As a true Entrepreneur and Business Development Sales Strategist, Tricia Kuc Rupp has made a career at identifying a need and creating the perfect solution. What seemed as natural raw talent transformed into true purpose when she and her husband Jeff, Sales Director for Delaney Park Financial, founded Project Wings, LLC. (www.projectwingsresourcecenter.com) providing free educational seminars on the various topics around the Legal and Financial Aspects of Raising Children with Special Needs.
It all began after becoming a new mother, Tricia participated in the Autism Walk at the Orange County Convention Center in May 2008 where she was deeply struck with emotion regarding the statistics provided by Autism Speaks:
- $3.2 Million to raise an Autistic Child (through adulthood)
- 95% Divorce Rate
“Even though we don’t have Special Needs Children, we do know the strain finances can place on a marriage coupled with the additional challenges these families face. It made me think of my own relatives who have Autistic Children and how that impacted not only the mom and dad but also the siblings. It never really hit me until I became a mother.” After sharing what she had learned with her husband, they decided that they must somehow help support these families. Believing that there are no accidents in life, 3 weeks later the Rupp’s were approached with the opportunity to do a Financial Planning Program for Special Needs families at a local organization.
The feedback from the free seminars we have received has been very powerful. What we have learned is that many well intended parents and care givers don’t know:
- The importance of a Special Needs Trust. If a child with special needs has more than $2,000 in total assets in their personal name (not in the name of a SN Trust), they can lose their governmental benefits such as Medicaid, and have to pay back the Medicaid they have used.
- How to Fund the Trust so the rest of your assets can be left to your other children.
- Guardianship- When your child reaches the age of 18 years, you will no longer have the decision-making rights you are accustomed to having; you do not automatically continue to be your child’s guardian- even in Medical situations.
We try to stress to the parents “not having a financial and legal plan is a plan, it’s just not one you have a choice in”. After the professionals educate the parents with Federal information, we then offer a complimentary Legal and Financial Review with both the Attorney and the Financial Advisor. We have found that the majority of plans in place have not been properly set up and therefore, jeopardize the governmental benefits and future financial security of the Special Needs Child. To date, Project Wings has facilitated the education of over 300 families.
When doing the background research to prepare a presentation, we found it extremely difficult to find the necessary and accurate information for a program as well as recent information on local resources. “When a child is diagnosed, we thought, the first place a parent probably goes is to the internet and how difficult it must be for a parent to find this information. We decided to create a robust online Resource Center for Special Needs families which will include: Wings TV, local and national articles relating to Legal and Financial issues surrounding Special Needs (including Health Insurance), a Blog, an interactive and customizable resource directory, resources for job placement for the Special Needs community, Sibling Blog, a shop and an Art Gallery to celebrate these inspirational kids! My goal is to create a portal of information and resources for the families who need them. I also want to open the eyes and partner with corporate America to pay attention to this passionate community who encompasses about 1/5 of the population- they have incredible buying power!”
“Our plan for Project Wings is to build the model here in Orlando so we can eventually launch it Nationwide and educate as many families as possible! We will be launching our online Resource Center for Orlando mid February 2010. We have also formed, Project Wings USA, a non-profit (501C3) so that we can have a vehicle to award scholarships for therapies, equipment and other needed services for the Special Needs child as well as the siblings in the home. Jeff and Tricia have a passion for the siblings and know there’s only so much time, money and patience to go around with the financial hardship so many of these families are under. We want to help the brothers and sisters with their dreams as well. We are constantly amazed and inspired by this unbelievable community and feel our work has just begun! Let’s give this community WINGS!”
Moms, Dads, Brothers and Sisters…If you could customize a site for your family, what information would it contain?
Project Wings offers the Special Needs and Physically Disabled community in the greater Orlando area a place where individuals, parents and caregivers can find the resources they need to enhance the quality of life of their special needs children and siblings, and celebrate these amazing Central Florida families and its individual members. 