Holton’s Heroes

09/28/2026

Holton’s Heroes founder, Eric Weingrad, will be at this event both days representing IHSS Connect. Please come say hello if you’re there. 💚

We’re excited to share that IHSS Connect is a proud sponsor of the 40th Annual Supported Life Conference by Supported Life Institute.

📅 October 8–9, 2026
📍 Sacramento, California

This year’s conference celebrates 40 years of bringing together people with disabilities, families, advocates, professionals, and community leaders around the theme “Strengthening Supports in an Evolving Environment.” The two-day event will feature nearly three dozen sessions focused on issues affecting California’s disability community.

IHSS Connect will be there both days, and we’d love for you to stop by, meet us in person, and learn more about the free resources we’re building for California’s IHSS community.

We’re also especially excited that our partner, Alta California Regional Center (ACRC), will be at the conference. ACRC’s John Decker and Ryan Patchin are among the conference presenters.

If you’re attending, come say hello! We’re looking forward to two great days of conversations, connections, and learning alongside the community we serve.

Registration here: https://www.supportedlife.org

06/10/2026

One of the things we’ve learned from Holton is that adventure doesn’t always look the way people expect.

Too often, families assume wheelchairs automatically mean limits. But all across California, there are beaches, trails, parks, campgrounds, and outdoor experiences that are becoming more accessible every year. California State Parks and other organizations continue to expand opportunities for people with disabilities to enjoy the outdoors, from accessible trails to adaptive recreation equipment. (CA State Parks⁠)

If your family loves fresh air, road trips, or simply finding new places to explore together, this guide is packed with ideas that prove accessibility and adventure can absolutely go hand in hand in California.

🌲♿️🌊

Read: California Without Limits: An Outdoor Accessible Guide

Discover verified wheelchair-friendly beaches, hiking trails, lakes, and mountain parks across California — with honest access details, free equipment programs, and trip planning tips.

06/01/2026

Today, we’d like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the students of the Fort Worth Academy Philanthropy Lab for selecting Holton’s Heroes as a recipient of one of their community grants.

We were especially honored to learn that student Madeleine Allen discovered our organization and chose to present our mission to her classmates. After researching a number of worthy causes, the students discussed, evaluated, and ultimately voted to support our work helping children recovering from pediatric brain injuries.

Being chosen by a group of thoughtful young people who are actively learning about philanthropy, community impact, and charitable giving is incredibly meaningful to us. Their decision reflects compassion, curiosity, and a genuine desire to make a difference in the lives of others.

The grant they awarded will help us continue supporting pediatric brain injury survivors and their families through equipment, resources, and programs that improve quality of life and create opportunities for children facing extraordinary challenges.

To Madeleine, her classmates, and everyone at Fort Worth Academy: thank you for believing in our mission. We are proud to have been considered, honored to have been selected, and inspired by the next generation of changemakers.

04/29/2026

This is one of the hardest decisions we ever had to make as parents. I wrote this article as the founder of Holton’s Heroes, but more importantly, as a dad who’s lived it.

If you’re struggling with the idea of a G-tube, we see you.

Scared your child needs a G-tube? This honest parent take explains feeding tubes, the procedure, and why a G-tube can bring freedom—not fear.

04/26/2026

Sometimes the smallest piece of equipment can create the biggest moment.

Holton’s Heroes recently had the privilege of helping a little boy named Micah from Soddy Daisy, Tennessee. Micah is 3 years old, full of life, and loved deeply by his family. His mom, Heather, shared that they are still working with neurologists to understand the cause of his low muscle tone, and despite their efforts, insurance had denied nearly everything they needed for him.

One item they had hoped for was an Upsee—a special mobility device that allows a child to stand upright and “walk” with the support of an adult. It gives children the chance to move, explore, and participate in life beside their siblings instead of watching from the sidelines.

Heather told us, “My son would enjoy this so much. He could hunt Easter eggs with us and play t-ball with his brothers.”

That was all we needed to hear.

Holton’s Heroes purchased Micah’s Upsee so he could experience those moments every child deserves.

A few days after it arrived, Heather sent us this message:

“Hi! Yes, it arrived Wednesday afternoon and we were able to play in the yard with it. He was so happy to be upright moving with his siblings. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for gifting us this experience with our son. In the midst of trial, ‘I see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.’ (Psalm 27:13) May God bless you and your family.”

We live for moments like this—when a child gets to feel included, when a parent feels seen, and when hope shows up in the form of something as simple as standing beside your brothers in the backyard.

Thank you to everyone who supports Holton’s Heroes and helps us continue saying yes to families like Micah’s.

Because every child deserves the chance to stand tall.

04/23/2026

There’s a group of people in the disability community who are almost always present, deeply impacted, and rarely centered in the conversation.

Siblings.

Not the ones receiving services, therapies, or evaluations—but the ones quietly growing up alongside it all.

If you are one of those siblings, this is for you.

An honest look at the emotional impact on siblings of children with disabilities—and where to find support and resources.

04/16/2026

Teddy helps remind us all exactly why Holton’s Heroes exists.

“Teddy’s first hike in the beautiful NC Blue Ridge Mountains! He fit in it beautifully and loved looking all around. His head control was even better during the hike than when we tried it on around the house!” Courtney wrote us.

Because of a specialized adaptive backpack from We Carry Kevan, Teddy got to do what every child deserves — be part of the adventure.

“You have no idea how grateful our family is to have T-Bone tag along on our adventures comfortably and safely,” Courtney added.

That’s what this is about. Not just equipment. Access. Inclusion. Family.

But Teddy’s story is also one of unimaginable hardship and strength.

Teddy drowned in March of 2024.

“It’s fast. It’s silent. And it’s preventable,” Courtney acknowledged in her plea to help change the system on Teddy’s page.

Today, his family is turning their experience into purpose — advocating for access to Infant Swimming Resource (ISR) lessons, which teach young children life-saving survival skills in the water.

These lessons save lives. But they’re expensive. Often out of reach for the families who need them most.

“No family should have to choose between water safety and putting food on the table,” Courtney told us.

We stand with Teddy and his family in pushing for change — for awareness, for access, and for prevention.

And we’re honored that, even in the midst of everything, we could play a small role in helping Teddy experience something joyful, something normal, something free.

“Again, thank you so much for your kindness and generosity, and give our best wishes to Holton.”

This is why we do what we do.