What is Voices for All Abilities and what do they do?

Every child, regardless of any special needs they may have, deserves a chance to smile, to have their voice heard and to have their unique individuality celebrated.

At Voices for All Abilities (VFAB), this belief is the heartbeat of the organization. Founded by a local mother who found inspiration through her own challenges in navigating her sons’ autism diagnoses, VFAB is dedicated to providing support, resources, connection and community for those with special needs, along with those closest to them.

Whitney McBride is the president and founder of VFAB, which, along with the Pahrump Special Needs Support Group on Facebook, she created to build inclusivity programming that fosters and promotes acceptance of all levels of ability.

“Guided by the belief that every voice matters and every ability counts, Whitney partners with schools, providers and local leaders to make inclusion the norm,” information from the organization details.

Joining McBride as leaders of VFAB are organization vice president Danielle Hodge, family advocacy director Stephanie Wynn, social media marketer Mindy Lee, client liaison Alexandrea Newson, and client support and wellness director Jennifer Olson, each of whom comes with their own unique experience and background to add to the nonprofit. Also on the team is event coordinator Amanda Wright, a mother of an autistic son.

“VFAB is about getting inclusion and awareness for people, particularly children, of all abilities, because there is so much exclusion that happens – not through meanness but simply through obliviousness,” Wright told the Pahrump Valley Times. “Our goal is not only to provide inclusion and awareness for them, but for their siblings and families too. Their caretakers, they need care too, because it can be very overwhelming.”

This July saw the first of VFAB’s major events, a week-long day camp at Preferred RV Resort that proved to be quite a success.

“We had multiple activities for all ages and all abilities,” Wright explained. “We had a lot of staff, including other children from junior high, high school, even some elementary school kids, who we called our ‘junior campers’. It was loud and kind of chaotic, of course, but it was a lot of fun. Parents got involved, we took them swimming, we had water balloon races, water balloon fights, a lot of different art activities, princess characters, karaoke, bubbles, cup stacking games, Jenga, all kinds of fun stuff.

“And at all of our events, we have a sensory room, where you can go if you just get overwhelmed, too,” Wright added, noting that this can be key for autistic youth in particular.

Following the successful launch of its programming over the summer, the nonprofit is now gearing up for the holidays with a series of activities planned. First up is VFAB’s Parents Night at the Wine Down, an already sold-out event slated for Monday, Oct. 6. Not to worry, however, there will be plenty more for area families to enjoy in the coming months.

“We have another social night coming up on Oct. 30, and that will be at the VFW,” Wright reported, adding, “Our social nights are a lot like the day camps, where we have different groups and activities, we always have food, music, dancing.”

There are two-day day camps scheduled for the Thanksgiving and winter breaks and Wright is also using her personal connections to bring some hilarity to the community, with two VFAB Comedy Nights slated. The first is set for Dec. 13 and will feature Cory and Chad: The Smash Brothers while the second will be on Jan. 9, 2026 with Jamal Coleman.

For more information on VFAB or any of its upcoming activities, visit VoicesForAllAbilities.org or the group’s Facebook page.

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com