Our Mission:
Sharing Hands A Respite Experience (SHARE) partners with all members of families raising children with special needs, supporting their efforts to establish and maintain strong and successful families.
Servicing West Texas families with special needs children in the Permian Basin, SHARE offers programs that include but are not limited to:
respite nights, support groups, counseling, NICU support, sibling activities, collaborative events with other local organizations, as well as holiday events tailored toward the unique circumstances of special needs.
Our Vision:
SHARE envisions a world where parents who have children with special needs have access to supportive programs that enable families to experience the joy of their journey.
Our Story
Reverend Tom Jones, a Special Education teacher in West Texas, recognized the unique needs of his students’ family members as they navigated the particularities of the special needs life, so he sought a way to help. It was here that SHARE was born.
2005
SHARE is established as a small church ministry, offering respite care for parents of children with special needs.
2006
SHARE launches Parent Quest and Sibshop, support groups that help parents and siblings connect with others on the same journey.
2009
S.H.A.R.E. - Sharing Hands, A Respite Experience, Inc. - is established as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.
2011
SHARE heads West. Respite care and support group services become available in Odessa.
2012
SHARE expands to include in-home respite care for children with special medical needs.
A collaboration also is established between SHARE and local hospitals to provide NICU support for parents.
2013
SHARE begins collaboration with hospitals (Texas Children’s Hospital) and educational institutions (Baylor School of Medicine, UT Austin Center for Disability Studies) to host expert-led conferences on genetics, emergency-preparedness, and transitioning to adulthood.
2014
SHARE moves HQ to Midland Shared Spaces, allowing the organization access to multiple shared resources.
2016
Executive Director, Rev.Tom Jones, and SHARE are awarded the nonprofit Beacon Award for Program Excellence.
2024
Executive Director, Traci Hopper, and SHARE are awarded the nonprofit Beacon Award for Program Excellence.