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Illuminating Invisible Disabilities
Illuminating Invisible Disabilities
Many know a disability when they see one; Quadriplegics in a wheelchair or Blind people with a walking cane are some afflictions that come to mind. If I asked you, “What is the most common disability?” what would you say? Actually, the most common ones are typically non-physical related. Many people will not know immediately that someone is living with these Hidden Disabilities. This is where we want to step in to help spread the word.Living with a Mental Disorder
Psychiatric disabilities, an umbrella term that covers a wide variety of mental health issues, are as common as 1 in 2 people. This is something people deal with every single day. These people do not require use of a cane or any accessibility device, as they have no actual physical disability. Keep in mind, people suffering from Psychiatric Disabilities can have years of experience, but still suffer from their condition. One mustn’t confuse experience with curing of a disability. Think of it as a scale, day to day, ranging from mild to severe. For example with the right amount of experience, people living with Bipolar Disorder will be able to notice signs of a disturbance and might even be able to contain their emotions, to a degree. Other days, the person may not even notice their mental disorder.Knowing the Signs
Although some invisible disabilities can be kept low-key, some will actually need to be presented to everyone around them. Due to the possible life-or-death situation, conditions such as Epilepsy, Diabetes, and Learning Disabilities should be shared as soon as you get to know someone. There is no shame in telling someone about your condition. especially if you spend a lot of time with them. The triggering of your disability can spark a wide variety of health issues and symptoms that can have you thrown for a loop, and can even lead to death. Keeping loved ones in mind, there should be no judgement. It may be a hard conversation to have, but one that needs to happen.Being the Support they Need
Living around someone with an Invisible Disability may sound like a rigorous task, but actually it’s pretty simple. With the right experience, someone will be able to “get into the mind” of their mentally disabled friend. These skills can be learned through personal experience, knowledge of previous events, and works best when you’re very close to the person. Catching someone slipping can save hours if not days of grueling mental laps that the invisible disability affects on the person afflicted. A simple, “Let’s step outside and get a breather” or “Hey, drink some water” can go a long way! Tackling Invisible Disabilities can be as easy as changing the pace of the day. Get some fresh air, take your mind of what it bringing you down. Staying positive is one of the best ways to deal with Invisible Disabilities. Without the right attitude, the afflicted will never get better. With the help of loved ones and the advice of professionals, Invisible Disabilities can be identified and dealt with accordingly. « PreviousNext »Improving Lives With Heightened Hearts Foundation
Improving Lives With Heightened Hearts Foundation
Millions around the world are suffering from poverty, hunger, and social injustice. After being struck with hard times, many struggle to get back on their feet. With only limited resources and help available to these families and individuals, the Heightened Hearts Foundation is going above and beyond to help them get back on their feet.Who is the Heightened Hearts Foundation?
Recently, the Dreamscape Foundation had the pleasure of speaking with Lyubov Smirnova, the Founder and CEO of the Heightened Hearts Foundation. While speaking with her, it was clear she is a driven and dedicated woman on a mission. It is no surprise that since founded in 2015 they have been able to implement over 32 successful programs in the US, Ukraine and Mexico. Outside of these set programs, Heightened Hearts is open to doing all they can to provide for those in need. But what sets them apart from many organizations is their ideology that providing needed goods alone is not enough. In line with their mission of creating lasting solutions for poverty, hunger, and social injustice; they focus not on just providing for temporary relief but work with people to help them become self-sufficient once again. To put into prospective, as the old saying goes, you can give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day, or you can teach a man to fish and he’ll never go hungry again.Programs Leading to Lasting Solutions
Heightened Hearts has 6 main programs established to help families, individuals, children, students, and the elderly. These consist of: Food Box program, Adopt-a-Grandparent, Back to School Children’s Baskets, Spiritual Programs, Teen Pregnancy Education, and Global Relief Centers. The Food Box program offers meals and vital nourishment to people in the worst conditions. The recipients of this program are constantly struggling to battle hunger, malnourishment and even starvation. However, it goes beyond just providing them with food for survival, but to educating those better off, of the devasting conditions being faced around the world. The programs purpose is to save countless lives, while educating and inspire others to join the fight. The programs run twice a year every November and June. Adopt-a-Grandparent is a sponsorship program to aid the aging and elderly. Unlike most developed countries who have assistance and elderly care programs, many seniors in other regions of the world are not as lucky. All volunteer sponsors will aid in offering services to the senior they are connected with. These services include obtaining proper medical care, proper nutrition, and companionship to let them know they are not alone. To ensure children have all the necessary supplies they need to learn and further their education, Heightened Hearts has created their Back to School Baskets program. Many families struggle financially and are faced with enough hardships as it is. Heightened Hearts believes their children’s education and chance for success should never be one of them. What this program offers are baskets full of all the necessary supplies a young student needs. Including backpacks, notebooks/paper, pens/pencils, highlighters, rulers, calculators, dictionaries, folders/binders, and a whole lot more! The Heightened Hearts Spiritual programs focus on specific themes from the Bible to provide insight and an opportunity for reflection on life. Help comes in all different forms and for many, reconnecting with God and strengthening themselves from within is all the help they require. Additionally, these programs allow individuals to address broken relationships with God, friends/family, and even themselves. The Teen Pregnancy Educational program is just as it sounds. A program established to properly educate teens on the aspects of safe sex practices. Additionally, many unplanned pregnancies around the world come from abuse. That is why Heightened Hearts includes therapy and clinic-based programs to ensure no child/teen is left to suffer alone. Lastly, the Global Relief Centers program is an initiative to give communities around the world a place to meet and discuss social and economic issues. Heightened Hearts will work with these communities who lack social gathering or relief centers, to build new Community Centers. Providing a safe, spacious area to discuss solutions to the problems they face.Holiday Events on the Horizon
Every year, leading up to Thanksgiving and Christmas, Heightened Hearts goes to work. Packing large sized laundry baskets with pantry staples, foods, snacks, desserts, detergent, toilet trees and more, to ensure families will have much needed supplies to make the best of their holiday season. Delivered one week before the holiday, the baskets include enough supplies to last through the holiday and for weeks to come. At Heightened Hearts, they feel families should be helped in the long term and not just for a day or two.Love the Mission and want to get involved?
Heightened Hearts relies entirely on Volunteers. With almost no paid employees, they are always look for new donors or volunteers to support their programs. If interested in donating, you can go online and give funds right through their website. But if you are more interested in helping prepare for the upcoming holiday events, they are still in great need of the following items:- Children’s toys, clothes, school supplies
- Nonperishable food items
- Home goods: detergent, toilet trees
- Kitchen items
- Computers
- Beds or bedding
- Cooking items
- Adult Clothing: Male and Female