Empowering Families: Grants, Fundraising, and Advocacy with Abby Zachritz
In this episode of the Moms Like Me Podcast, host Jordan Arogeti sits down with Abby Zachritz, better known as "Advocacy Abby" on Instagram and the Director of Family Advocacy at Support Now. Abby shares her deeply personal journey of raising five children, including her son Wyatt, who survived a near-drowning accident. She delves into the financial and emotional challenges families face when caring for children with disabilities or diagnoses, revealing how she became an expert in navigating grants and fundraising.
The episode explores practical advice for finding financial resources, building community support, and the transformative power of Support Now’s Connect platform. Abby emphasizes the importance of transparency in fundraising, the cyclical nature of giving and receiving, and how advocacy can create a lasting impact. Families, friends, and advocates will find actionable insights and hope in this heartfelt discussion.
Key Highlights:
- Abby Zachritz: Advocacy expert, mom of five, Director of Family Advocacy at Support Now.
- Wyatt’s Story: Overcoming a near-drowning incident and the challenges of advocating for therapies and treatments.
- Financial Realities: Raising a child with a diagnosis costs an average of $1.4 million—six times more than raising a neurotypical child.
- Connect Platform: A game-changing database of grants tailored to families’ needs, updated in real time.
- Fundraising Tips: Transparency and specificity are essential for building trust and support.
Takeaways for Families:
- Leverage grants and fundraising together for critical expenses like therapies and adaptive equipment.
- Ask for community support early and often; people are eager to help when given the chance.
- Utilize resources like Advocacy Abby’s Instagram and Support Now’s tools for guidance.
Discover more at Support Now and follow Abby on Instagram @AdvocacyAbby.
