Dandelion Moms Project Kindness :: April
The Buddy Cruise:
This month is Autism Awareness Month so we wanted to feature an organization that helps educate about special needs as well as provides a way for families with special needs children to come together and support one another with their yearly Buddy Cruise. I had a chance to speak to one of the Directors of the organization and she talks about the work they do to promote awareness within the community and in schools.
Tell us more about the Buddy Cruise and who started it.
Buddy cruise was founded by two siblings in honor of their brother who has Down syndrome. They had just returned to Florida from a BuddyWalk in New York and were talking about taking part in a local awareness walk. While in NY they walked everywhere and they were tired of walking. They wanted to do something fun and suggested to their parents a cruise…..a “Buddy Cruise” & the rest is history!
- Our annual conference not only provides resources for the attendees …we have an effect on other passengers on board. We have had passengers who have interacted with the families and had such a great time and were so deeply moved..they decided to join in the following years Buddy Cruise. We had the first ever BuddyWalk at Sea and passengers onboard joined in to walk with us , telling us their personal story of knowing, growing up with, or working with an individual with a disability…it was beautiful .
- We work with schools to implement programs to teach typical kids that kids with disabilities are just like them.
- We have presented at conferences and to groups on IDEA, advocacy in the school system.
- We & our ambassadors will attend festivals, walks, conferences and events to promote awareness and our mission,
- Our Mascot “Buddy” travels to festivals, walks and conferences to spread awareness too!
- Along with our sponsor “DrivenInc” we hold a contest each year to find a self advocate to be our “Soul Knows no Bounds” advocate …someone who has exceeded expectations and broken the stereotypes. This person wins a trip on Buddy Cruise to inspire others with his/her story.
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Loving Hugs:
Another great organization is a non-profit based out of Colorado. Loving Hugs provides new or gently used stuffed animals to children in war zones, refugee camps, and orphanges. They have partnered with the U.S. Navy and also with other non-profit organizations who are helping us get American’s “hugs” (donations of stuffed animals) to children in crisis situations all over the world.
Inspired by a letter shared with her from a U.S. soldier serving in Iraq, Wendy Clark, the founder of Loving Hugs, Inc., learned of the tragic consequences for Iraqi children caused by insurgent bombing attacks near where the soldier was based; many of the injured victims were innocent children. Some learned that they no longer had their families and were alone in the hospitals; many would ultimately be placed in orphanages.
Immediately Wendy was inspired to do something to help those children. Not just for those children in Iraq, but wherever children are in crisis situations caused by war, natural disasters, and extreme poverty and she began making contacts with individuals, schools, churches, and civic organizations, to collect and donate stuffed animals that were appropriate to give children suffering in crisis areas around the world, and to give them some emotional comfort and hope. The inspiration for Loving Hugs, Inc. was born! I had a chance to speak to Ms. Clark and she said since inception they have sent out over 88,000 stuffed animals to children in over 44 countries!
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These “hugs” are sent worldwide to those children who need it most! Please take a moment to look through your children’s stack of stuffed animals and together see which ones they would want to donate for a child who could really use a “hug” from a friend!
Details on where to send the stuff animals are listed here: www.lovinghugs.org
Some other ideas for this month include:
Plant some flowers with your kids in support of Earth Day on April 22nd.
Join your neighborhood or community clean-up on Earth Day.
Bring some old towels/blankets to your local animal shelter.
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Melissa
Melissa Northway, M.S. is a mom, founder of dandelion moms, and a children’s book author. Her award-winning book Penelope the Purple Pirate was inspired by her little tomboy. Penelope is a modern-day Pippi Longstocking who teaches girls and boys the importance of having fun while at the same time teaching them to be kind and respectful of others and their differences. Dandelion moms was created for moms to share their stories and to inspire and be inspired! You can reach Melissa at: info@dandelionmoms.com and follow her @melissanorthway and @dandelionmoms. Check out her author web site at: www.melissanorthway.com, as she hands out loads of goodies from the treasure chest.
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