ALS Community Launches for ALS Support

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Oct. 20, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Nonprofit platform brings people affected by ALS together for connection, practical resources and support shaped by lived experience. ALS.Community today announced the public launch of its free, patient-led nonprofit online platform, giving people affected by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly called ALS, a place to build friendships, share practical knowledge and find support. The mission of ALS.Community is to end ALS isolation by connecting people who understand life with the disease. Approximately 200,000 people have ALS globally, with that number expected to rise sharply over the next 15 years.

Developed with guidance from people living with ALS, the platform brings patients, caregivers, families and the broader ALS community together in one interactive space. Members help shape its direction through leadership, feedback and the creation of smaller communities centered on their needs. That approach puts the patients and family members navigating ALS at the center of decisions about the support available to them.

For founder Jeff Oppenheimer, the launch fulfills a deeply personal goal: helping others find the understanding his wife, Shelbie, often lacked during her 20 years with ALS.

ALS.Community is designed to make those connections easier to find. Members can drop into a Connection Café, attend webinars and watch parties or explore a virtual library, bookstore, art gallery and movie theater. These shared spaces offer opportunities to exchange advice, pursue interests and spend time with people who need no explanation of the challenges ALS can bring.

At the heart of the platform are Communities, dedicated spaces for connection, information and support. Public Communities bring together the entire ALS ecosystem under one roof, with unique Communities for: Patients, Caregivers, Family Members, Friends, Veterans, Advocates, Researchers, Clinicians, Businesses and Nonprofits. Personal Communities offer more focused connections based on shared interests, experiences or geography.

Like-minded groups can create a Personal Community around needs such as navigating motherhood with ALS, caring for a spouse or finding others in close geographic proximity. A few pioneering Personal Communities have already formed at ALS.Community. Forever a Parent: A Gentle Space After ALS was established by parents bereaved by ALS. Marissa's ALS journey ended at age 32.

Practical learning is another core part of the platform. A reference library covers more than 230 topics across 11 subject areas, including financial health, caregiving, veterans, research and clinical care. In the spiritual health library, resources include psalms and prayers, perspectives from different faiths, guided meditation and gratitude exercises.

Membership is free. To join the community or donate, visit als.community. The platform is also available through iOS and Android app stores on the Mighty Networks app.

ALS.Community is a free, patient-led nonprofit online community dedicated to ending ALS isolation. Built on the belief that people living with ALS deserve not just a voice but a seat at the table, it connects patients, caregivers, families, clinicians, researchers and advocates through supportive, practical resources and shared experiences. Its mobility-friendly design supports participation in a community guided by the people it serves. Learn more at als.community.

For the complete statement: als.community/blog/als-community-launches-patient-led-community

Caroline Mickus

Vault Communications

973-580-5185