The Lucas Project was a dream that began with Lucas who was miraculously born to Jess Ronne after he suffered a stroke in utero. After surviving brain surgery at 3 days old, he has continued to thrive and grow, although his life with profound special needs has been challenging at times.
Jess’s desire was to start a non-profit in Lucas’s honor, but she lacked direction and focus for what this would involve or how it would look. In 2013 her family moved to rural Tennessee to pursue a dream of a simple life, and while Lucas thrived in many aspects, she and her husband Ryan noticed a lack of resources and accessibility in other areas – particularly in the area of respite opportunities for caregivers. The Lucas Project was born out of a desire to bridge this gap by offering awareness to the general public in regard to the difficulties and challenges that caregivers face and grants to communities interested in providing a break through a respite program. For more on Luke’s story and family visit https://www.jessplusthemess.com/
OUR VISION:
RECOGNITION
- We see caregivers and their daily struggles.
- We showcase caregiver stories through various media platforms and speaking engagements in order to bring awareness.
- We provide spa baskets for special needs mamas to show them that we see them and the daily caregiving that they provide.
RESOURCES
- The Lucas Project has partnered with local filmmakers to create a documentary highlighting the challenges that caregivers face.
- The Lucas Project website offers essays that provide encouragement for caregivers.
- Future plans include a podcast. Stay tuned.
RESPITE
- The Lucas Project provides $1000 start-up grants for communities interested in providing respite opportunities. The application process is here.
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