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Jack’s Basket brings hope and joy to families of babies with Down syndrome

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Published  December 30, 2024 7:51am CST
Good News Guarantee
FOX 32 Chicago

Jack’s Basket brings hope and joy to families of babies with Down syndrome

Jack’s Basket delivers baskets filled with encouragement, resources, and celebration to families of newborns with Down syndrome, aiming to shift the narrative surrounding the diagnosis.

The Brief

    • Jack’s Basket, a nonprofit founded by Carissa Carroll, delivers baskets filled with encouragement, resources, and celebration to families of newborns with Down syndrome, aiming to shift the narrative surrounding the diagnosis. 
    • The initiative has reached over 10,000 families across 51 states and countries, offering hope and support to parents like Lindsey Abbasy, whose daughter Olivia has brought joy and transformation to their lives. 
    • The effort also extends to educating practitioners, fostering acceptance and appreciation for every baby.

LANSING, Ill. - In this morning’s Good News Guarantee, a special delivery for parents of newborns with Down syndrome.  The effort is led by Midwest families that know the world is a better place because of their children. 

How do you spell hope? For a Lansing family, it came in the form of a basket. 

"It said 'Celebrating you Olivia!  You make us better.' And those words alone just brought me to absolute tears because it was such a moment of celebration and that's what was missing in that delivery room when she was born," Lindsey Abbasy said.

Olivia was born with Down syndrome, an unexpected diagnosis that was met with a guiding light.

"Olivia has been the absolute joy of our home and the joy of our lives. She's taught us so much. She's made us better in countless ways," Lindsey Abbasy said.

Carissa Carroll founded Jack’s Basket after the birth of her son, 10 years ago.

"We've celebrated 10,000 babies in 51 countries and all 51 states," she said.

The baskets are delivered by parents of children with a Down syndrome diagnosis, to new parents facing the same journey. They are filled with notes of celebration, encouragement and resources, something Carroll found is missing.

"We are up against decades of a narrative around the diagnosis… We always say, they change us for the better and we wouldn't change them, but we'll change the world because of them," Carroll said.  

Jack’s Basket has evolved to not only reach parents but also practitioners, in an effort to normalize the diagnosis and cherish every baby as a gift. For the Abbasy family, there is no doubt about it, life is better in every way with Olivia.

"She loves strangers at the grocery store. This light of hers cannot be quenched, she's just shining it all over the place," said Lindsey Abbasy.

A Jack’s Basket is free and can be requested by providers, family and friends on their website. You can learn more by going to JacksBasket.org.

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