You’re never too small to make a huge impact.
Henley Castilon is a perfect example of that. The 5-year-old saw how Hurricane Helene was impacting people in Tennessee, and she wanted to do something to help the children impacted.
“What about all of their toys and their stuffed animals, their favorite stuffies?” Henley asked her mom, Jennifer. “They’re going to be so sad!”
That’s when Henley, who was diagnosed with autism two years ago and is a client at ABS Kids’ Hendersonville, Tennessee center, got the idea to collect stuffed animals to donate to those children.
Henley collected about 30 of her own stuffies to donate, and once that news spread, a local group of moms helped spread the word with Jennifer, and the toy drive was in full swing. Jennifer has worked with local churches and businesses to set up donation drop-offs around the community, and it has resulted in hundreds of stuffed animals being donated. People also donated money so the family could go buy more stuffies for the drive.
The story even caught the attention of local media, and last week Henley was featured in a story WKRN News 2 in Tennessee. You can read and watch the stories in the links below.
When Henley was diagnosed with autism, she was not able to communicate much. But now, she is thriving and showing the world that she has a big heart and is thinking about helping others.
“It makes me super proud,” Castilon told WKRN. “Henley was diagnosed with autism a couple years ago. And so you know, with children with disabilities, you always hope for the stars for them. And you know she was not able to really communicate a couple years ago. And so the fact that this little, glittery 5-year-old is able to take the initiative on her own. It’s joyful to see. I’m so excited that she is wanting to do this on her own.”
Please feel free to share our blog on the ABS Kids website and spread the word about Henley’s amazing generosity and spirit!
https://www.wkrn.com/video/5-year-old-holds-relief-drive-for-helene-victims/10101237/