8 Practical Ways to Spread Down Syndrome Awareness (and Acceptance!)

October is Down syndrome awareness month and there are so many practical and fun ways to spread awareness. Here are 8 of my favorites:

1. Invite your friends to watch a movie like The Peanut Butter Falcon with you or host a night at your house and watch a show like Born This Way. 

2. Ask your child's class or your local library if you can come and read aloud a book like Eli, Included.

3. Do random acts of kindness and leave behind a little card. A favorite one is to tape a dollar bill and a card to a vending machine. The card could say something like: Enjoy this random act of kindness courtesy of Down syndrome awareness month. To make things even easier you could have business cards printed and keep them in your wallet or purse and have them at the ready.

4. Donate to an organization like Global Down Syndrome Foundation or Ruby's Rainbow or DSDN and then share on social media and encourage your friends to do so.

5. Wear a fun shirt that will start conversations.

6. Drop off current, up to date, factual pamphlets at your doctors offices. You can get fantastic ones from Lettercase. 

7. Advocate at work - ask your employer to hire someone with Down syndrome. This is a fantastic link to give to your employer full of great information. 

8. Support a business owned by an individual with Down syndrome or businesses that hire people with Down syndrome. Here are just a few: Dance Happy Designs, Howdy's Homemade Ice Cream, Bitty and Beau's Coffee, Da Bomb Bath Bombs, Art Lifting, Sandal Gap Studio, Gracie's Doggie Delights

Hopefully one day soon, awareness will no longer be needed because we will have acceptance and celebration! Now go shout their worth!