It all began in 1998 when a nurse, Carrie Goodwin, noticed a sad thing - families of children with special needs were being turned away from an out-patient facility because they could not afford the bills. They would be told, "You get what you pay for" and "That's the real world." Carrie saw a different answer. She began envisioning a facility where special needs and medically-fragile children would not be turned away. Instead, they would be embraced with Christian love and healing arms, regardless of their family's financial situation.

     Soon, Goodwin's father, Dick Kleinau, captured her vision of such a place. Kleinau, known in Middle Tennessee as "The Blueberry Man" for his delicious blueberry patch, witnessed the financial sufferings that the family of a child with special needs experiences; his own grandson had special needs. Kleinau, along with The Christy Houston Foundation in Rutherford County, put forth the funds that enabled Goodwin to build a facility and open the doors debt free. In September 1998, with the support of the community and a few good volunteers, Special Kids, Inc. opened its doors for the children. Since then, Special Kids has grown with each passing year:

2000:

• Served 116 children and provided 7,973 services.
• Initiated new fundraising prgrams including the Friendraiser Banquet and the Annual Golf Classic.

2001:

• Served 313 children and provided 15,834 services.
• Unveiled the Special Kids website.
• Created the Team A.S.K. (Athletes for Special Kids) program.

2002:

• Served 421 children and provided 18,037 services.
• Added new programs including DAFOs (Dynamic Ankle Foot Orthotics) and Aquatic Therapy despite a financially difficult year.

2003:

• Served 407 children and provided 14,937 services.
• The staff and board championed for insurance reimbursements for Skilled Nursing Care, something previously deemed impossible. Through these efforts, Special Kids was able to receive insurance reimbursements for our Skilled Nursing Care- a deficit program for its first five years and the central focus of Special Kids' ministry efforts.

2004:

• Served 406 children and provided 15, 035 services.
• Initiated a theraputic horseback riding program called Hoofbeats.

2005:

• Served 434 children and provided 17,165 services.
• Added a new Art Therapy program and a Feeding Groups program to enhance therapeutic services provided for our children.
• The Resource Development Department was responsible for 41% of Special Kids' revenue.
• Traveled to China to investigate opportunities to serve children with special needs worldwide.

2006:

• Served 400 children and provided 18,932 services.
• Staff organized monthly prayer meetings for families and staff members wanting prayer.
• Special Kids was given a house to be used for much-needed office space later to be called the Special Kids Annex.

2007:

• Served 347 children and provided 18, 314 services.
• Added a summer day camp, Camp Ability, to prived needed summer programming for 25 children with special needs in Rutherford County.
• Provided 107 learning experiences for nursing students.

2008:

• Served 188 new children this year and 1,690 were served since opening in 1998.
• In September, Special Kids celebrated 10 years of serving the Middle Tennessee Community.
• 206 athletes competed in endurace events with Team A.S.K. and raised $205K to help the children.
• KITES Volunteer organization was initiated to help support the work of Special Kids through volunteerism.

2009:

• Served 439 children and provided 23,466 services.
• Rehabilitation provided 10,474 services... the hightest number in a year to date!
• Nursing provided 15% more services than in 2008.
• The Clip Clop Club for Hoofbeats was initiated to generate funds to sustain the therapeutic horseback riding program.