The Favor Foundation Inc

10/03/2026

⚖️ What the Texas v. Kennedy ruling means for our community

On Sept. 23, a federal court removed the community integration rules from the 2024 HHS Section 504 regulations. It applies in every state.

🔴 What changed
The rule that told programs to serve disabled people in the most integrated setting is gone
That means less clear federal guidance for states

🟢 What did NOT change
Section 504 is still the law
The ADA is still the law
Olmstead still stands, so no one can be forced into an institution to get services
The rest of the 2024 rule is untouched

👨‍👩‍👧 What this means for families & caregivers
•Your rights are the same today as they were yesterday
•But clear guidance matters. Without it, families may have to push harder to get services at home and in the community
•Know your rights, keep records, and ask for things in writing

🏫 Your child's school 504 plan or IEP

•This ruling is about HHS rules (think Medicaid and health service
•It does not change school plans

💛 Our promise

At Favor Foundation, we'll keep helping families understand their rights and navigate the system. We're not going backwards.

09/27/2026

https://theconversation.com/what-civil-rights-enforcement-cuts-mean-for-students-with-disabilities-fewer-staff-closed-offices-longer-waits-285208?fbclid=IwdGRjcAUmDKpjbGNrBSYMlmV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHBkb2YFc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMzUwNjg1NTMxNzI4AAEe5CYwjzxm4bMDfieEgOIWYq6ndfCBy4kExBcLqr_Q6girJZ__YIAPTgUvcc0_aem_UNPyijhGbebVga9J2CRQmA

Filing a civil rights complaint with the Office of Civil Rights can be parents’ last stop. Following cuts and restructuring, this federal office is no longer serving that same resource.

09/23/2026

📢 Sharing for informational purposes!
Disabled Adult Child (DAC) benefits are an important Social Security benefit that many families don’t know about. If you have questions about DAC benefits, eligibility, applications, or your individual situation, please contact the Social Security Administration directly at 1-800-772-1213.

💙 Knowledge is power—know your options!

09/23/2026

Did you know today is the International Day of Sign Languages? 🌐✨
​Recognized by the UN, this day honors the linguistic identity and human rights of the global Deaf community.

​3 ways to practice everyday communication accessibility starting today:

1. ​Caption your content: Always include accurate closed captions or text transcripts on your videos.

2. ​Respect all forms of expression: Communication isn't one-size-fits-all. Give individuals using AAC, sign language, or non-traditional communication the time and space to share without rushing them.

3. ​Learn the basics: Try learning a few practical signs in ASL (like "Thank you," "Help," and "Welcome") to foster a more welcoming community.

​Let’s break down barriers and build a world rooted in true belonging.
​

09/14/2026

Why One Text Can Hijack an ADHD Brain's Entire Day

Ever watch someone read a text and instantly seem... somewhere else?

For an ADHD brain, that's not overreacting — it's a real chain reaction. One message can spike stress hormones, pull focus away, and make it genuinely hard to "just get back to it."

This clip breaks down what's happening in the brain in that moment — and why patience helps someone find their way back.

Worth the watch if you're parenting, teaching, or loving someone with ADHD ⬇️

09/03/2026

🎂 Happy Birthday, Tifini Ferrell !🎂

Today we're celebrating a woman who has been part of the Favor Foundation family since day one. Tifini, your generosity and steady belief in our mission have helped us show up for families who need it most — and we don't take that for granted.
Thank you for the years of support. Thank you for believing in what we're building. We hope your birthday is as wonderful as you are. 💛

09/01/2026

07/15/2026

Gaston County approved $5 million more for our schools this week.

Here is the part our families need to see.

First, the facts. At a specially called meeting, commissioners approved an additional $5 million for Gaston County Schools in a 4 to 3 vote. Most of it went to teacher supplements and to covering raises the state approved but did not fully fund. Money was also set aside to keep W.B. Beam Intermediate open. Those things matter, and we are glad for them.

