Mission
Stone Soup Group exists to sustain the health and well-being of Alaskan children with special needs and their families. Through listening to the stories of families, we identify areas of need and work with communities to find solutions.
Vision
Families statewide will be empowered to make informed decisions that will ensure every child who experiences special needs receives long-term, quality, coordinated care, and family support.
Core Values
Who We Are
Wherever you’re at in your journey, trying to understand services, support, and next steps can feel like a massive undertaking.
At Stone Soup Group, we work with families and caregivers all across Alaska who are navigating developmental disabilities and special healthcare needs. Some people come to us with a long list of questions, others aren’t even sure where to begin—and that’s okay. We’re here to help sort through it, one step at a time.
You don’t have to do this alone. Really.
We’ve had the chance to walk alongside so many families, and every situation looks a little different. In the video, you’ll hear directly from parents and from our team about what support actually looks like in real life. Learn how we listen first, help make sense of things, and stick with families as they move forward.
If you’ve been searching for answers, feeling stuck, or even just wondering “what now?”, you can reach out. You don’t need a diagnosis, and it doesn’t have to be a crisis. Sometimes you just need a place to start.
Our services are free, and we’re available statewide. Whenever you’re ready, we’re here.
Our Story
Stone Soup Group was founded in 1992 and supports families who care for loved ones with developmental disability and special healthcare needs. Our services are available statewide to help families and caregivers navigate medical, disability, mental health, and special education issues. Our programs honor each family’s unique experiences and our services are offered at no cost.
Our name is a nod to the children’s fable, in which, a stranger arrives in a village during a time of famine and no one will share their food. The stranger tells them she can make stone soup and places a stone in some water to boil. Eventually, the curious townspeople gather and she tells them the soup is done, but it would taste even better with a carrot or an onion. One by one, they each decide to contribute a meat or vegetable until there was enough nourishing, tasty soup to feed everyone in the village.
This spirit of collaboration and input of varied experience and knowledge is the philosophy behind the work we do at Stone Soup Group.
Honoring Stone Soup Group
Co-Founder Cheri Scott
Recipient of the 2025 Complex Care Lived Experience Partner Achievement Award
This award is a testament to Cheri’s exceptional contributions to the field as a Lived Experience Partner! She’s been an inspiring role model and sets a powerful example for all of us to follow when striving to support children with medical complexity and their families. We appreciate Cheri and her contributions!
Click on the video to watch the award ceremony!
