What is TEAM Belong?
What is That Every Ability May Belong?
That Every Ability May Belong, or TEAM Belong, provides interfaith educational materials, events, and cash grants to assist faith communities to welcome members of all abilities and move from inclusion to belonging.
What does it mean to belong?
Please take a moment to reflect on your feelings when you know you belong. When we belong we feel welcomed, known, accepted, cared for, befriended and needed. That Every Ability May Belong places emphasis on belonging for individuals with differences and their families, challenging religious leaders, parishes and schools to move beyond inclusion to belonging for individuals with differences and their families. The goal is to create Departments, Offices, Ministries, parishes, schools and faith formation programs where individuals of all abilities belong as fellow missionary disciples, working alongside their brothers and sisters in faith.
We hope you will join our TEAM so That Every Ability May Belong!
Explore our website, see our brochure, watch our video training, and “Like” us on Facebook for more information to ensure that individuals with disabilities experience belonging in your faith community.
TEAM Belong Roundtable
The activities of TEAM Belong are guided by an interfaith group of clergy and lay people:
Reverend Jeremiah Boland
Reverend John Canary
Mrs. Kelly Horne
Reverend Tom Hurley
Reverend David Jones
Reverend Martin O’Donovan
Reverend Donald Senior
Reverend John Wall
Reverend Kenneth Simpson
Monsignor Kenneth Velo
Read About TEAM Belong
Chicago Catholic article “Parishes Focus on Making Spaces Hospitable to People with Disabilities”
Shirley Ryan Abilitylab article “Leah Stepien Lectures on Accessibility at Edgewater Church for Pathways.org’s TEAM Belong”
Chicago Catholic article “Parishes Going Beyond Inclusion to Belonging” (View this article as a PDF.)