Montreal Special Needs Community
In today’s detached, technology-run world, it’s hard to feel part of a community. Who has time to connect to people who have similar challenges, common interests, and shared goals? But community is so important. Without a community, we are just lonely individuals struggling to do what’s best for ourselves and our loved ones. Especially in the special needs world, community is a necessary ingredient for belonging, for support, for resources.
The Montreal special needs community has been blessed with Inspirations News. This biannual publication was created as a central place to share stories and resources within the special needs community, the brainchild of Mike Cohen from the English Montreal School Board. “I believe we really filled a giant void in the community,” says Mike Cohen. “There are so many ‘inspiring stories’ in our community that people never used to hear about until our newspaper was born. Some of our readers, especially the parents of special needs individuals we write about, tend to keep copies of the stories.”
Creating a Network
Eight years in existence, Inspirations is flourishing beyond its original expectations. Inspirations News managing editor Wendy Singer says, “We are humbled that Inspirations provides a community to families, teachers, caregivers, and therapists, and anyone who has a special need, or whose life is touched by someone with a special need.” Inspirations has strengthened our special community by providing not only inspiration, but an invaluable pool of resources as well.
Alongside Inspirations News, which features inspirational stories from across the special needs world and more, inspirationsnews.com is also the home for the EMSB Database of Special Needs Resources. By compiling a list of services and businesses available to everyone, Inspiration News has created a forum to share, to give and take, to network and connect. In Singer’s words, “Inspirations connects people to people, people to resources, and resources to resources. We have been called the hub of special needs news, and…our readers refer to our newspaper as a tool, or a resource.”
Proud by Association
Are you part of a community in need of some unity? No matter your focus, look to Inspirations as a role model. Where there was once a disparate group of special children, overworked parents, and service providers, the Montreal special needs community is now a cohesive unit, helping, assisting and supporting each other. Inspirations News created that, with innovation, persistence and lots of hard work. DFAC is proud to be counted as a member of the Inspirations community. Our services are advertised in the newspaper, and we proudly participate in Inspirations-sponsored events. Thank you, Inspirations, for creating a venue where the special needs community can support each other!