The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Local mom creates icon card business
What started as a donation to local fire stations to help them communicate with those who are non-verbal has turned into a business for one Mentor resident.
Jenna Newman, whose 7-year-old son Tommy is autistic, created a set of icon cards for the Willoughby and Mentor fire departments after discovering first responders receive no special training on communicating with individuals with special needs.
Newman was concerned with how first responders would communicate with her son in an emergency situation.
After the donation, Newman started receiving requests from other fire departments and community organizations for the cards. Requests weren’t just coming in from around Lake County. Through word of mouth and Facebook posts Newman started receiving requests from around the country.
With multiple requests for the cards coming in, it was too costly to keep donating them.
So, Newman switched from giving out the cards made from little pieces of paper she had printed, cut down and laminated, to starting a business called Heroes Helping and selling the cards printed on a waterproof plastic that could be sanitized.
The sets contain 60 cards each with hand-drawn pictures or photos. The cards are broken down into five categories — first responders and items such as fire trucks, needle, wheelchair and hospital beds; people; commands; body parts; and feelings.
For people who are nonverbal or are in a situation where it be difficult to tell what is wrong, they can flip through the cards and point to a picture of an arm or a head and point to the picture that expresses pain to tell someone their arm or head hurts, Newman said.
First responders can point to the picture of an ambulance and then to a photo representing the mother to tell a young child they are going to ride in the ambulance and then see their mom.
“It helps people, especially those with autism if you show them a picture to explain what is going to happen,” Newman said. “The whole purpose of the cards is hopefully if a first responder comes across someone with communication difficulties this can help them.”
Newman points out that it might not help in every situation because everyone is different and will react differently.
There are apps out there for tablets and phones to help with communication but those only work if the people needing them already know how to use them. Those dealing with an emergency might not be able to focus on maneuvering through the app to communicate, Newman said.
Newman originally donated
The sets contain 60 cards each with handdrawn pictures or photos.
approximately 40 sets of the paper cards before creating the business and has sold approximately 40 sets since starting Heroes Helping.
Newman is currently in the process of setting up a website where the icon cards can be purchased from but in the meantime is taking orders through email and Facebook.
The sets are available in a small 2 by 2 inches for $30 or a larger set which is 3 by 3 inches for $50 and can be ordered by contacting Newman at jennanewman13@yahoo.com or on Face at Heroes Helping LLC.