The development of Texas Faith and Disability Network (TxFDN) started in 2015 by dedicated volunteers with expertise and experience in faith networks and disability fields in Texas. Our focus is to connect statewide initiatives in promoting inclusive faith support created through four grant projects funded by the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities.
Our guiding mission is to link congregations, organizations, and individuals who wish to start or strengthen the inclusion and contributions of people with disabilities and their families in the faith communities of their choice.
By inclusion, we mean the opportunity for people with disabilities and their families to attend and participate in congregations and faith communities of their choice for the same reasons anyone else does, including for worship, education, fellowship, and service with opportunities to both give and receive in their faith community.
We seek to encourage inclusive faith supports that involve people with disabilities and their families in the full life of a congregation or faith community while recognizing and affirming that faith supports can take many forms as they develop and grow.
We believe that inclusive faith supports provide transformative opportunities in both spirit and growth for people with disabilities, their families, friends, and the congregations in which they participate.
We believe that faith communities can play a leading role in enabling people with disabilities and their families to participate as active citizens and members of the communities in which they are located.
We believe that people can learn from one another across faith and human service traditions.
In fact, because of the size of Texas, we want to encourage regional networking initiatives and collaboration between faith communities, disability organizations, programs, services and related networks. We support statewide collaboration between those networks and other organizations dedicated to inclusive ministries. We also serve as a resource for areas in Texas without urban or regional initiatives.