) programs, as well as expand training opportunities to serve our global partners and anyone wishing to learn more about inclusivity and building community with those experiencing disability.
• rEcess provides a turn-key training and event programming plan for those wishing to provide respite for families experiencing disability. rEcess also provides a curriculum and a support group atmosphere for siblings of those with diability.
• bEfriend is a replicable model of community that cultivates mutual friendship and 1-1 friendship pairings between typical adults and adults experiencing disability.
• Deliverables will include training materials and curriculum as well as online training modules on the Equip Training Site. By using the same videographer that has created our Notable Documentary series (https://99balloons.org/notable-documentary/), 99 Balloons will provide professional and informative training materials that can be accessed through our Equip Training Site.
• The training site will allow current and future 99 Balloons volunteers and advocates to learn how to provide respite, friendship, and community to those experiencing disability, and will also open up our first-class training program to anyone wishing to advocate for and create friendships with those experiencing disability. Users will work through our training modules, culminating in a certificate as a 99 Balloons Certified Advocate. As language, terminology, and best practices are constantly changing, advocates can complete an additional module each year to keep their Advocacy status current.
• 99 Balloons will partner with ELIM, an organization with an established school for children and adults experiencing disability, to develop a global disability training program to help create educational opportunities for children experiencing disability across the globe.
• 99 Balloons currently supports 42 rEcess sites in the United States creating over 2,300+ opportunities to serve people and families with disability through volunteers providing approximately 20,000 hours per year.
• bEfriend has just launched and currently supports 4 sites.

Initiative Impact:

The mission of 99 Balloons to build inclusive communities so that every person with a disability and their family can live a full life within relationships drives our initiatives and desired outcomes. Our desire is to create advocates and friends, not just for its own sake, but to decrease the isolation experienced by those affected by disability.

99 Balloons is well-positioned to reach a wide audience as our programming extends throughout the United States as well as Canada and Australia. We also have global partners located in Uganda, Nicaragua, South Asia, and Haiti. With over 50 rEcess and bEfriend sites utilizing between 5 and 75 volunteers each, our training will have an immediate impact on these volunteers. We also have a number of sites ready to train and launch as soon as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. Furthermore, 99 Balloons is well-respected, long-established, and seen as a leader within the disability community. Our relationship with other non-profits will allow us to access additional potential advocates. We will also utilize advertising on social media platforms to promote our Equip program.

Outcome 1: Increased engagement with families and adults experiencing disability

All volunteers and advocates will be required to complete training modules before participating in any 99 Balloons program. Engagement and volunteerism will be tracked through the 99 Balloons database system. The number of volunteers, volunteer hours, and the number of programs in which the volunteers participate will be quantified.

Participants in Equip will be asked to complete a questionnaire before beginning modules to assess the current level of involvement with persons experiencing disability. As advocates complete their annual recertification, their involvement will be reassessed and measured against the first questionnaire.

Outcome 2: Reduced Isolation for Those Affected by Disability

bEfriend advocates will be required to complete online training modules. bEfriend communities and 1-1 friendship pairings will be tracked through the 99 Balloons database. This will allow 99 Balloons to quantify new friendships between adults experiencing disability and typical adults as well as the length of the relationship.

Initiative Sustainability:

To ensure that materials remain current and up to date, funds from rEcess site annual fees will be used toward training curriculum and video updates. 99 Balloons’ annual conference, Engage, will provide refreshed content as well as serve as a platform to advertise Equip.

Location: Fayetteville, AR, USA

Total Funding Requested: $25,000

Funding Date Requirement: 4/15/2021

Prior Funding Through Legacy Collective: None

Nonprofit Name: 99 Balloons

Nonprofit Website: https://99balloons.org