Why We're Here. Why We're Speaking Up.
A letter to our Hand in Hand community
Today marks 27 years since the Supreme Court affirmed something that should have never needed affirming: that people with disabilities have the right to live, learn, work, and participate in their communities rather than be unnecessarily separated from them.
The ruling was called Olmstead v. L.C. Most people have never heard of it. But for families like yours, it has shaped what life looks like for more than a generation. It helped establish the principle that disability services should support people where they live, in their homes, neighborhoods, schools, workplaces, and communities whenever possible.
Last week, the Department of Justice issued guidance that raises serious questions about how these protections may be interpreted and enforced moving forward. Legal experts, advocates, and disability organizations across the country are closely watching what comes next.
We are, too.
More importantly, we want you to hear directly from us about why this matters and what will not change.
Hand in Hand was founded because children and adults with disabilities deserve to belong in their communities. Not as a courtesy. Not as a special opportunity. As a matter of basic human dignity.
For more than 25 years, we have watched what happens when the right support shows up in the right place. Kids who learn alongside their neighbors in inclusive classrooms grow up knowing they belong here. Teenagers discover what they're good at, build real friendships, and carry that confidence into adulthood. Adults move into their own homes, pursue work that matters to them, and become familiar faces all over the Quad Cities.
Next week, a group of our adults will volunteer at the John Deere Classic, the region's largest community celebration and one of the most anticipated events on the Quad Cities calendar. They're not attending as guests. They're there as contributors, welcoming people, doing the work, and being part of something bigger than themselves. Across the area, Hand in Hand participants volunteer at dozens of nonprofits that make this community worth living in. They show up because they want to, because they have something to give, and because this is their community too.
That is what community-based support actually looks like. Not a program. Not a placement. People living their lives.
Everything we do at Hand in Hand is built around that belief. Our inclusive childcare and preschool programs exist because belonging starts early. People with Purpose and Teens with Purpose create opportunities for meaningful engagement, friendships, and growth. Our Evening and Weekend Enrichment programs and Summer Program recognize that life does not stop at 5:00 p.m. Our employment supports help individuals pursue independence, purpose, and meaningful work.
None of this happens accidentally. It happens because families advocate. It happens because staff dedicate their careers to this work. It happens because our community shows up. Every year, local donors help bridge the gap between what services cost and what funding covers, nearly $1 million annually. They do it because they believe their neighbors with disabilities deserve the same opportunities, connections, and sense of belonging as anyone else. They do it because they believe all lives are richer when we live, learn, and love alongside people of all abilities.
That belief is powerful. And it is deeply rooted in the Quad Cities.
We also want to be clear about something else. This is not a partisan issue. The value of a person. The right to belong. The opportunity to participate in community life. These are not political positions. For decades, leaders, policymakers, advocates, providers, and families across the political spectrum have recognized that communities are stronger when people with disabilities are included in them. That remains true today.
We are speaking up because the families we serve deserve to know we are paying attention. We are speaking up because the people we support are affected by decisions made far beyond our walls. And we are speaking up because our mission has always been bigger than providing services. It is about advocating for a community where people of all abilities can learn, connect, and thrive.
Hand in Hand will keep doing this work. We will keep supporting children, teens, and adults. We will keep creating spaces where people belong, helping families navigate systems that are often complicated and difficult, and advocating for a future where inclusion is not something people have to fight for.
Because after more than 25 years, we know something that no policy memo can change.
People belong in their communities. And this community is stronger when everyone has the opportunity to be part of it.
Thank you for allowing us to be part of your family's story. We are grateful for your trust, and we remain unwavering in our commitment to this work.
How You Can Help
Learn more about the importance of community-based services and the protections established through Olmstead. This Arc article and this NPR article can get you started.
Share this message with family, friends, and community members.
Contact elected officials and let them know that inclusion and community living matter.
Support organizations that advocate for and provide community-based services for people with disabilities. Support Hand in Hand here.
Continue showing up for your neighbors with disabilities, because real inclusion happens one relationship, one workplace, one classroom, and one community at a time.
With gratitude,
Angie Kendall
CEO, Hand in Hand