Families across Mt. Lebanon and beyond are finding support, resources and community through the Inclusion Collective, a fast-growing nonprofit founded by two mothers determined to make schools and neighborhoods more welcoming to children with disabilities.
The idea grew from the personal journeys of co-founders Anna Lynch, Beverly Heights, and Jenna Hartman, a former Mt. Lebanon resident. Lynch’s daughter, Caroline, was diagnosed with Williams syndrome shortly after birth. Hartman’s son, Forest, was born with Down syndrome. Both mothers were left searching for support and understanding during some of their most vulnerable moments.
“When she was born in 2020, right in the middle of the pandemic, we found out she had Williams syndrome and heart and lung disease,” Lynch said. “I didn’t know anyone raising a child with a disability, and I didn’t know where to start.”
Hartman felt much the same. “I was just reeling from the diagnosis and needed support at that time, too,” she said. “We didn’t have a network to go to.”
The two connected through a Mt. Lebanon moms’ group on Facebook in 2021 and soon realized their experiences reflected a larger need. “We wanted to create the kind of space we had needed ourselves,” Lynch said.
Building a nonprofit from a conference
What started as conversations between two parents has grown into a nonprofit dedicated to building awareness, fostering meaningful inclusion and empowering parents of children with disabilities in the South Hills of Pittsburgh.
The Inclusion Collective first took shape as a conference in 2024 at Temple Emanuel in Mt. Lebanon. More than 200 people attended, and 40 nonprofit and for-profit vendors participated in a resource fair.
“This conference is a tribute to the disabled individuals and advocates that have come before us and paved the way for progress,” Lynch said.
For Lynch, Temple Emanuel’s role was especially meaningful. She recalled the hesitation she once felt asking Kate Louik, director of Temple’s Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC), if her daughter could attend the preschool there.
“I had heard from other parents of children with disabilities that other local preschools had turned them away, saying things like, ‘we don’t take children like that,’” Lynch said. “I will never forget those words.”
Instead of resistance, Lynch was met with warmth. “Kate looked at me with a big smile and said something like ‘of course Caroline can attend,’” she said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better preschool experience.”
Hartman enrolled Forest at ECDC a year later. After being impressed by the staff and how welcomed and included their children were, together, the mothers asked Louik in 2024 if the synagogue would host a preschool inclusion conference.
“We wanted other preschool directors and staff to learn from Temple Emanuel so no child would be denied access to a preschool based on assumptions about their disabilities,” Lynch said. “The staff at Temple Emanuel embraced our children in their entirety and fostered an environment where they could truly thrive. Our children were seen, valued and never invisible.”
She credited Louik and Rabbi Aaron Meyer for providing space for the conference and support to bring their vision to life.
“They didn’t just say yes — they asked how they could grow as an inclusive and welcoming space for all families,” Lynch said. “They built a bridge instead of a wall.”
After the conference, people would message Lynch and Hartman, saying they couldn’t wait for the next one. “That’s when we realized the conference wasn’t just a one-time thing,” Hartman said. “The community wanted something ongoing.”
In June 2025, they officially launched the Inclusion Collective as a nonprofit. The second conference, focused on early childhood disability inclusion, took place in November. Their private Facebook group has already grown to more than 200 members, and the founders hope their continued programming will push that number even higher.
Community response
The organization’s work has already attracted families who do not have children with disabilities but want to be part of its mission. Caitlin Clarke of Virginia Manor attended the organization’s first conference in 2024 and has since brought her children
to several events.
“I went to some of the breakout sessions and the general presentation, and it was very well attended for a first conference,” Clarke said. “I’ve also gone to play dates like one where the kids painted pictures together, and it was such a great way to get them involved.”
Clarke, a pediatric nurse, said she was drawn both as a friend of the founders and as a parent who wanted her children to experience more diverse friendships.
“In early childhood, neither of my kids really had classmates or programs where inclusion was emphasized,” she said. “I wanted them to have diversity in their friend groups, and I think what the Inclusion Collective is doing is really important.”
She emphasized that the group is not only for families affected by disability. “The work is for everyone,” Clarke said. “It’s going to be most successful if it’s built on community. Their education and programs can benefit all types of families.”
Three pillars of the mission
The Inclusion Collective’s work rests on three pillars: inclusive programs, community partnerships and parent support.
“Inclusive programs foster relationships between children with and without disabilities through experiences like art, music, dance and cooking,” Lynch said. “Community partnerships are at the heart of our mission, allowing us to build a more connected, informed and inclusive community.”
The nonprofit has already built partnerships with local organizations ranging from libraries to yoga studios, which donate space for events and meetings.
Sharing resources and expertise
The Inclusion Collective also hosts monthly parent meetups. Each session features a speaker on a topic that often feels overwhelming for families navigating the disability landscape.
Recent gatherings have covered individualized education programs, financial planning tools and strategies for effective educational advocacy. Guest speakers have included nonprofit leaders, educational specialists and parents sharing their personal journeys.
“No one gives you a manual when your kid is born and has a disability,” Lynch said. “We’re trying to put together everything we’ve learned and share what has benefited our family with other families.”
Changing perceptions of disability
Beyond practical resources, the founders are determined to reshape the way the community views disability.
“I want kids to know that disability is part of being human,” Lynch said. “It’s part of diversity.”
Hartman agreed. “Everybody deserves to be presumed as competent when they walk into a school building or a dance class or anything they are doing.”
The group’s inclusive playdates and arts programs are designed to help neurotypical children grow up alongside peers with disabilities and the founders hope more families without disabilities will participate.
A call to the community
To Hartman and Lynch, inclusion goes far beyond access. “To us, inclusion means that every child is given the opportunity to truly belong within their communities,” Lynch said, adding she would love for more of the community to be involved in their mission.
The Inclusion Collective is calling on high school students who want meaningful volunteer experience, local businesses willing to share space, parents of neurotypical children who want their kids to build friendships with peers who have disabilities, retirees looking to give back, and even musicians and performers willing to share their talents at inclusive gatherings.
“No matter your background, we’d love to hear from you and explore ways you can be involved,” Lynch said.
For more information, visit inclusionpgh.org [1].