When Kim Neal’s daughter, Reagan, had to receive costly treatments for cerebral palsy at 2 years old, her church and community rallied to offer emotional and financial support for the family.

Now, Neal is the program director for Reagan’s Journey, a nonprofit organization that assists families experiencing the same struggles.

“Our mission is to make life better for children with special needs,” said Neal, of Lower Burrell.

A benefit event for Reagan’s Journey will take place Saturday in partnership with Community Care, a small business offering home care and health services to adults and children across Western Pennsylvania.

Neal said Community Care reached out to Reagan’s Journey about hosting a fundraiser, and she gladly accepted. The event will be held from 2 to 7 p.m. at the New Stanton Volunteer Fire Department, 108 S. Main St.

Jennifer Provance, recruiter at Community Care, said the fundraiser will feature a car wash, face painting, games, a live band, raffle baskets, a bake sale, Suzy’s Frozen Custard Food Truck and other food options.

Provance, of Mt. Pleasant, said Community Care’s clinical director, Melissa Latimer, has a good relationship with Neal and hosted events for Reagan’s Journey in the past. Provance said she is excited to continue Community Care’s support of the nonprofit.

“We hope to have a lot of people there, and I hope it’s super successful because we put a lot of time and work into it,” Provance said. “These families deserve the help.”

According to Neal, Reagan’s Journey was established as an official nonprofit in 2012 and carries out its mission through special events, a program called RJ’s Closet and by raising awareness for children with special needs.

Neal said the special events are intended to celebrate the unique characteristics of each child, and RJ’s Closet shares pediatric equipment and supplies with families in need.

Neal said she wants the nonprofit to provide the type of care she wishes her family had when Reagan was receiving treatment.

“When Reagan was little, we had a hard time connecting with resources,” Neal said. “We wanted to make that easier for (other families).”

In 2020, Reagan’s Journey held 319 appointments and provided more than $1 million in medical equipment and supplies at no cost to its families. It has 2,680 followers in its online community, where families have access to resources and support.

Additional information regarding the nonprofit’s mission can be found at www.reagansjourney.org and Facebook. Its office is at 140 Pennsylvania Ave. in Oakmont.

Neal said, thanks to the support she received from community members at her church in Kittanning, Reagan — now 13 — is able to walk, perform sign language and express “a lot of personality.”

Neal said she hopes families unaffected by disability attend the benefit event and come to understand the importance of helping causes such as Reagan’s Journey.

She said her goal is to generate future partnerships and help additional families.

“It’s a dark world, and there’s a lack of resources for everyone,” Neal said. “We always want to reach the most families possible.”

Similarly, Provance said Community Care hopes to take some of the burden off the families helped by Reagan’s Journey.

“Now that I’m working more closely with pediatric (patients), I can see that families are struggling with disability,” Provance said. “They’re going through enough as it is. Whatever we can do to help them would be great.”

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)