Who does not like to receive an affectionate message from parents at snack time? But are 62,000 visually impaired children out of the country? No, just have the Braille label!
To encourage this habit, Kellogg’s leaves a blank space on the labels of the Rice Krispies Treats in the US for parents to write notes to their kids. In an effort to include more children, the food giant has launched, in partnership with the National Federation of the Blind, the “Love Notes,” which makes a Braille label.
These are Braille stickers and recordable audio boxes so that these children also receive this affection from their parents. Braille stickers come in sheets of eight with pre-printed phrases like “You Got This” and “Love You Lots” and can be glued to the labels of Rice Krispies.
As some children do not read Braille, they also offer a recordable audio box that when opened, it plays a 10-second message recorded by parents. Company founder Will Keith Kellogg himself lost his vision during the last decade of his life and would have appreciated the initiative.
Other companies have also taken steps to increase the inclusion of people with disabilities. In Australia, for example, Coles supermarket chain created a quiet time for clients in the autism spectrum to shop in peace.
For autistic people, the noise of a supermarket can be extremely disturbing. During quiet hours, the stores radio is at minimum volume, the lights are dimmed, no cleaning machine is turned on and ads are suspended.
These initiatives are still small compared to the unmet needs that disabled people have every day, but a little empathy and kindness in this sea of hostility makes all the difference in our lives.
References: Huffington Post, Bakery and Snacks, The Daily Meal, Mashable, NY Daily News