Empowering Families, Changing Lives: The Story and Mission of the Vladimir Bryant Foundation for Children with Disabilities

In the United States today, nearly one in five children—more than 14.5 million—are living with special health care needs. These numbers, while staggering, only begin to tell the story. Behind each statistic is a family, often overwhelmed and under-resourced, navigating a world that can feel isolating and unwelcoming. The challenges of raising a child with a disability go far beyond medical care. Families face emotional strain, financial pressure, social stigma, and a lack of consistent support systems. For many, this journey is marked by grief, anxiety, and exhaustion—but also resilience, love, and hope.

The Vladimir Bryant Foundation (VBF) was born from this very experience. In 2012, Drs. Cedric and Widza Bryant became parents to their son, Vladimir, who was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. What followed was a deeply personal and often difficult journey through a fragmented system of care. Despite their professional backgrounds, the Bryants found themselves struggling to access essential services, therapies, and support networks. Each step felt like an uphill battle. But instead of surrendering to the frustration, they channeled it into purpose.

The idea for the foundation emerged from their desire to ensure that other families would not have to face the same battles alone. Their experience made it clear: the system was not set up to fully support families of children with disabilities—and something had to change. With that conviction, the Vladimir Bryant Foundation was established to be a source of strength, guidance, and empowerment for families across the U.S. and Haiti.

At its core, VBF exists to bridge the gap between need and access. It provides tailored programs that focus not only on the individual with the disability but also on their entire support system—parents, caregivers, and communities. The foundation’s mission is simple but powerful: to equip and empower children, youth, and young adults with disabilities to achieve the highest level of independence and to help families feel seen, supported, and connected.

In the United States, VBF offers a range of services that reflect this mission. These include:

• Professional Development Programs that prepare youth and young adults for the workforce through job readiness training and skill-building.
• Transition Services that help young people move from school to adulthood with the right tools and support.
• Parent Support Programs that offer education, emotional support, and guidance to families caring for loved ones with disabilities.
• Community Integration Initiatives that promote inclusion and help individuals build meaningful lives within their communities.
• Assistive Technology Access to adaptive devices that increase independence and improve quality of life.
• Advocacy and Awareness Campaigns designed to change public perception and drive policy reform for a more inclusive society.

Beyond the United States, the foundation has also expanded its work to Haiti  (please visit our website for more information about Haiti), where resources for people with disabilities are even more limited. There, VBF is building partnerships, training professionals, and providing direct services to support a historically underserved population.

What makes VBF unique is not just the scope of its work, but the personal connection at the heart of it. Every program, every event, and every outreach effort is informed by lived experience. The Bryants did not start this foundation as a professional venture—they started it as parents who knew what it felt like to need help and not know where to turn.

In a world where disability is often met with misunderstanding or silence, the Vladimir Bryant Foundation offers something powerful: community, dignity, and hope. It challenges systems to do better, equips families to stand stronger, and reminds every individual with a disability that their life is valuable, their potential is real, and their future matters.

Though not everyone may have a personal connection to disability, everyone has a role to play. Whether through volunteering, donating, attending events, or simply spreading awareness, each person has the power to contribute to a more inclusive and compassionate world.

To learn more about the Vladimir Bryant Foundation, get involved, or support its work, please visit https://www.vladimirbryant.org or contact the team directly at vbf@vladimirbryantfoundation.org or 267-309-4861.

Because no family should ever have to walk this journey alone—and together, we can change lives.