Group for Parents of special needs
“I was truly alone in the world, trying to raise my autistic daughter and not succumb to the sadness and loneliness I was feeling. Then I found this group. It changed my life.”
That’s Alexa’s story, and it’s just one of many coming out of Helen McCabe’s small group for parents of children with special needs. Every semester, more moms and dads walk in carrying exhaustion, questions, and the weight of parenting. And every semester, they walk out with something they never thought they’d find: a family.
When Helen first started the group, she wasn’t sure anyone would come. She had spent her career as a special education teacher, but leading a group like this felt uncertain. “I didn’t know if anyone would come,” she admitted. But she obeyed the call, opened her home, and prayed.
God knew. He’s been filling the circle with parents who need support, prayer, and friendship. One mom put it this way: “Becoming a family is what I’ve longed for, for so long. Eastside has truly changed my little family’s life.”
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This isn’t just a group. It’s a lifeline. Parents gather at places like Chuck E. Cheese on Sensory Sensitive Sundays, where kids can play without fear of being overwhelmed, while moms and dads swap stories, pray for each other, and carry one another’s burdens. In those moments, the isolation breaks, the loneliness lifts, and hope returns.
Alexa remembers her first Sunday at Eastside vividly. After walking through a painful separation and losing her mom just a year earlier, she arrived at church with her four-year-old daughter Natalie, who is autistic and not potty trained. She was nervous. Would her child be accepted? Would she feel safe?
Her fears were quickly relieved when she walked into Special Forces, Eastside’s ministry designed for kids with special needs. Caring volunteers welcomed Natalie with open arms. “It felt like a weight was lifted off my heart,” Alexa said. “For the first time, I could worship knowing my daughter was safe and cared for.”
Since then, Alexa has been baptized, and she’s seen God restore her family in ways she never thought possible. Her daughter’s father was baptized this past Easter, and together they attend services regularly. “Eastside has been there to turn my life around from my lowest point to now having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and having my family back,” Alexa said.
"Eastside has been there to turn my life around from my lowest point to now having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and having my family back."
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Edith, another parent in the group, echoed the same: “My family is only able to go to church because of Special Forces. The team works with both my boys’ needs, and they truly enjoy coming every weekend. When we joined Helen’s group, we met parents just like us. The experience strengthened our marriage, gave us new friends, and reminded us that we’re not alone.”
Helen marvels at what God is doing. “I thought it would be small, maybe a handful of parents, but God keeps sending more. Every face is a reminder that no one should have to carry this journey alone.”
Parent of a child with special needs
For parents of children with special needs, everyday life can feel like a constant uphill climb—therapy appointments, school challenges, sleepless nights, and countless questions. But in Helen’s group, parents find a circle of people who say, “We understand. We’re here. You belong.”
And out of that belonging comes transformation. Families are reconnecting with God. Marriages are finding new strength. Parents are rediscovering joy and children are experiencing a community that not only welcomes them but celebrates them.
That’s the power of a small group at Eastside. For some, this is more than a meeting. It’s a lifeline.
If you’re longing for community, whether you’re a parent of a child with special needs or simply someone looking for people who will pray with you, walk with you, and cheer you on—there’s a group for you.