Rolling in Faith was founded by Hadley Stephens as a blog discussing the intersectionality of the Christian Church and people with disabilities. As a person born with a disability, Stephens wrote about her own experiences in this space, and through that lens offered a unique insight into the often-overlooked needs of individuals with disabilities in faith communities and beyond. Individuals with disabilities are a group that are overlooked and undervalued in every single sector, by no fault of their own. However, this is not an indication that individuals with disabilities should be pitied. It is quite the opposite; individuals with disabilities are required to adapt and overcome and fit the molds of a society that doesn’t have a place for them forming skills and attitudes that are invaluable. It is from this perspective that Rolling in Faith was born - a desire to serve persons with disability with the dignity and excellence that they deserve, to see and meet their unique challenges from the perspective of someone who has experienced them herself.
RIF differs from other nonprofits in this space primarily because it was founded and led by an individual with a disability. This perspective allows us to put ourselves in the shoes of our participants when creating programs and making decisions, to bring humility and curiosity into the process, and help design experiences that are best suited for their unique needs. We are committed to giving our participants as much autonomy over their experience as possible, as we aim to work together in the mutuality of ministry and engage with them exactly where they are.
We are committed to building personal relationships between participants and volunteers. Our intimate group size allows participants to feel known, and to receive an individualized plan that is specifically tailored to their own personal needs within the overall content being covered. While some other organizations in our space have larger numbers, we strongly believe that the intimacy of our program gives participants the opportunity to engage in community, build personal relationships and engage the material and experiences in a way that is best suited for them, without the pressure to meet the standards of others.
RIF differs from other nonprofits in this space primarily because it was founded and led by an individual with a disability. This perspective allows us to put ourselves in the shoes of our participants when creating programs and making decisions, to bring humility and curiosity into the process, and help design experiences that are best suited for their unique needs. We are committed to giving our participants as much autonomy over their experience as possible, as we aim to work together in the mutuality of ministry and engage with them exactly where they are.
We are committed to building personal relationships between participants and volunteers. Our intimate group size allows participants to feel known, and to receive an individualized plan that is specifically tailored to their own personal needs within the overall content being covered. While some other organizations in our space have larger numbers, we strongly believe that the intimacy of our program gives participants the opportunity to engage in community, build personal relationships and engage the material and experiences in a way that is best suited for them, without the pressure to meet the standards of others.
Meet Our Team
Hadley Stephens is a graduate of Murray State University with a bachelor’s degree in Nonprofit Leadership Studies and a minor in Special Education. Stephens is the founder of Rolling in Faith & is thrilled to be officially taking on the position of Executive Director. Stephens is committed to bringing opportunities for people with disabilities to thrive in the four-rivers region.
Alison Jones is a Counselor and Special Education teacher by trade. We are thrilled to have her join our team as our Assistant Programming Coordinator. Alison will be assisting with our Holland House programming, and further developing and connecting with our beloved community of supporters. Alison is a wealth of knowledge, and we are proud to have her as part of our Rolling in Faith team.