ABOUT US

In the fall of 2024, we set out to establish a retail outlet and product workshop that would provide meaningful employment for adults with intellectual disabilities.

We also decided to have a bookstore for children. It  would be staffed by adults with I.D.  We opened Nov. 1, 2025, with 18 employees. Today, we have 20.

Today we offer a selection of hundreds of handmade gift items, all made onsite,  and hundreds of books.

We remain true to our motto: "We are perfectly imperfect."

DIRECTOR: Steve Stinson is a commercial artist and author in Roanoke. He was the founder of Assignment Ready Training, a workplace skills training program for young adults with disabilities.  His website link is here.

3 Balloons is a Roanoke, Virginia-based nonprofit organization that provides meaningful employment opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities through a community retail store and creative workshop. 

Since opening its storefront in November 2025, the organization has created paid employment for 20 adults with developmental disabilities who help produce and sell handmade crafts, home décor, jewelry, and greeting cards.

The staff also manages a children’s bookstore.

The program directly benefits the 20 adults currently employed at 3 Balloons, while also supporting their families by providing structured daytime employment opportunities. The broader community benefits through increased awareness, interaction, and inclusion of individuals with developmental disabilities.

3 Balloons operates with a modest annual budget and relies on a combination of retail sales, donations, and grants to sustain operations. 

3 Balloons generates community engagement through its donor program. All items produced in the workshop are made from repurposed material that is donated. Churches, organizations, private businesses, and individuals have supplied the workshop and bookstore since startup. Donors who bring items to be repurposed in the workshop and bookstore leave with the knowledge that they have become a part of the 3 Balloons mission.

3 Balloons represents a new and innovative model for community inclusion in the Roanoke Valley. By combining a retail storefront, creative workshop, and children’s bookstore, the organization creates a welcoming environment where individuals with developmental disabilities can work, interact with customers, and participate fully in community life.

The visibility of the storefront also helps challenge common misconceptions about individuals with developmental disabilities by demonstrating their creativity, work ethic, and talent.

Director Steve Stinson oversees the organization’s operations and program development. Volunteers currently provide leadership and operational support, allowing the organization to direct the majority of financial resources toward program participants.

3Balloons is a 501c3 non-profit organization operating in the Roanoke Valley of Virginia.