MANSFIELD — Mike and Stevanie Brown know what it’s like to parent a child with special needs and wish there were more resources available. It’s their every day reality.
They’re now doing something to change that reality.
The Mifflin couple recently launched Zan’s Mission, a non-profit organization they hope will provide support, resources and community events for children with special needs and their families.
“You get a lot of families with autism that want to move to Delaware to Columbus, because there’s more resources down there,” Mike said. “I think that’d be a good thing to change here — make the situation better where we are.”
The couple named the non-profit for their 7-year-old son, Zander, who has epilepsy and was diagnosed with Level 2 Autism.
“We weren’t raised in homes where mental health and disabilities were really respected. Then we have Zander that comes along. I really feel that God sent him as a personal missionary to open our eyes,” Stevanie said.
“It’s in his honor, but also God’s honor of what he’s done with Zander’s life and journey.”
Zan’s Mission to offer family-friendly events, caregiver resources
When Autism Walk-a-Thon founder Debbie Melching retired in 2023, Stevanie said she knew local families would feel the void.
Stevanie said it was the push they needed to start a non-profit of their own. Like Melching’s organization, Brown said Zan’s Mission will host family-friendly events throughout the year.
Stevanie said children with a special needs often aren’t able to participate in typical family-friendly community activities because they aren’t designed with inclusivity in mind.
She said Zan’s mission will take into account factors like sensory sensitivities, wheelchair accessibility and developmental delays when planning events. The couple has already hosted a sensory friendly Easter egg hunt and autism walk.
Stevanie said she also plans to utilize her background in social work to offer support groups and other services.
“Once we get more funding, we want to increase community events and have a respite hour where parents can go out and the kids can come in and work with people that are trained and understanding,” Stevanie said.
Those aren’t the Browns’ only goals. They’d also like to offer autism assessments and “refresher” courses for parents on various behavioral intervention techniques.
In the long term, they hopes to purchase their own building and offer a faith-based autism school.
Their 10-year-old daughter Sara is currently enrolled in a Christian school in the area, but the school officials told the family they wouldn’t be able to provide Zander the supports he needed.
“If I wanted my son to have a Christian education, he can’t, and that’s not right,” Stevanie said.
The Browns said they plan to apply for grants, but are also accepting donations and volunteer sign-ups. To learn more about Zan’s Mission, visit the organization’s website and Facebook page.
