Christian Homes, Special Kids
Before the beginning of the Christian Homes and Special Kids
Organization, a.k.a CHASK, the National Challenged Homeschoolers
Associated Network, “NATHHAN,” was founded. The NATHHAN Organization
began with a telephone call from one mother of a child with Down
syndrome to another mother, who was homeschooling her son with Down
syndrome, in the early spring of 1990.
Acting on the Lord’s prompting to begin a network of parents helping
one another, Diane Macbeth in Pennsylvania wrote Kathy Salars in Texas
on March 17, 1990, thus announcing the birth of NATHHAN.
In the fall of 1992, because NATHHAN’s family-base increased from two
families to more than 600 families, it became impossible for the two
mothers to keep up.
Tom and Sherry Bushnell offered their assistance and NATHHAN’s main
office was moved to Olalla, Wash.
In the fall of 2002, CHASK began matching special kids with families
free-of-charge — no agency fees and/or referral costs.
So many things enter into a birth mother’s mind when she discovers
that her baby may have special needs. At CHASK, we understand the
fears and worries — our organization is open 24/7 to provide support
to birth moms and families in need of support and encouragement.
With a database full of compassionate Christian families, there is
always someone available to talk with birth moms who may be
considering aborting their child with special needs. Birth mothers,
full of fears and disappointment, are matched with one of our families
who are experienced in carrying emotionally, spiritually and
physically for children with mild to severe special needs.
CHASK provides birth families with the information and resources they
need to make informed decisions. It is a wonderful feeling when a
mother calls our organization and discovers there really are families
who want to adopt children with special needs.
For so many birth families, knowing their child will be loved for who
they are and the way the Lord created them is comforting. Sometimes
birth families reconsider parenting their child with special needs
when they realize another family is willing to love and care for their
child — it gives them the hope and encouragement they need.
For the birth families who decide that cannot parent a child with
special needs, we are here to find a Christian family waiting to share
their life with a special child. CHASK families feel led by Jesus
Christ to love and care for babies and children with special needs.
CHASK now has more than 500 Christian families across the United
States available to adopt children with special needs.
The offices of NATHHAN & CHASK now operate in Moyie Springs, Idaho.
Later CHASK formed a pregnancy-resource center in the fall of 2007 — A
Blessed Beginning — Bonners Ferry, Idaho.
NATHHAN & CHASK strive to equip and encourage families with
special-needs children, assisting them in finding the will of God for
their lives. We ask that you please pray for the birth moms who are
facing the birth of a special-needs baby, they need Jesus’ love and
direction for theirs and their baby’s life.
Because CHASK is not an agency, there are no fees for our
family-to-family matching service. Our organization is a 503 c
not-for-profit — we rely solely on donations from Christian families,
churches and businesses.
For more information about the NATHHAN & CHASK Organizations,
individuals may visit our Websites at www.Nathhan.com and HYPERLINK
"http://www.Chask.org" www.Chask.org. Families interested in becoming
a CHASK family may fill out an adoption application on our Website.
For birth moms seeking additional information about placing their
child with a CHASK family, please call 800-266-9837.
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