Joyful Noise

Around 25 to 30 percent of children with autism are minimally verbal or nonspeaking. Many more with cerebral palsy, genetic disorders, brain injury, and speech disorders lack reliable communication. AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) provides tools like speech-generating devices so children can express themselves. It supports communication now, not replacing natural speech but enabling connection. Yet cost, access to trained professionals, and lack of family training leave many children voiceless. Joyful Noise removes these barriers: free devices paired with comprehensive family and professional training. We ensure people around the child know how to encourage communication. Every child deserves to communicate regardless of zip code or income. We provide free device grants, evidence-informed training, statewide coverage with focus on rural communities, and faith-rooted commitment to dignity. We’re founded and led by a Speech-Language Pathologist bringing clinical expertise to every family. We grant devices permanently and partner directly with schools. Our blended revenue model, foundation grants, assessments, therapy, professional development, monthly giving, and partnerships keeps us mission-focused.

We have three interconnected needs to scale our impact: team capacity, a permanent physical space, and sustainable funding infrastructure. Right now one Speech-Language Pathologist leads all of our work. We’re at capacity. To serve more children and deepen family training, we need additional clinical staff and administrative support to share the load. We’re building toward a permanent AAC Center in Oklahoma City for evaluations, therapy, family training, and professional development. This physical hub would allow comprehensive care and create a visible center for communication access across the state. It requires capital investment in space, technology, and equipment. Finally, we need stronger fundraising and operations infrastructure. Managing grants, monthly giving, and earned revenue requires dedicated capacity. Mature systems would free us to focus on families rather than funding cycles. Our board members and volunteers are essential to our mission, but they can’t carry operational growth alone. These three needs work together: team capacity enables more service, a physical center amplifies that impact, and sustainable funding structures sustain it all. We’re inviting partners to help us grow.

Children across Oklahoma who are nonspeaking depend on accessing knowledgeable Speech-Language Pathologists. Without one nearby, they remain isolated. Cost and device delays compound the problem. But the deepest need is this: many children receive devices without meaningful family training, and that support matters most. Joyful Noise removes financial barriers by providing free AAC devices to children whose SLPs recommend them. We accelerate timelines. The heart of our work is ensuring families and communities are equipped and confident in supporting the child’s voice every day through comprehensive training and partnership. We’re founded and led by a Speech-Language Pathologist with AAC experience and genuine faith conviction. We understand what SLPs face, what families need, what children deserve. We partner with SLPs, not replace them. We find meaning in Isaiah 35:6 and Psalm 100:1: “Make a joyful noise all the earth.” Ultimate healing belongs to Christ alone. The full restoration of all things is God’s promise. Until that glorious day, we serve alongside these children and families with eager longing and hope. We support, serve, and provide what we can. We wait together, knowing God sees every voiceless child. We give devices freely, serve underserved communities, and steward resources generously. Everything reflects Christ’s love for the voiceless. We operate with transparency and stay accountable, honoring families, SLPs, and donors through integrity rooted in faith.

Sarah is a Speech-Language Pathologist with over a decade of experience working with children who need support with communication. She founded Joyful Noise AAC because she kept encountering kids without access to the tools and support they needed to have a voice. Her faith is woven through everything she does. She believes communication is sacred part of being human, and she’s committed to giving every child a voice. She serves as a deaconess at Frontline Church in Yukon and is embedded in a great community of friends. Beyond the work, she’s a wife, mom of four, loves a good audiobook, and is a big coffee snob. Her colleagues know her as someone who thinks carefully about how to serve both children and the families trying to support them.

Sarah is a Speech-Language Pathologist with over a decade of experience working with children who need support with communication. She founded Joyful Noise AAC because she kept encountering kids without access to the tools and support they needed to have a voice. Her faith is woven through everything she does. She believes communication is sacred part of being human, and she’s committed to giving every child a voice. She serves as a deaconess at Frontline Church in Yukon and is embedded in a great community of friends. Beyond the work, she’s a wife, mom of four, loves a good audiobook, and is a big coffee snob. Her colleagues know her as someone who thinks carefully about how to serve both children and the families trying to support them.

Contact: sarah.hunter@joyfulnoiseaac.com