The Quiet Work of Disability Ministry These ministries don’t always make headlines, but they meet daily needs of people with disabilities and their families.

At MinistryWatch, our mission is to help Christians become more faithful, generous, and effective stewards of the resources God has entrusted to them. It’s why we advocate for transparency, accountability, and efficiency in Christian ministries. Because of that, we cover a lot of stories we’d rather not have to — stories of waste, fraud, and abuse.

But that’s not the whole picture. This column exists to amplify ministries doing excellent work — to spotlight ministries making a difference in their own communities and around the world.

This week’s MMAD highlights ministries serving children and adults with disabilities, alongside the families who care for them. From education and therapy to respite, community support, and long-term care, these organizations are meeting practical needs while affirming the dignity, value, and belonging of people often overlooked.

Hope Heals Camp

This summer, Hope Heals Camp is highlighting a challenge many disability-affected families face after young adults age out of the school system: support networks often shrink, and community can become harder to find. At Hope Heals Camp, young adults with disabilities can belong and be loved — and find a place where people of all ages do the same. Hope Heals says it is the only retreat in the world offering rest, resources, and relationships to families affected by disabilities, regardless of age, diagnosis, or location, completely free of charge.

This summer, nearly 3,000 campers and volunteers will gather at the camp over five week-long sessions. Hope Heals serves families affected by disability regardless of age or diagnosis, with a focus on belonging, encouragement, and long-term community.

Hope Christian Services

Hope Christian Services serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Northern New Jersey through residential living and adult day programs.

What began in the early 1960s with community volunteers, a $40 bank deposit, and the purchase of 10 acres of land for $1 grew into a long-running Christian ministry serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities at all stages of life. Today, the organization operates 15 group homes in Bergen and Passaic counties and employs more than 300 staff members who provide round-the-clock care.

Hope Christian Services has a 3-Star Financial Efficiency Financial Efficiency Rating and a C Transparency Grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a Donor Confidence Score of 95 (Give with Confidence).

Joni and Friends

Joni and Friends recently provided a custom-fitted chair to help Jareth — an 8-year-old boy in remote Honduras with microcephaly and cerebral palsy — sit safely and upright and join his siblings in play for the first time. The ministry also ministered to Jareth’s mother, Laura, who shared the grief and guilt she had carried since his diagnosis.

Joni and Friends’ work spans U.S. and international ministry through programs such as Wheels for the World, Family Retreats, Warrior Getaways, church training resources, Joni’s House, and disability-focused educational support.

Joni and Friends has delivered 250,000 wheelchairs internationally, served 100,000 special-needs family members at retreats and getaways, and distributed 240,000 Bibles globally.

Joni and Friends has a 2-Star Financial Efficiency Financial Efficiency Rating, an A Transparency Grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a Donor Confidence Score of 75 (Give with Confidence).

Hope Haven Inc.

Hope Haven recently turned an ordinary day into a celebration for participants in its My Day program, as members from Orange City, Le Mars, and Sioux Center enjoyed a full fashion show filled with laughter, new outfits, and the support of local partners who helped make the event possible.

Based in Iowa, the ministry says it has served people with disabilities for more than 50 years through community living, day habilitation, employment services, mental health support, spiritual care, and international wheelchair ministry.

Hope Haven has a 3-Star Financial Efficiency Rating and a C Transparency Grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a Donor Confidence Score of 95 (Give with Confidence).

 

The Little Light House

The Little Light House in Oklahoma is a Christian developmental center providing specialized education and therapy services for children with all types of disabilities in Tulsa and Oklahoma City. The ministry serves children from birth to age 6 through tuition-free education and therapy.

In December 2025, Little Light House produced a video showing how every gift funds classrooms, therapy sessions, and inclusive programs that support children as they learn, grow, and reach their full potential.

The Little Light House has a 4-Star Financial Efficiency Rating and a C Transparency Grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a Donor Confidence Score of 70 (Give with Confidence).

Shepherds College

MinistryWatch recently wrote about Shepherds College in the More Than a Diploma edition of Ministries Making a Difference. Still, we would be remiss to not include it here for its efforts in inclusive education and job training.

Shepherds says it is the nation’s only fully accredited post-secondary school designed specifically for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The school offers accredited three-year certificate programs and reports a 90% gainful employment rate.

Shepherds Ministries has a 5-Star Financial Efficiency Financial Efficiency Rating and a C Transparency Grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a Donor Confidence Score of 94 (Give with Confidence).

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