April is Autism Awareness month, and Orlando Informer is partnering with Autism At The Parks and Stella & Dot to raise awareness and money all month long. Both of these organizations have close connections to us: Maureen Deal, with Autism At The Parks, has been an active contributor of ours for nearly two years; and Mama Informer (aka my wife, Rosie Hatfield) is a Star Stylist with Stella & Dot.
The organization that my wife proudly represents, Stella & Dot, is a San Francisco based social selling company that creates flexible entrepreneurial opportunities for women. Its boutique-style jewelry and accessories line is available exclusively through in-home Trunk Shows by Independent Stylists and online.
In April, Stella & Dot partners with The HollyRod Foundation to bring you our Autism Awareness Boutique. 100% of the net proceeds from the sales of these four pieces will go back to HollyRod, an organization that offers help and hope through compassionate care to those living with autism. In April 2013, we raised over $120,000 for them. We cannot wait to raise the bar this year, thanks to you!
Maureen Deal is a regular OI contributor, often bringing us along on her family’s weekend park visits. She is married with a teenage son, Zach, who has autism. Early on, they discovered that Zach had a love for theme parks, which inspired their move to Orlando in 2007. Since relocating to The City Beautiful, they have visited Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando or SeaWorld almost every weekend. Maureen more recently created AutismAtTheParks.com to help vacationers who have a family member with a developmental disability to better navigate and enjoy the theme parks.
Our mission this month
Throughout April, Maureen is working with Rosie and Stella & Dot to host an online fundraising trunk show. While Stella & Dot will donate to The HollyRod Foundation through the Autism Awareness boutique, Rosie will donate 100% of her commission from Maureen’s trunk show to a cause that is near and dear to the entire Deal family: Special Olympics of Seminole County.
Maureen’s son Zach loves his involvement with the Special Olympics, participating in several categories, including track and field, swimming and basketball. The Mission of Special Olympics Florida is to provide year-round sports training and competition in a variety of Olympic type sports for persons eight years of age and older with intellectual disabilities, giving them the opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics Florida athletes, and the community.
Doing good never looks so good
On behalf of Maureen and Rosie, I invite you to shop for a cause this month! And after you’ve treated yourself to a little something, why not cross a few gifts off of your list? With graduation, Mother’s Day, Easter, Teacher Appreciation Day, and summer vacation season right around the corner, you’ll be prepared. And best of all, your purchase will support The HollyRod Foundation and Special Olympics of Seminole County. Simply click here to start browsing (and share the love by sharing the link).
Thank you for your support!
Vikki Vik