Rewarding our doggies just got healthier, without losing the taste that our fuzzy friends crave. Gracie’s Doggie Delights offers a wide variety of one-ingredient treats: shrimp, beef lung, pork hearts, lamb, cheese, and more, with the option of variety packs and Dinner Discs (just add hot water)! For an extra special treat, Gracie’s Doggie Donuts are also available – packed with blueberries, cranberries, beets, spinach, and chicken, these breakfast goodies will create the best zoomies! 

Who better to design dog treats than a dog lover? Gracie of Gracie’s Doggie Delights has four rescue schnauzers to whom she loves giving treats. Offering single-ingredient treats that have been freeze-dried to maintain the goodness, without the mess. When you purchase from Gracie’s Doggie Delights, don’t forget to snap a pic of your best friend to add to the growing number of “G-Dogs”.Click here to order these vet-friendly treats or accessories!  

With the name “YUMMY” Handmade Dog Biscuits, you better believe that your pups will go crazy for these bite-sized treats. They come in five tempting flavors: Cheese & Bacon, Chicken, Lamb, Peanut Butter with Apple Sauce, and Northwest Salmon – if you can’t decide which would make your doggo happiest, go for the variety mix. Conveniently delivered right to your door in two-pound packages, you can be sure you don’t run out this holiday season. They are also perfect for the neighbor’s dog. Thank them for protecting your block from the mailman all year. Order through the Gatheringplace here. 

The Gatheringplace, a nonprofit organization, has been serving the Washington State area for more than 28 years with the mission of turning challenges into opportunities. It was originally created for Megan Ferris, who graduated from the Port Townsend High School Special Education program. The Gatheringplace originated as a private residence to secure her independent future. Soon after, it expanded to create daytime activities for other adults with developmental disabilities. Buying a bag of the “Yummy” Handmade Dog Biscuits helps fund all the programs created by the GatheringPlace. 

Welcome to My Life: A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism by Laurie L. Hellmann is a beautiful look into the real world of a warrior mom and her son. When her son Skyler was three years old, he was diagnosed with severe, non-verbal autism. With her background in the healthcare industry plus her experience as a parent caregiver, she has a desire to help others be “seen,” as they authentically are.

Not interested in showing off only the “Instagram perfect,” she shares the mundane and the monotonous along with the challenges, triumphs, and vulnerability. By her example, Hellmann teaches while she continues to learn. She hosts a popular podcast, “Living the Sky Life – Our Autism Journey,” and is a highly sought-after speaker and advocate. We highly recommend reading through her blog as a supplement to her book, which you can purchase here. 

This remarkable “14-Day Self Love Workbook for Special Needs Parents” by Amy Yardley brings us to a whole new level of self-care. Written specifically for special needs parents, it offers a non-overwhelming approach to taking care of yourself through one activity a day.  

“Putting your self-love and self-care as a priority is one of the greatest gifts you can give to your family. They deserve a happy and healthy parent!!,” Yardley reminds us. 

Need more help to take care of you? Yardley also offers membership in her Self Care Society. This membership gives access to her course “From Barely Surviving to Thriving,” a Tapping Meditation Video Library, Deep Dive Content, and more. Yardley believes that no one is alone in this journey, healing is possible, and you can move from surviving to thriving. This is the warm hug you (or someone you know) have been looking for. Purchase the ebook here and join the Self Care Society here. 

Crip Up the Kitchen by Jules Sherred is a beautiful photography book, disguised as a cookbook. After sharing his love of food photography, his cookbook naturally took shape. Through his book, he shares some of the best life hacks he has found for anyone to be able to prepare and cook healthy foods; from using single-task tools to pre-minced garlic. He insists it's not lazy to use these items; they are “literally life-saving tools.” Using his three favorite appliances – Instant Pot, air fryer, and bread maker – Sherred teaches us how to use the kitchen safely and effectively. Noting “the kitchen is the worst room in the house if you are disabled,” Sherred leads us through his hacks as well as his knowledge of pantry prep, meal planning, shopping guides, and kitchen organization. This book will help you turn the kitchen into a safer, more welcoming place for any abilities. Signed copies can be purchased through his site, JulesSherred.com. 

Written by mom Erica Daniels, this is so much more than just a cookbook. Right from the start, this beautiful collection of love, family stories, insights, and recipes is dedicated to Leo’s sister, Scarlett, her brother’s best friend, teacher, and protector. The love starts in that dedication and moves to the Kitchen Rules (#13 -- Make clean up a dance party!!). This cookbook gives you the guidelines to make healthy foods while allowing for life to take over; you’ll learn how to roll with it and still eat delicious home-cooked foods.

