The Journey From Pilot Parents, to Raising Special Kids to Encircle Families
In May 2025, we proudly unveiled our new name, Encircle Families. This change represents far more than a rebrand. It’s the result of a three-year process of listening to and learning from the communities we are honored to serve.
We unveiled this new name and our updated visual identity on May 15 at a celebratory event at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix. The event brought together over 300 attendees, including our parent leaders, families, volunteers, donors and other community partners and leaders. Everyone enjoyed inspiring talks from our leadership, a parent leader and a board member, along with energetic entertainment from a local band, the Dueling Durkins.
Guests experienced our vibrant new branding, received some awesome swag and heard how we, as Encircle Families, will continue our mission across the state. We were especially honored to be joined by past organizational leadership, including former directors Joyce Millard Hoie and Mary Slaughter, and Betsy Trombino, coordinator of our original group called Pilot Parents. These individuals and others helped lay the foundation for where we are today.
WHY DID WE CHANGE OUR NAME
We are still the same organization and team of people dedicated to supporting individuals and families affected by disabilities and healthcare needs. Though our name has changed, our commitment remains the same. Or as Slaughter said, “We are still in the business of providing hope.”
We are excited for this next chapter in our history as we remember our humble beginning. “Our organization started in 1979 around a kitchen table,” said Christopher Tiffany, executive director of Encircle Families. “A small group of Arizona parents came together with a purpose and vision to bring their shared lived experiences to other families.”
Initially called Pilot Parents, this group grew and evolved. It ultimately became Arizona’s Parent Training and Information Center, responsible for providing information to families to assist them with accessing information about special education and medical needs.
“It was heartwarming to see the tremendous growth from that original group and our budget of under $15,000,” said Trombino, part of that original team. “My son and granddaughter, both of whom have medical challenges, attended with me, making the (unveiling) event even more meaningful.”
When Pilot Parents began, few community supports existed outside of state institutions. At that time, parents of young children with disabilities were frequently isolated, alone and had little hope for their child’s future. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) had also recently passed. IDEA is a law that makes available a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) to eligible students with disabilities throughout the country, including special education and related services. It also supports early intervention services for infants and toddlers.
Pilot Parents connected families with experienced mentors, parents of children with similar diagnoses who were farther along in their journeys. Parent-to-parent connections are still at the heart of our mission, and we provide more than 300 connections each year in English and Spanish.
Over time, a new generation of children and families started to demonstrate the benefit of inclusion within public school and community programs. Our organization needed to become recognized as the “go to place,” Slaughter said, enabling even more families to find information on the unique challenges of raising children with disabilities.
Parents were also starting to gain more respect as valued partners along with professionals, and they needed to become more savvy in advocating for the rights of their children. Changing the name of the organization to Raising Special Kids helped facilitate our transition into this broader arena.
The name Raising Special Kids reflected an expanding mission to empower families, promote rights and influence policy. As our Parent Leader program also continued to evolve, policy makers began recognizing these parents as credible and valued contributors in helping to establish policy. In addition to serving as experienced mentors to families facing new diagnoses, our parent leaders present information to students studying to become teachers, medical students and other professionals.
We were known as Raising Special Kids for decades. However, we began to realize that this name no longer reflected the breadth of our services or the identity of the individuals we serve. The word “special” was once widely used with good intentions. But as language evolves, this word has taken on meanings that don’t always align with how people with disabilities perceive themselves. Youth and young adults with disabilities told us this word felt outdated, might set them apart and didn’t reflect their identities. It can also suggest a deficit instead of highlighting strengths and full participation in the community.
Similarly, the word “kids” could appear as a barrier to families and caregivers who were seeking support for older teens and young adults.
In response, we engaged with families, self-advocates, professionals and partners across Arizona. We asked questions, listened and took their words to heart. What emerged was a clear call to use language that affirms dignity, inclusion and belonging.
We chose Encircle Families to represent our whole family, community-driven approach. To “encircle” means to surround and support, or to build a circle of care, connection and hope. Our new identity captures who we are and who we strive to be: a trusted resource helping families navigate complex systems and build better futures.
Our new name, logo and branding were developed over a three-year process. Extensive community feedback guided our rebranding process, ensuring that the new identity accurately represents the organization’s core values and mission.
By becoming Encircle Families, we recognize that surrounding families where and how they live will provide the best possible start for the baby, child, teen and young adult to emerge as a respected, contributing member of communities throughout their lives.
MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER
Encircle Families remains dedicated to guiding families through complex systems of care, connecting them to resources and championing inclusive policies. With shared lived experience as our foundation, we will continue to build strong networks of support.
Our new name honors our history and embraces our future. We are deeply grateful to our team, board, community partners and especially the families who entrusted us with their stories and helped shape this transformation.
“It’s a beautiful expression of the organization’s ongoing promise to support families through connection,” said Millard Hoie of our new name.
We’re excited for our next chapter as Encircle Families!