Why I Started Hope In The Meantime

Hope In The Meantime was born from one of the most difficult seasons of my life.

When my son began showing signs of developmental delays, I entered a journey that so many families know all too well—a journey filled with uncertainty, waiting lists, paperwork, evaluations, and questions that seemed impossible to answer.

Then, life became even more challenging.

I lost my job, and shortly afterward, my son was disenrolled from his daycare because they did not have the resources to support his needs. Suddenly, I found myself without childcare, without stable income, and without clear answers about what my son needed.

For months, we attended evaluations while hearing the same words over and over again: "It may just be a delay."

Those words became a source of comfort. They gave me hope that perhaps time would be enough.

Then the diagnosis came.

Autism.

Even though I had privately prepared myself for the possibility, hearing that single word felt different. My heart sank. In an instant, my mind was flooded with questions.

How do I help him?

What do I do now?

What will his future look like?

I sat there speechless, overwhelmed by fear and uncertainty.

I thought the hardest part was getting the diagnosis.

I was wrong.

The diagnosis was only the beginning.

Suddenly there were IEP meetings, therapy appointments, insurance requirements, endless phone calls, and waitlists everywhere I turned. Finding an ABA provider that had availability, accepted our insurance, and was within a reasonable distance felt nearly impossible.

Then I learned that the diagnosis we had waited months to receive wasn't enough. Insurance required an additional evaluation from a psychiatrist. The shortest waitlist I could find was six months.

Six more months.

As the sole provider for myself and my two children, my savings disappeared. The therapy my son needed to thrive—and the support I needed to return to the workforce—remained out of reach.

I was trying to navigate a full-time special needs journey while searching for a full-time job and simply trying to survive.

There were days when I spent hours driving for delivery apps with my children in the backseat. We turned deliveries into games and scavenger hunts to make the best of it. But when they fell asleep during car rides, I often cried in silence, terrified about what the future would hold.

Through therapies, support groups, and appointments, I discovered something that changed me forever.

I wasn't alone.

There were countless families facing the same crisis.

Families waiting for evaluations.

Families unable to access services without a diagnosis.

Families struggling financially while trying to do everything possible for their children.

Families who simply needed support in the meantime.

During that dark season, I learned the importance of community. I learned the power of having someone who understands. I learned that families don't just need services—they need a village.

As I advocated for solutions, I was often told:

"You can't help everyone."

"You can't save the world."

"They'll figure it out."

But my heart was already invested.

Because I knew what it felt like to be scared.

I knew what it felt like to feel alone.

And I knew how much a little support could change everything.

That's when Hope In The Meantime was born.

Our mission is to help families navigate the gap between concern and diagnosis, between diagnosis and services, and between crisis and stability.

We provide guidance, resources, referrals, community connections, and financial support to families of children showing signs of autism spectrum disorder or developmental delays. We are working to connect families with evaluation centers, therapy resources, transportation assistance, caregiver employment opportunities, and support systems that help them move forward with confidence.

Most importantly, we are building a village.

A village where families feel seen.

A village where parents don't have to carry the weight alone.

A village that offers hope when families need it most.

Every donation helps us support another family navigating their own "in the meantime" season. Every partnership helps us expand our reach. Every supporter becomes part of the village we are creating together.

Because no family should have to face this journey alone.

And because sometimes, hope is exactly what carries us through the meantime.