We love that this book showcases Daniel’s kitchen, her children, and the amazing family members who have helped shape their diet. Adding to the love, these nourishing and tasty bites are an allergen-free dream. Highlighting gluten, dairy, soy, nuts, additives, and GMO-free recipes means it’s a cookbook for everyone. You can purchase Cooking with Leo here. 

10 Little Rules of Hank: A Family’s Journey Through a Rare Disease by Wendy Price follows a small whirlwind of a boy who, at the young age of 2, was diagnosed with a rare disease: Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EOE). Price tells the story of fighting for a diagnosis when she wouldn’t believe that her son had a virus or acid reflux or whatever the “diagnosis of the day” was. With the help of a pediatrician who had a love of medical puzzle-solving, they received an official diagnosis. Price’s book may have an overriding theme of allergies and EOE, but she’s written to include everyone to help others move through any diagnosis with helpful workbook/journaling pages.

Breaking the rules, Price adds an 11th rule, and one that we love: Carry On... because there isn’t an end. When you have things under control, life continues to throw new items into the mix. Recently, Hank was diagnosed with Asperger’s and a few other conditions. Is there a second book in our future by Wendy Price? We hope so. You can purchase her book through 10LittleRules.com or on Amazon.  

Pass the oat milk; we’ve found the perfect granola to start your day! Luv Michael has two tasty offerings to make your morning even better: Originola Granola and Mocha Granola. Simple, clean ingredients, they went further to make this treat even better; their granola is organic, gluten-free, nut-free, dairy-free, and non-GMO. This isn’t your standard grocery store granola; it’s worth the wait for shipping. Purchase your next breakfast here. 

Luv Michael was founded in 2015 by Lisa Liberator, MD, and her son, Michael, with the mission of growing awareness of food allergies and toxic agents found in many of our foods. The products are made by individuals on the autism spectrum, with profits going to training, educating, and employing people with autism to help them become more independent. Follow their Instagram page for behind-the-scenes looks at their company and uplifting updates. 

Help your friends and family elevate their movie nights with gourmet popcorn this season. Popcorn for the People offers six scrumptious flavors of their specialty popcorn, popped straight to your loved one through the mail. There is a flavor for everyone: Caramel, Chicago Baked Cheddar, Kettle, Butter, Dark Chocolate Espresso, and French Toast. To help spread the love, you can purchase forever bags, shirts, and gift cards, but we really love this adorable baby onesie. 

Popcorn for the People was cofounded by Samuel Bier in 2014. Having trouble finding a career opportunity that was fulfilling, Bier and his parents started to work together to create opportunities that would benefit others as well as himself. Let’s Work For Good is the vision that the Bier’s came up with, with the goal to create a world where any adult can find a career they enjoy while earning fair and competitive wages – all while maximizing their independence. All donations to Let’s Work For Good and popcorn proceeds go to support their neurodiverse workforce by paying salaries and reinvestment into production capacity. 

We Are Lions is a lifestyle brand featuring artwork by artists with disabilities. Artists receive 50% of the profits from the sale of their work, with a portion of the profits going to arts and entrepreneurship programs from around the world.  

“Life without art is? Death.” 

From clothing to home goods, We Are Lions prints colorful and meaningful designs onto products that anyone would be proud to own. 

The typical fancy soap can get a little … well … dull. That’s why we love Trev’s Trades! Artisanal, dare we say, gourmet, soaps are the ultimate gift. Trev’s Trades just restocked on some of our favorite scents, too! Autumn Chill scented with a cashmere fragrance, Spectrum of Life with a mix of pear, green grapes, kiwi, raspberry, and peach complement an undertone of jasmine and lily of the valley, and Cranberry Fig Loofah are some of our favorites. Don’t forget the spa bags, bath bombs, and shirts. 

The business was born when Trev’s Mom, Tia, used his interest in soap making to create a transition plan to a more independent life. Besides personal gains through self-confidence, he has learned skills in project planning, self-advocacy, and independence. Most recently, Trevor Dealy was named a Newcomer Finalist for the EDDIEs (Entrepreneurs Dedicated to Diverse and Inclusive Excellence) awards. Click here to grab your favorite scents before these highly popular soaps are sold out! 

