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The latest Instagram inspiration from @NeverGiveUpOrg

This is the 2nd Grade at Vieja Valley Elementary S

This is the 2nd Grade at Vieja Valley Elementary School. I was so excited to share about them, about their creative teachers, and how they all worked so diligently and are so proud to be part of building @gwendolynsplayground 🌈 But, today the world feels heavy and I hope everyone sees these tiny second graders as an example of the GOOD in the world… because there is so much good. So I’m sharing now to give us all something to hold onto, something to inspire, and a reminder of what it is to be 8 years old.

In second grade, students start learning about money and commerce. To make this lesson more meaningful, their teachers created a grade level swap meet: make something, bring in an old toy… and then shop around using real money, calculating and making change on the spot. And, to add kindness, community involvement, and philanthropy to the lesson, the teachers had the students vote between three local charities for where all the money generated would be donated! Love this so very much! And I love that these wonderful teachers quietly told me that @gwendolynsplayground received unanimous support from both classes 🥲 Children helping children is my favorite thing ever. And these sweet kids raised $501.50!!!

This is the second effort by Vieja Valley Elementary School and because all donations are cumulative, this $501.50 is added to their collective amount, bringing them to $2,000 - only $500 away from earning a Commemorative Paver forever highlighting their important efforts.

We can ALL make a difference! NEVER GIVE UP.

#bethegood #nevergiveup #havecourageandbekind

School’s almost out ~ grab your Play Club and le

School’s almost out ~ grab your Play Club and let’s have some fun!

Every tee helps build a more inclusive future 🌈⚡️🦋 NeverGiveUp.org

📷 @jenniferyauphotography

Help rescue disabled Ukrainians!!! Alina was 4 ye

Help rescue disabled Ukrainians!!!

Alina was 4 years old when her family fled Ukraine for the United States. Now she’s returning on an urgent rescue mission. The UN has warned that the lives of 2.7 million people with disabilities in Ukraine are at risk. Many people with disabilities are trapped in their homes and have no access to medication or food. Very few recorded refugees are disabled, indicating most were forced to survive inside the war-torn country.

Alina is now a dedicated occupation therapist in Santa Barbara, helping patients with rehabilitation and learning new skills after spinal cord injury, stroke, or other life-changing events. For over 10 years she has continued to return to Ukraine each summer bringing boxes of humanitarian aid, working at camps for children with disabilities, and teaching Ukrainian therapists rehabilitation techniques and specialized equipment.

Now, with war raging, Alina is returning once again to help in rescuing disabled Ukrainian refugees and transporting them via a wheelchair accessible van to safer regions. She’s risking her life to help people many have forgotten about.

With the help of a loan and donations, Alina purchased a used accessible van in Slovakia and has already begun transporting people to safety — but she needs our help. In collaboration with Direct Relief International, based in Santa Barbara, along with Ukrainian churches, hospitals, and therapy units, Alina is returning to continue rescue efforts while also bringing more necessary rehab equipment, assessment tools, and humanitarian aid.

The Gwendolyn Strong Foundation is matching all donations up to $5,000. Let’s help Alina with van expenses, fuel, repairs and purchase of essential disability equipment so she can change lives in Ukraine.

Donate here:
www.NeverGiveUp.org/donate

It’s almost the end of the school year. And that

It’s almost the end of the school year. And that means it is time to thank the true whispering angels - the teachers who show up and do their best to fill our children’s minds and hearts with a love of learning. Gift pack includes:

⚡️One Engraved Work Hard Dream Big Glitter Tumbler - your choice of Unicorn or Mermaid colors

⚡️One Candy Club Jar of Artisanal Gummy Butterflies - rainbow fruit flavored, Gluten-Free

⚡️One Be Kind Vinyl Decal - perfect for the car or classroom

⚡️One Sticker Sheet - with all our favorite slogans

Add on a Kindness is the New Cool Tote or Silver Mantraband with Dr. Suess quote for just $20.

Wine not included… though perhaps should be 🙃

Your little sweeties will feel C.O.O.L in this neo

Your little sweeties will feel C.O.O.L in this neon tank.

Nonprofit Apparel for Kind Humans. 100% Gives Back! Tell a Friend 📣

📷 by the amazing @jenniferyauphotography

Today I had the pleasure of accepting a $10,000 do

Today I had the pleasure of accepting a $10,000 donation from @craneschool in support of @gwendolynsplayground 🌈🦋💜🍄 Crane’s wonderful librarian, Traci Cope, and parent volunteers, Sarah Genaurdi and Katie Allen, spearheaded this effort and one of the most creative fundraising ideas I’ve seen - a Read-a-Thon! Students were challenged to accelerate their reading, tracking each page read, and Crane in turn donated per page. These amazing kiddos went above and beyond expectations eagerly reading over 60,000 pages and hitting their $5,000 goal in a snap. Then a generous parent matched this donation - generating an incredible $10,000 gift to build the first inclusive playground in Santa Barbara! I can’t wait to get out there and play with all the many children who have so enthusiastically been part of making this dream come true. Thank you Crane for instilling a love of reading, awareness of inclusion, and the idea that each of us can make a difference in the world.

#kidshelpingkids #makeadifference #bethechange #inclusion #gwendolynsplayground

Our Rise Up Hoodie is selling out quickly. Cozy an

Our Rise Up Hoodie is selling out quickly. Cozy and encouraging!

“Rise up
When you're living on your knees, you rise up
Tell your brother that he's gotta rise up
Tell your sister that she's gotta rise up” ~ Hamilton

Motivational Apparel for Kind Humans. 100% Gives Back!

📷 by @jenniferyauphotography

#riseup #nevergiveup

These tender moments, the quiet hours before anyon

These tender moments, the quiet hours before anyone else is awake, the slow between the chaos, the anticipation of a new phase… this is what I thought motherhood would be. The reality is filled with so much more laundry, endless snack demands, and learning to negotiate with tiny emotional and very opinionated humans, helping them each soar on their own individual paths. And it is the greatest experience of my life.

Mother’s Day was difficult for me for many years. I lost my mother when I was 22 to cancer. My firstborn was diagnosed with a terminal illness and given months to live just before my first Mother’s Day. And because her disease was genetic, it made adding to our family a stressful experience. It has all made me very aware of the weight of this day for so many, many people.

What I have come to appreciate are the gifts within the struggles and the people who have mothered me along the way.

To the journey to motherhood, the journey through motherhood, and the many women who become mentors - nurturing, guiding, encouraging and loving us as we grow.

Happy Mother’s Day 🦋

Obsessed with our NEW spring launch! It’s colorf

Obsessed with our NEW spring launch! It’s colorful and filled with courage and joy ~ and, of course, 100% gives back to our mission to cultivate a more inclusive future 🌈

So grateful to @jenniferyauphotography for capturing the spirit of this line so perfectly.

Shop for Good 🌈www.NeverGiveUp.org

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