Our mission
A place to belong. A generation that shows up.
SparkTroops exists so that kids with developmental disabilities feel real social belonging — and to remind all of us that we are more united than different, and that anyone can be friends.
Borrowed from scouting, built for our community
Scouting figured out something a century ago: young people grow when they belong to a small team with a shared purpose. We borrowed the parts that work — troops, chapters organized by county — and built them to fill a real social gap.
Everyone in a troop is recognized the same way, through an equal reward system that celebrates participation, not rank. And every troop is small enough that every child can feel the joy of real, personal connection — never a face in a crowd.
What we believe
Consistency over novelty
The same troop, the same faces, the same rhythm. For many of our Troopers, familiarity is what makes everything else possible. It’s in the small things.
No troop looks the same
There is no single way to belong to a troop. Sessions flex around each Trooper — never the other way around.
Safety is the floor, not a feature
Background checks, training, and two-adult supervision are not selling points. They are the minimum conditions for everything we do.
Socialization is the point
Close relationships and one-to-one support. Real friendship between equals is what every session is built to create.
Families belong too
We never forget the parents and families. Troops build connections for them as well — a community of families who show up for each other.