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Cedars launches 'Choose Kindness' campaign and asks Ross to adopt proclamation
Summary
Cedars, a Ross-based nonprofit serving adults with developmental disabilities, presented a countywide "Choose Kindness" campaign and asked the council to adopt a town proclamation recognizing the initiative.
Representatives from Cedars, a nonprofit that operates day programs and residences for adults with developmental disabilities, presented the organization's client-driven "Choose Kindness" campaign and asked the Ross Town Council to adopt a proclamation recognizing the initiative.
Casey Coco, director of strategic planning for Cedars, told the council the campaign was created by Cedars' client advisory council after members called attention to incidents showing a lack of everyday kindness and inclusion. "The client advisory council decided they could make a difference, and they came up with this idea," Coco said. She described the campaign as an effort to promote inclusion across Marin County and asked Ross to lead the countywide launch by adopting a proclamation and helping spread the message through town communications.
Resident members of Cedars' client advisory council described everyday examples that prompted the campaign. Rose Gordon said the council heard reports of disrespectful retail interactions and other incidents of people with disabilities not being treated with basic courtesy: "It's just basic, like, treat people like you wanna be treated. We're the same as anyone else," Gordon said. Teresa Pardella, a Cedars resident and client advocate, urged the council and residents to acknowledge and greet people with disabilities: "If you see someone with a disability, make sure that they are seen and greeted, loved and acknowledged," she said.
Mayor McMillan thanked the Cedars delegation and council member Terry noted that the town will include a proclamation on the consent calendar and sign and send it to the organization. Council members and staff also discussed using town communications, including the new monthly "Ross Review" newsletter, to help publicize the campaign.
Ending: The council indicated support and staff said a proclamation would appear on the consent calendar and be signed. Cedars said it plans to begin outreach to schools, businesses and other community groups and eventually expand the campaign countywide.
