OUR MISSION

The co- founders of Brighter Journeys , through their personal experiences, have identified needs for families of individuals with complex medical or behavioral conditions. To address this gap they have formed a charity to provide words of comfort, assist in directing to resources, and the intention to provide tangible support to those families.

Families that include an individual with special needs, often find difficulty in navigating through everyday life, as the world is not typically designed to meet this need. Brighter Journeys seeks to provide comfort through the caring words of experience, and when possible address requests for items not covered by medical insurance or out of financial reach of these families.

One unique quality of this foundation is that Brighter Journeys is not specific to any one disability or diagnosis. It is to brighten the journey of any child with special needs.

Brighter Journeys: Going the extra mile for individuals with special needs and their families.

OUR DREAM

Our founders Lisa Platko Urbanski and Bernice Simonds Sando have faced the challenges of raising their children and fully understanding the battle facing other families in our area. Now they feel as it is their turn to give back to the community and through Brighter Journeys hopes to go the extra mile for children with special needs and brighten the journey of other families raising children with special needs.

Grant Program

Brighter Journeys' Grant Program is established to address requests for items not covered by medical insurance or out of the financial reach of families.

Grant Application

Counties Served

Bradford

Carbon

Clinton

Lackawanna

Luzerne

Lycoming

Monroe

Pike

Sullivan

Susquehanna

Tioga

Wayne

Wyoming

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2025 Egg Hunt

What an egg-stra special day! Brighter Journeys was thrilled to host our Special Needs Egg Hunt, and it was a heartwarming success from start to finish. The smiles, laughter, and sense of community made the day truly unforgettable. From a fun-filled Egg Hunt to the amazing show of Vendors and Volunteers, every moment was made brighter by the wonderful families and friends who joined us.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to all of our generous sponsors—your support made this event possible and helped create lasting memories for so many. We’re so grateful to share this joyful tradition with our amazing community. Until next time—some-bunny loves you!