This guest post is by Amanda Rodriguez, Director of Our Puzzle Piece Gifts & More. Amanda is applying for our Supporting Small Businesses That Hire People With Disabilities Grant Opportunity ran by my nonprofit KFM Making A Difference. You can learn more about the grant opportunity here.
I hope you can support my nonprofit like I’m trying to support our community. I also produce educational videos to celebrate neurodiversity by spotlighting individuals impacted by a diagnosis. Learn more on how you can help our cause with a small donation (just asking for $3 today, equal to your daily cup of coffee) here.
Life all starts with purpose! It starts with a sense of belonging and feeling valued and appreciated. Our Puzzle Piece Gifts & More was opened in September, 2022 and had our Grand Opening on November 11, 2022. Our Puzzle Piece Gifts and More was started as an initiative to give those with Special Needs an opportunity to gain work skills, communication skills and socialization opportunities as well as enhance their resumes through employment. Our Puzzle Piece Gifts and More collaborated with local community artisans who make homemade/handmade products to display and sell in our store. This gives the vendors a home for their products, which are easily accessible for community members to shop for, and afford employment opportunities to those with special needs. At this time, Our Puzzle Piece Gifts and More has three part time special needs individuals working in our gift shop. To be able to connect the community in a variety of ways was very important to our parent company, Gifted Children, Inc. At Gifted Children Inc., our Mission is to help differently abled children achieve their greatest potential through support services. Gifted Children Inc. Vision in unison with Our Puzzle Piece Gifts and More is that all children and adults with disabilities are empowered in a world where differences are accepted.
Follow my journey on Facebook, TikTok, & Instagram!
Kerry Magro, a professional speaker and best-selling author who is also on the autism spectrum started the nonprofit KFM Making a Difference in 2011 to help students with autism receive scholarship aid to pursue a post-secondary education.
Have Kerry, one of the only professionally accredited speakers on the spectrum in the country, speak at your next event by sending him an inquiry here. If you have a referral for someone who many want him to speak please reach out as well! Kerry speaks with schools, businesses, government agencies, colleges, nonprofit organizations, parent groups and other special events on topics ranging from employment, how to succeed in college with a learning disability, internal communication, living with autism, bullying prevention, social media best practices, innovation, presentation best practices and much more!
