THE IDEA

Children deserve to play. Children also deserve to feel like they can save the world.  Help make these two ideas can happen through the purchase of play-therapy supplies and the creation of children’s books made specifically for Caribbean children with disabilities.  Your contributions will give the residents of a foster home for disabled children in Grenada the chance to have toys that both accommodate their limitations and empower them towards positive change.

THE BACKGROUND

Sacha Lewis-Stott and Alli Cost organized this project after working and falling in love with these incredible children in Grenada. Sacha is a special education coordinator who spent two years directing the early intervention outreach program which served families from all over Grenada. Alli is an occupational therapist who has worked with the Dorothy Hopkin Centre for the Disabled designing and implementing therapy programs for residents, while also training staff, teachers, and parents.

The Dorothy Hopkin Centre is a foster home for individuals with disabilities.  The diagnoses are varied, ranging from mental retardation, Down’s syndrome, seizure disorders, autism, cerebral palsy, hearing/speech/visual impairments, and genetic abnormalities. This broad array in the severity and type of impairments leads to challenges in creating appropriate play activities that address several residents at once.

WHAT WE NEED AND WHY

TOYS…so that I can play!

Children use play not only to explore, but also to strengthen their bodies and improve their brain functioning. Play teaches us how to relate with others, problem solve, and interact with the world around us.  

People have good intentions when they donate toys, but most of these residents need toys that are relevant to their specific limitation and strength. For example, it’s hard to know what an ideal toy or tool is for a child who has a type of cerebral palsy that makes it hard for her to use her hands or sit up on her own.

Most of the residents remain at the center long term due to the severity of their disabilities limiting independent living. This is their home and their family; their whole life. Immediate needs of food, shelter, and safety are taken care of by the loving staff. But due to lack of appropriate play items for the residents, there is minimal time spent moving and playing effectively. Your contributions will provide the supplies to create a play area that facilitates therapeutic improvement of speech, language, and physical skills, along with opportunities for positive staff/volunteer and resident interaction.

BOOKS…so that I can save the day!

Stories help us define how we see the world and its potential. Think about the books you read as a child and identified with. Now consider how much more challenging that would be if all the characters you encountered looked, moved, and thought differently from you. Reading a book that’s actually about you provides a sense of power, identity, and belonging in the world.

Although there are a few books with main characters that are disabled, they often focus on the impairment by showing how these “types” of kids fit in, rather than simply having one that is different. And there aren’t any books specifically about Caribbean children with disabilities.

Displaced children, such as those living in orphanages or foster homes like Dorothy Hopkin Centre, often grow up without a secure sense of a family, home or self-identity. Having a disability further challenges the creation of a positive, empowering identity. I want to give these children the opportunity to see themselves in a way that I see them: as independent beautiful individuals who have the ability to solve problems, connect, and grow in their own unique way.

There will be 4 stories in total, at reading levels accommodating the ability of the residents. Three will be at a 1^st grade reading level and one at a 3^rd grade reading level.  They will be distributed not only to the residents but also to their schoolteachers so as to allow for educational use. The characters will be based directly off the children at the center. Each book will demonstrate the skills of exploration, self-expression, and problem solving, while being written in a format to facilitate therapeutic and educational use. All of the books will have a page at the end with suggestions for staff and teachers as to how to further discuss the topic and utilize the lessons in real life.

• Story 1 will be about the children going on walk and identifying local animals and structures, and then using their imagination to see jungle animals and adventures.  This encourages the skill of abstract thinking and safety.
• Story 2 will be focused on a dance class, it will show different ways that each person dances. This teaches children about different movement patterns and body awareness.
• Story 3 will be built around the cultural events of Grenada and the feelings and activities they encompass. This facilitates children’s self-regulation through sensory preferences and cultural awareness.
• Story 4 will be the higher level (3^rd grade) book and directed at issues facing females in the Caribbean. This teaches women’s empowerment as tangible solutions rather than just a list of issues.

Budget

WHAT YOU GET!

Besides the delightful sense of doing something good for the less fortunate, look over to the right and read through the list of perks possible with each contribution.

OTHER WAYS YOU CAN HELP

We completely understand that everyone's financial situation is different. If you aren’t able to contribute financially at this time, you can still help out the project. Let other folks know about the campaign and encourage them to contribute by posting a note on facebook, sharing it in an email, or simply mentioning it to folks in random conversations.