Better Together: Belong Disability Ministry Partners with a Purpose

The Belong Disability Ministry of HPUMC offers programs free of charge to anyone who has a disability or has a family member affected by a disability. The programs include Day Classes, Chance’s Cafe, Night OWLS Respite Program, Spotlight Academy of the Arts, The Feast Worship Service, and many more. That said, Belong doesn’t just do amazing things on its own—the ministry also works side-by-side with other organizations to empower and open up new opportunities for those with disabilities. Two of their strong partnerships are with My Martial Arts and To Be Like Me.

My Martial Arts

For the second year in a row, Belong hosted a SNAPMAT (Special Needs Adaptive Program Martial Arts Tournament) at the Tolleson Family Activity Center on Saturday, April 15, in partnership with My Martial Arts.

Tony Rios, Founder and Head Instructor of My Martial Arts, has offered adaptive fitness instruction to the Night OWLS program for many years and currently teaches martial arts in Belong Day Classes.

Tony founded SNAPMAT in 2022 alongside the Belong Disability Ministry. The tournament aims to provide kids and adults living with disabilities an opportunity to experience confidence, competition, rewards, and excitement through three types of events.

Like all of Belong’s programming and events, the tournament on April 15 was free, and those with disabilities were able to compete and have fun, regardless of their martial arts experience. Others came to support the participants or sponsored an Event Ring at the tournament.

To Be Like Me

To Be Like Me is a nonprofit disability awareness program that provides in-person and online interactions led by people living with disabilities (LEADers).

These interactions address the obstacles that exist for people with disabilities, including stereotypes and misconceptions, accessibility issues, violence and bullying, discrimination in the workplace, and higher rates of unemployment and poverty.

The program employs and empowers people with disabilities. A few of Belong Disability Ministry’s participants are also To Be Like Me LEADers, giving them the ability to share their own experiences.

In November, To Be Like Me hosted an enrichment event at the HPUMC Super Staff Meeting & Luncheon. At this eye-opening event, LEADers advocated for empathy and inclusion and walked staff members through stations that offered an experiential look into the life of a person with a disability.

At one station, a “sensory overload” was simulated in a room set up like an airplane, while a LEADer with autism shared his story. Another station allowed staff members to converse directly with LEADers and ask them questions with the aim of understanding their unique experiences.

Giving Back

Belong Disability Ministry also gives back through its Day Class programs and Chance’s Cafe.

Last Christmas, Belong Day Class participants served a special Christmas dinner at Austin Street Center, an HPUMC Outreach partner and one of Dallas' largest homeless shelters. The Day Class community will be serving again this April and in September. Additionally, starting one Tuesday a month, Day Class participants will gather to make sandwiches and care bags for residents of local homeless shelters and senior living facilities.

Chance’s Cafe’s Belong Disability Ministry employees not only serve sweets and treats at HPUMC, they also give back to the community throughout the year. The crew often plays games and serves coffee, pies, and muffins to the residents of Presbyterian Village North Assisted Living and CC Young Assisted Living.

Chance’s is named in memory of Chance Urschel, who, himself, lived with physical limitations and chose to live his life in service to others. As a participant in Belong, Chance exemplified God’s love by helping those in need and empowering others to do the same. Through Chance’s Cafe, his servant’s heart lives on.

Learn more about Belong Disability Ministry and its amazing programs at hpumc.org/belong.