Publisher's Note

Special Needs Living Magazine for Michigan - Detroit/ Metro is finally here!

About three years ago, when my non-verbal and epileptic son Jordan was 5, he had just been diagnosed with autism. I was feeling isolated and alone. I remember feeling that what we thought life would be like raising a child was turning out to be a much different experience. That hope for hearing our child say ‘I love you’ and being able to tell us how his day was, or what his likes or dislikes were, did not exist anymore. It was almost like we had to grieve the loss and accept what a blessing it was to look at him in a whole new light. We do not have any local family and I did not know of any other parents who had kids with special needs. I remember thinking, I can’t be the only one in the state or nation that feels this way. I knew I had to turn my pain into purpose and find a way to create a community, one where everyone can be accepted and loved and be able to share their story, get advice, and find resources. I envisioned a community where we could inspire each other to find our own path, and to connect with those who have had similar experiences while raising their special needs children.

I had already been publishing two local neighborhood magazines in central Indiana for 8 years that the community loved. My company, N2 Publishing, has neighborhood publications in thousands of communities throughout the nation, from private neighborhood magazines that go out to high-end subdivisions and Del Webb retirement communities, to publications for residents moving to new homes and top real estate agents.

I went to them convinced that we could use the same platform to develop a magazine to bring the special needs community together. My vision was met with approval by N2. We launched Special Needs Living Indy in November of 2020. In 2022, Special Needs Living Akron/Canton Ohio was launched by Rick Miller. My next goal was to launch in the state and area I grew up in. I am from Waterford, Michigan, but have lived in Indianapolis since 2007. My sister, Jennifer Eifler, is also an N2 publisher. She has produced Hidden Lakes Magazine for several years now. And while we were growing up, my mom Paula was always an incredible advocate for my brother Alex, who has a number of special needs. I absolutely learned so much from watching her support him and help others in the community. I am so happy to have my mom on board as an account executive with Special Needs Living Detroit/Metro. Together as a family, and thanks to supporters who help cover the costs of publication, we are happy to bring Special Needs Living Detroit/Metro magazine to Michigan.

Running in the Adaptive 5k Race with Jordan

During the time I have been publishing Special Needs Living Indy, I became connected to so many wonderful programs and resources that have helped my son, from adaptive soccer to stem cell therapy. I am excited to bring many more resources to special-needs families through this magazine. We also hope you will find comfort and connection in the stories submitted by special-needs families themselves. And stay tuned for special events we will host throughout the year that will connect families with each other, and so much more.

Lastly, I want to share that while preparing to launch this new magazine, I sadly and unexpectedly became a single mom. I never thought that I would be navigating this challenge. But as many of you may already know, parents of special needs children are at much higher risk of divorce than other couples. In the majority of cases, the special needs child/children will continue to reside primarily with the mother. We plan to address this important issue in greater depth in upcoming issues.

Special Needs Living is designed for families who have a child with any type of special need, whether psychological, behavioral, emotional, or physical. Stories will largely be submitted or inspired by our readers—this magazine is for you, by you, and meant to connect you. We want the stories shared here to give hope, inspiration and encouragement, and perhaps even shift your perspective. If you have a story you would like to share you are welcome to email us at SpecialNeedsLivingDetroit@n2pub.com or check out our https://linktr.ee/snlmichigan to view some of the story template options.

Jamie with her kids, Jordan, Jaylin & Jade and her mom Paula Eifler (Account Executive with Special Needs Living)

Huge thank you to all the supporters helping to make Special Needs Living possible monthly. If you would like to be involved in any way or for more information on how you can support or sponsor please email me, Jamie.McCabe@ n2co.com.To help get the word out you can share this link https://linktr.ee/snlmichigan with anyone that could benefit from the stories and resources shared in Special Needs Living. You can also sign up to get Special Needs Living at the link above.

If you have not already done so, follow us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook. com/SpecialNeedsLivingDetroit to view our monthly digital versions and to keep up with events, stories and things we are looking to add to the magazine. We hope you enjoy the first issue of Special Needs Living Detroit/Metro. We welcome feedback and are excited to bring this new magazine and resource to you!

Your Publisher, Jamie McCabe 248-882-8448

Jamie.McCabe@n2pub.com