Playing with our food has never been more fun with the invention of The Mug with a Hoop!® This large-sized mug is perfect for not only drinks but also desserts, cereals, and soups, with an attached basket so you can sink points with marshmallows, candy, croutons, and other tasty treats. Since the creation of the original Hoop, additional sports have been added to the line: find a mug for golf, hockey, baseball, and soccer. 

Max Ash attended a school specifically for kids with learning disabilities; as a visual learner, he really enjoyed art. Ash created his prototype in art class as a gift for his brother. “We both liked sports and hot chocolate, so I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be great to make a mug that had a hoop on it?’” From there, Ash and his parents pitched his idea at a product innovation contest at Fenway Park in Boston and were named top ten finalists. Check out his website to purchase the limited-edition NCAA mugs! 

Lippy Lu takes the best all-natural bath and body products and wraps them up in a gorgeous package so they not only smell good but feel good, too. Created by artisans, these bath and body products exfoliate and soothe your skin and lips. All of the product labels and matching travel pouch art are original artwork created by special needs artists. Pick and choose from the wide selection of yummy scents and products, or order gift sets by scent. 

 “People with disabilities often have few employment opportunities and face discrimination. With your help, Lippy Lu wants to change this.” 

The company was created by Marisa and Lincoln - a mom-and-son team - when it became clear that a traditional job wasn’t going to be an option for Lincoln, who is nonverbal. Lipps Lu is based on his love of drawing and Marisa’s love of creating a beautiful and meaningful future for her son. They have partnered with LINC-d Neurodiverse artists who get royalties on each beauty product sold. 

Remember when grandma would arrive on holidays with a colorful, wrapped box full of boring socks? What if the box was plain and the socks were the colorful surprise? That’s the kind of gift we’re loving as the weather starts to cool down. Let's throw those sandals into the back of the closet and reach for John's Crazy Socks. 

John’s Crazy Socks is a father-son social enterprise inspired by John Lee Cronin, a young man with Down Syndrome, and his love of colorful and fun socks, or what he calls his “crazy socks.” 

With sizes for all and in themes from funny, animals, and holidays, there are over 4,000 socks to choose from. If you find yourself unable to pair (see what we did there?) down your choice, the crew from John’s Crazy Socks takes care of that for you with their Sock of the Month Club. We love this fun (join John's online dance party every Tuesday!) company so much, and it feels good to purchase from them; over half of their employees have a different ability, and 5% of the company's earnings are donated to Special Olympics. 

Fine jewelry and accessories are *always* on the list for others … or yourself. Depo Market brings the island vibes with their Hawaiian-inspired accessories. The Market is known for their exquisite origami earrings, featuring cranes and lanterns. Crystals, crystal perfume bottles, enamel pins, and Washi tape make this market a one-stop shop for treating yourself or your favorite people. Shop for bracelets and more through their online store. 

Depo (Deh•po) Market was created by brother and sister, Christian and Tiffany, as a way for Tiffany to help her brother find a job. Realizing that there were not many job opportunities for adults with autism, she helped him take his passion for making origami jewelry and started to sell his work online and in local markets. Depo Market’s mission is to provide jobs for adults with disabilities through artistic employment, helping to create jewelry and accessories, and customer service positions. Located on Maui, this amazing company is also fundraising to help families who have lost their homes in the devastating Lahaina fire … see their fundraising information here. 

"Sometimes people just need a reminder."

That idea inspired Betsy Hicks, mom of an adult son with autism, social media influencer and the founder of Autism Odyssey, to create the “Be Kind” vest. She designed the vests to encourage freedom, safety, and compassion for people with autism as they navigate the world. Hicks is one of our favorite influencers (find her at @BetsyontheGo on IG, FB, and TikTok) with a remarkably straightforward and positive approach to the challenges the world throws at her son Joey. 

“Joey does not speak. And because we lived in San Francisco with a million other people, I had to find a safe and effective way to communicate that he doesn’t always understand what people are shouting at him!” 

Hicks designed the safety vest to quickly get the point across, and she says the results have been miraculous.  

“People not only approach him with kindness, but often thank us for helping them to understand that his behaviors are not threatening.” 

If you have a non-verbal person with autism in your life, this could be a life-changing gift. Order directly on their site at AutismOdyssey.org or on Etsy. You can also donate a vest for someone who can’t afford to pay, and help make the world a safer, kinder place for non-verbal people with autism.