But the district had asked for over $11 million. And in the room that night, a $3.3 million request for Exceptional Children programs, the services our students with disabilities depend on, was raised in the discussion. It was talked about. Then it quietly fell out of the final motion. No amendment. No vote. It simply did not make it into the package.

Here is what troubles us. When the money runs short, watch what gets cut first and what gets left out of the conversation entirely. Our children are often the ones asked to wait.

So here is what we are asking our families to do:
Ask the direct question. The county and the school board owe our community a clear answer: what happened to the Exceptional Children request, and how will those services be funded this year?

Watch your own child's services. Budget shortfalls do not change your child's IEP. The services written in that document are legally owed no matter what the county funds. If the school points to the budget as a reason to reduce services, that is not lawful, and you can push back in writing.

Show up. These decisions are made in rooms that count on us not being there. The families in red who filled that meeting were seen. We can be seen too.
We are not here to stir anger. We are here to make sure that when the dollars are divided, our children are not the ones quietly left off the list.

If you have questions about protecting your child's services, that is what we are here for.

07/14/2026

A new federal report on North Carolina special education just came out. There is one finding every parent needs to know.

Here is the line that matters most:
If you request a special education evaluation for your child, the school cannot tell you to wait and try other interventions first.

That is illegal.

It happens all the time. A parent asks for an evaluation. The school says, "Let's try some other strategies first and see how it goes." The parent, trusting the school, agrees. A year goes by. Sometimes two. And the child who needed support the whole time went without it.

The federal government has said for years that districts cannot do this. Our own Department of Public Instruction found in 2020 that districts across North Carolina were doing it anyway. The new federal report shows the problem has not gone away.

What the report found about our state:

Statewide, only 74 percent of students referred for evaluation were actually evaluated within the required 90 days.
Before the pandemic, that number was 84 percent. The federal expectation is 100 percent. Some districts are far worse. Wake County evaluated fewer than half of referred students on time.

The report also found that students with disabilities performed worse on exams than the year before, with the sharpest decline among students of color. And North Carolina fell behind on preparing older students for life after high school, even though a transition plan is required by age 16.

So here is what to do:

Put your evaluation request in writing. Date it. Email is fine, and email creates a record.

If the school suggests waiting or trying interventions first, you can say this: "I am requesting a formal evaluation under IDEA.

Please provide prior written notice if the district is declining this request."

Then watch the clock.
North Carolina has 90 days.

You are not being difficult. You are being your child's advocate, and the law is standing right behind you.
If you need help writing that request, that is what we are here for.

07/07/2026

North Carolina just passed its first full budget since 2023. Here is what it means for our families.

This is a $34 billion budget, now signed into law. We believe an informed family is a protected family, so here is the plain breakdown, no spin.

What the budget funds:

Teachers received an average 8% raise, with new-teacher starting pay rising to $48,000. It is being called the largest starting-pay raise in decades, though the raises are not retroactive and teachers received nothing last year. Law enforcement received larger increases, around 15 to 16%, and even state officials acknowledged those raises still leave North Carolina behind neighboring states. Medicaid was fully funded, and $700 million was directed to Hurricane Helene recovery.

We share these numbers side by side on purpose. Where the larger raises went, and where they did not, tells you something about priorities.

What our community should watch:

Several programs that served our families were cut or eliminated.
The Office of Minority Health was closed.

The office that helped minority-owned businesses win state contracts was abolished.

A mentoring program for minority male college students was shut down.

Funding for civil legal aid, the help families rely on for eviction, domestic violence, and exploitation cases, was frozen.

And more than 1,000 state government positions were eliminated, most of them in Health and Human Services, the very department many of our families depend on.

The one we are watching most closely:

The budget adds new oversight to Medicaid-funded autism therapy spending. For families whose children receive therapy through Medicaid, this is worth paying attention to as it unfolds.

We will keep you informed as we learn how it will be applied.
None of this changes your child's core rights under federal law. But it does change the landscape around us, and we would rather you hear it clearly than be caught off guard.
If you have questions about how any of this touches your family, that is what we are here for.