Glenwood family works to provide ‘sensory bags’ for children with Autism

By Kris Goracke

Reporter

“I want to change the world one piece at a time.” This statement is not just words – this statement is the mission of Owen Chan, an 11-year-old boy with Autism.

It began in late June of this year when Owen’s dad, Josh, got a package in the mail from a colleague living in New York. “I got a message from Matthew Yelton and he told me he was making sensory bags for ambulance services in his area. We both have a child with Autism, so he knew I would be interested,” said Josh.

Then on June 27, Josh got a package. He gave the bag to Owen to open. It was the contents of that bag which began Owen’s mission.

Josh, a Flight Paramedic who works at Life Link III in Alexandria, introduced Lori Rosch, the Emergency Room Director at Alomere Health, to the sensory bag.  Alomere played a crucial role by initiating the process and donating funds to help with the creation of the sensory bags.  Subsequently, the collection of items for the sensory bags began.  Owen and his family’s primary objective are to ensure that any Autistic individual facing an emergency situation has access to sensory bags and additional ways to overcome potential communication barriers.

The sensory bags cater to children with Autism, as well as other disabilities or mental health concerns, offering a diverse range of carefully selected items, each intended to alleviate feelings of anxiety in any given situation.  These tools serve as a source of comfort, fostering a sense of calmness, and aiding communication during stressful moments.  Among the contents are noise-canceling headphones to minimize overwhelming sounds, plushies with soft, squishy texture for tactile reassurance, fidget toys to provide a soothing outlet, communication cards and boards for effective expression, a versatile whiteboard and liquid motion bubblers.

Excitement grew as word spread within the first responders’ community and soon the Chans found many within the community and beyond wanting to help, including the Starbuck Fire Auxiliary who donated funds to help purchase the bags.  “It was a great problem to have, but we knew we had to create a process to enable organizations and individuals to contribute. We didn’t want people to give us money, and we didn’t want people to just go out and buy things,” said Josh, “so we created a Wish List on Amazon where organizations and people could go to purchase specific items for the bags.” 

Their mission’s initial goal is to provide sensory bags for any Autistic person facing emergency situations. The aim is to distribute 125 sensory bags to Glacial Ridge Hospital, Alomere Hospital, Glacial Ridge Ambulance service, North Memorial Ambulance service, and one for every squad car and fire department in Pope and Douglas County.

Over the past few weeks, the Chan family has received generous donations from individuals and organizations across the United States. The creation of sensory bags has become a collaborative project for the entire family, with everyone lending a helping hand.  Apart from Josh, Jennifer, and Owen, their other two sons, 9-year-old Preston and 15-year-old Kolton, are also actively involved in the process.  When the packages arrive, the family opens and catalogs each one, storing the contents until they can be assembled into the sensory bags. “We are incredibly grateful for all the support we have received,” expressed Owen’s mom, Jennifer. 

According to Autism Speaks, “Sensory devices provide a host of mental, emotional, physical and social benefits for children on the Autism spectrum. They stimulate the brain, helping to create new neural pathways for processing, understanding and reacting to sensory information. They help Autistic children to: Calm down and relax.”

For Owen, who perceives the world differently due to his Autism, expressing himself verbally can be difficult at times.  “When Owen becomes overwhelmed, verbalizing becomes a challenge. And we have found that offering alternatives such as a whiteboard or a communication board, help him communicate his needs while lowering his anxiety,” said Jennifer.

In their quest to raise awareness and acceptance, this past April, Owen shared how he experiences the world with his fourth-grade classmates. By reading the book Leo and the Octopus and answering questions, Owen was able to give his classmates a glimpse into his world. And in turn, they came up with new ways to make sure he was always included.  

“There is no handbook when you have a child with Autism, but it is essential to find your people to support and lift up one another. We have been very fortunate here in Glenwood. We have great teams at school and occupational and physical therapists at the hospital, said Jennifer. “We realized we are not alone. This is one of the reasons why we want to bring the sensory bags to all areas within our community. We want others to be seen and valued just as we feel with all the support for these sensory bags.”

When asking Owen what he likes about the sensory bags, his response was, “People want to help, but they don’t know how. This is a way they can.”

Empowered by the support they received, the Chans have recently established a nonprofit called Bit of Grace, allowing them to continue creating and distributing sensory bags. Jennifer states, “It was the response from our community with the extraordinary support, donations, offers of volunteering and kind words, that we knew this was bigger than we could have imagined. We felt the only thing to do was to find a way to keep making these bags.” Their vision is to make these bags available in places where families frequent, such as shopping areas, waiting rooms, churches and restaurants.

When seeking a general definition of Autism, one will often come across the statement, “Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a wide range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication.”  However, this definition tends to oversimplify and apply to everyone, which is a common belief among the general population.

The Chans, however, believe that the Autism Society of Minnesota offers a more enlightened perspective on Autism, “…we approach Autism from a neurodiversity mindset: this means that we see Autism as a different way of processing, communicating and understanding instead of seeing Autistics as people who simply cannot process, communicate or understand. This doesn’t erase the very real challenges that come with Autism, but instead promotes the idea that we can support and accommodate people around those challenges.” According to the Centers for Disease Control, Autism affects an estimated 1 in 36 children in the United States today.

With each sensory bag distributed, Owen and his family are not only providing others with tools to cope with their challenges but also creating a sense of connection and value within their community.  Through Bit of Grace, they invite others to join their cause and make a difference in the lives of children with Autism and other disabilities.

If you would like to help, you can purchase items from their wish list by scanning the QR Code  above. Or monetary donations can now be accepted through Bit of Grace at PO Box 312, Glenwood, MN 56334.