Joni and Friends Arizona

Arizona Family Retreat 1 (March 8-10, 2024)

📣📣NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS!!📣📣

This Family Retreat will specifically aim to strengthen relationships of married couples who have at least one child with a disability. While their children are cared for and take part accessible activities, couples will have the opportunity to refresh their relationship, renewing a Christ-centered basis for lasting love and partnership.

**This event will include overnight respite care, providing separate living spaces for the children and married couples.

SPOTS ARE LIMITED so please visit https://joniandfriends.org/event/arizona-family-retreat-1/ to apply today!!

On this Giving Tuesday, we invite you to partner with us as we send the hope of Christ and practical help to people living with disability.

At Joni and Friends, we envision a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ.

To donate or learn more about Joni and Friends Arizona, please visit: https://www.joniandfriends.org/arizona

*Joni and Friends Arizona is a Qualified Charitable Organization for the Arizona Tax Credit. For more information on the Arizona Tax Credit, please visit https://azdor.gov/tax-credits/contributions-qcos-and-qfcos or consult with your tax advisor.

Our 2023 Family Retreat is soon approaching!

We are still recruiting volunteers for our work crew to support the camp staff in the preparation, set up, clean up, and serving all meals for our Family Retreat participants. There is NO COST to those who volunteer to be a part of the work crew!

Come join us in this incredible opportunity to serve as the hands and feet of Christ by serving those living with and impacted by disability.

Apply today at: joniandfriends.org/event/arizona-family-retreat/

We are so close! During our May Match initiative, your gift will be doubled so that twice as many children living with disability will hear the Gospel and experience the love of Jesus firsthand!

Your $100 donation will become $200. $500 turns into $1,000! And ministry increases exponentially! Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to multiply your impact!

https://www.joniandfriends.org/arizona/

Kingdom ministry is moving forward through your generosity!

When you give this month, your donation will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $500,000, doubling the impact of your gift. This means twice as many families living with disability will hear the Gospel and experience the love of Jesus!

https://www.joniandfriends.org/arizona/

Renatta and Melany’s lives radically changed when they received wheelchairs and Bibles in their own language. Around the world millions of people living with disability lack access to mobility equipment. Many of them also don’t know Jesus. You can make a life-changing difference for these people!

Will you join us this month in multiplying ministry for the kingdom of Christ? Give today and your gift will be matched dollar for dollar!

https://www.joniandfriends.org/arizona/

Your generosity makes a powerful difference during May Match!

Right now, your gift of any amount will be matched to reach twice as many people facing the daily struggles that come with disability! Will you give today and help us share the life-changing love of Jesus?

https://www.joniandfriends.org/arizona/

Shiv’s Family Found a New Sense of Belonging, Refreshment, and Lots of Joy.

Read more about their story in our Joni and Friends Blog Below!

https://www.joniandfriends.org/shivs-family-found-a-new-sense-of-belonging-refreshment-and-lots-of-joy/

Did you know that Joni and Friends is a Qualified Charitable Organization for the Arizona Tax Credit?

It’s not too late to still donate and receive up to $400 for those filing single or up to $800 for those married filing jointly.

Your donations send the hope of Christ and practical help to people living with disability.

To donate, please visit: https://www.joniandfriends.org/arizona/

*For more information on the Arizona Tax Credit, please visit https://azdor.gov/tax-credits/contributions-qcos-and-qfcos or consult with your tax advisor.

He is Risen.

Hello friends old and new! We are excited to announce a few new members/positions to the Joni and Friends AZ office!

Please welcome our new Area Director, Dwayne Pedroza, our new Ministry Relations Manager, September Sturgin-Wellmeyer, our long-time faithful servant and Operations Manager, Pam Baldwin, and our newest addition to the AZ office, our Admin Coordinator, Katie Majors.

We have been diligently working behind the scenes and are excited to post more about all God is doing in and through Joni and Friends AZ!

EVERYONE CAN LEARN: Thank you to Laura Moller and Special Needs Pastors from nine of the CCV (Christ's Church of the Valley)campuses in Arizona for sharing best practices at our September Special Needs Network for Church Leaders!

Laura and team shared practical classroom tips on how CCV teaches the gospel to all children, including those with disabilities, which requires changes to content, methodology, and delivery of instruction within classrooms. Thank you to CCV for your partnership and for making special needs ministry part of the DNA of your church!

Glory to God for a wonderful Special Needs Awareness Sunday at South Peoria Baptist Church!

Holy Spirit is working … When our team first met with Pastors Jeremiah and Preston in 2021, they shared that the church leadership had been praying for over five years that God would guide them on how to better serving families with special needs…

This year the vision is coming to fruition…they invested in Melissa Fastrup as Special Needs Director (who is doing an incredible job), and Praise the Lord that 15 people signed up to be part of the new Special Needs Buddy Ministry!

Thank you Erica and Jarod Smith for sharing your inspiring story, and how important it is to your family to be be in a church with a special needs ministry.

Kudos to September Sturgin for the excellent job leading the Special Needs Awareness training, and to Pastor Preston for giving a practical word to the congregation about Biblical hospitality…it’s not about entertaining, but receiving people into our lives and homes to bless them.

Great to meet Jacob, Youth Pastor, in Phoenix, and excited to help the church begin their special needs ministry! Thanks to our friends at for the connection.

We are blessed to walk alongside Grace Community Church as they re-launch their special needs ministry through Joni and Friends resources, prayer, plans, people, and through the marvelous work of the Holy Spirit.

VETERAN RETREAT- Combat Veterans and their families are invited to join Joni and Friends for our 4-day WARRIOR GETAWAY designed specifically for American servicemen & women and their families. The getaway will be Nov 4 - Nov 7, 2022 at Prescott Pines Camp.

The getaway is FREE to warrior families and provides a time of respite, spiritual refreshment, and a wide range of accessible family activities, powerful speakers, networking with other families, and time in God’s Word.

SHARE & REGISTER: https://www.joniandfriends.org/event/arizona-warrior-getwaway/

Do you know the early signs of Alzheimer’s disease?

When our friend Susan’s husband Dave was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease, their life was thrown into disarray. But through their struggles, Dave and Susan turned to God and found hope.

If you or a loved one is living with dementia, don’t miss Susan Wahlers on the Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast!

Listen in for:
- Tips on recognizing the onset of dementia (including Alzheimer’s disease)
- Practical advice for caregivers
- The Wahlers’ story of hope through the hardships of Alzheimer’s disease
- Resources for caregivers

If you are a caregiver, you are not alone. Learn more about Susan’s work in Arizona to serve caregivers on today's podcast.

www.joniandfriends.org/podcast-alzheimers-disease-help-and-hope-for-caregivers

Alzheimer’s Disease: Help and Hope for Caregivers | Joni and Friends When Susan Wahlers learned that her husband Dave was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease, their life was thrown into disarray. As they struggled wit…

Thank you to our Family Retreat photographer, Noel Roque, for taking such beautiful photos of our families!

2022 Joni & Friends Arizona Family WEB Photos Photo collection by Photography by Noel Roque

VISITOR’S DAY! Thank you to the church leaders and ministry partners who participated in Visitor’s Day at our 2022 Family Retreat to see how we reach, care and connect with special needs families, and discuss opportunities for partnership!



Without Walls Church Harvest Bible Church Phoenix Goodworks Bible-Based Counseling

The spirit is on the move at North Bible Church! Yesterday we trained a motivated body as they prepare to launch their first Respite event for special needs families this Fall. We are excited to see what He does as the church steps out in faith to fulfill the Luke 14 mandate, opening and filling God’s house with people of all abilities!