An ACT of Kindness-Amelia Ford

Amelia Ford

Reporting and News Writing

Profile Story

December 11, 2012

An ACT of Kindness

     His brow furrowed behind his round framed glasses and his hand swept away his brown curly hair to rub his temples as Jaden Ford opened his paycheck for a mere ten dollars. Part of Braintree High School’s Project Prove program for students with learning disabilities, Ford gets paid one dollar an hour for working at town hall.

     Disappointed with his earnings for a full day at work, Ford decided that he wanted to find a new way for not only him, but other students in his class to make more money.  “It’s hard to find a real job for any kid, but especially for kids with learning disabilities. Jaden is right to be concerned,” said a friend of the Ford family, Colleen M. Mento, who studied special education at Curry College. So that day, Ford went home and told his mother that he wanted to start a business for him and for his classmates.

     Now, three months later, Ford is in the process of developing an entire organization that employs his classmates as well as educates the general public about learning disabilities. It’s called the ACT (Acceptance, Consideration, Tolerance) organization. Ford’s organization hopes to promote a more informed public that will create a kinder environment for people with learning disabilities.

     The ACT organization will sell shirts, bracelets, mugs, and other products that communicate their messages of acceptance, consideration, and tolerance. However, what makes the ACT organization different from any other organization is that it will employ people, especially students, with learning disabilities to sell these products.

     “I’ve helped him formulate some ideas and will be working on marketing techniques, but this whole thing has been completely Jaden’s idea,” said Ford’s mother Kristen M. Ford-Hernandez. Ford-Hernandez has already met with business associates in hopes of getting the program up and running as soon as possible. “It’s probably going to start off small, maybe with booths outside your local grocery store, but I’m hoping that Jaden will be able to bring his idea to full fruition and create a larger organization that will really make a statement about the acceptance and capability of people with learning disabilities,” said Ford’s aunt, Kerri M. Egan.

      Before coming up with the idea of the ACT organization, Ford originally thought of selling a single product. He played with the idea of baked goods, such as creating either a candy bar or cookie that could be sold by his classmates. However, he couldn’t decide on a single product to sell which lead him to the idea of selling several products instead. “People wouldn’t really care about a candy bar. I mean I think people would notice a lot of different things being sold though,” said Ford.

     Remember, Ford was inspired by his small pay check. But he also was motivated by his personal experiences as a young adult with a learning disability. “I’ve been made fun of and laughed at. Maybe I can’t make a word right. But I shouldn’t be judged for that. I want people to learn how to accept me for who I am,” said Ford.

     Ford described an instance in which he and his friends were being mocked by a group of high school students while walking down the hallway. Ford didn’t take a moment to hesitate. He turned around and told the group of students that it wasn’t nice to make fun. “I’m not surprised Jaden reacted the way he did. He has always been a good-hearted kid. He genuinely cares about the well fare of his friends and classmates,” said a friend of the Ford family, Christopher F. Hogan,
     However, Jaden has never let these people bother him. In fact, they motivated him even further to educate the public in accepting and respecting people with learning disabilities.

     “It’s a big thing, learning disabilities. For me, I am one of those people that have it. But I don’t feel different from anybody else,” said Ford.

      Right now, the ACT organization is still under construction. But with Ford’s determination to inform the public about accepting learning disabilities, it is sure to be a success.