Mr. Strong Foundation, Inc.

04/22/2026

Big picture view:
Leaving home-based care funds unspent may not ultimately save taxpayer money. By denying in-home support, caregivers are pushed to the breaking point.

When families collapse under the strain, individuals with disabilities can be placed into Medicaid-funded institutions. According to Alan Abramowitz, former director of the Arc of Florida, institutionalization costs taxpayers upwards of $100,000 a year per patient, compared to less than $60,000 a year for home-based care.

By the numbers:
$1.06 billion: The estimated total of unspent APD funds available for home-based services when combining the state’s $456 million lump sum with the federal match.

16,000+: The number of eligible Floridians currently on the waitlist in the first half of 2026.
385: The number of days Logan Nordin waited for care after suffering life-threatening injuries and filing a crisis claim.

17: The number of years JJ Holmes waited on the list before receiving assistance.

What’s next:
The state points to recent progress, noting that over the past year, the waitlist has been reduced from roughly 20,000 to 16,000. However, advocates for individuals with disabilities say some families removed from the list may have been wrongly denied care, and others report being dropped from services they already had. The next chapter of this investigation will examine the human cost of these denials.

https://www.fox13news.com/news/florida-millions-unspent-funds-disability-care-thousands

04/21/2026

Stretching isn’t always “just a stretch” 💙

For people with cerebral palsy, the body responds very differently. What may feel mild to one person can be intense or even painful to someone with CP—and there are real reasons behind that:

• Muscles are often tighter (spasticity), so they resist being lengthened
• The brain and muscles don’t communicate in the usual way, causing reflexes that “fight” the stretch
• Nerves can be more sensitive, meaning pain is felt more strongly
• Joints and muscles may already be under strain, so extra pressure can increase discomfort
• Fatigue builds up faster, making even gentle movement feel overwhelming

This means:
✨ Pain is real—not exaggerated
✨ “Push through it” is not helpful advice
✨ Gentle, supported, and individualised approaches matter most

Hydrotherapy, slow stretching, breathing techniques, and working with trained professionals can make a big difference—but it should always be at the person’s pace.

Let’s move away from judgment and toward understanding. Listening matters more than assuming. 💫

04/18/2026

The cutest !!!! Go Tampa Bay Lightning !!!

04/16/2026

Families of individuals with severe disabilities have a choice. They can send their loved ones to Medicaid-funded institutions or receive a waiver for tailored nursing and support services at home. 🔗⬇️

03/25/2026

I didn’t see it coming.

I’m the calm one.
The trained one.
The one who knows the numbers, the meds, the protocols.

The one who doesn’t fall apart.

But today…

It’s been too many alarms.
Too many questions.
Too much watching her struggle while I stood there pretending I could handle it.

And suddenly I couldn’t breathe.

I walked out of the room like I was fine.
Like I just needed a second.

And then I hit the wall.
I was done.

Done being strong.
Done being the one who holds it together.
Done pretending this doesn’t break me.

Because this life?

It asks too much.

And sometimes…

Your nervous system just says no.
Sometimes it doesn’t give you a choice.
You don’t get a warning.
You just break in the middle of it.

But then you wash your face,
slow your breathing,
and walk back into that room.

Because she still needs you.

Written by: Carla Moore from Payton's Path

03/23/2026

☀️ 2026 Summer Camp Resources ☀️
We’re sharing a list of summer camp and care options for students with disabilities and exceptionalities. This resource includes day camps, overnight camps, PPEC programs, and adaptive recreation opportunities.
📌 Programs are not endorsed or funded by Pinellas County Schools. Families should contact providers directly for details.
📄 See the flyer below for contact info and QR codes!

03/23/2026

03/21/2026

A “medical mom” is a mom who has a child with one or more medical complexities. (Dad’s, too 😉)
A medical mom is medically trained, educated and knowledgeable on her own child, their diagnosis, medical history, symptoms and treatments.
A medical mom may not have formal medical training but dug in, researched, investigated and kept records from day 1. She knows the in’s and out’s of the medical system because she navigates it every day and lives it with her child.
A medical mom knows how precious life is and has lived both the longest and shortest seconds of life.
She knows how hard it is to pass her child off to a nurse, to trust in a surgeon, and the heart break of watching her child being wheeled towards the operating room. Whether the first time or the eighth, it never is any easier.
She also knows that nothing compares to those first few exhilarating moments when you are reunited with your child in the recovery room.
She knows the terminology, diagnoses, medical jargon and finds herself using the words in every day life.
She can recite off the top of her head the highlights of her child’s medical history, all the medications and dosages.
She is no stranger to administering medication and performing medical procedures daily at home.
She is a regular at the pharmacy and they know her by name.
She knows the view from the back of an ambulance or a life flight.
It’s very likely that she has a bag packed and ready to go for hospital admittances which includes things like an extension cord, lip balm, and warm blanket/socks.
She knows what time doctors do morning rounds, and what’s best on the cafeteria menu.
She knows the beeps of the machine, can read test results, and takes vitals at home.
She knows that nothing is more heart breaking than seeing her child sick and going through things that she cannot make all better.
She is very organized. She keeps track of treatments, her child’s extensive medical team, and all the appointments.
She is no stranger to advocacy and has fought many battles for her complex child that many couldn’t even fathom.
She is perpetually exhausted not just from a lack of sleep but from the daily stress and responsibilities of being a caregiver.
She will smile and say “okay” or “fine” when people ask how she is doing because the truth is beyond complex and the answer would pour out.
She will only ask for help as a last resort. She has become accustomed to the daily grind of doing all the things, on her own.
She would never choose the life she lives, but she would never trade it either because her child is everything to her.
A medical mom is strong and resilient. She is a different breed, out of necessity. She lives a level of hard that many people would not understand, but she does it fiercely yet lovingly.
Her love knows no bounds.

Author: unknown.
Photo by Anya McInroy Photography