On episode 27 of the Life After Blindness podcast, I spoke to Maria Johnson from Girl Gone Blind about a new partnership between Kelloggs Rice Krispies Treats and the National Federation of the Blind. Rice Krispies Treats wanted to create a back-to-school campaign that would intentionally include blind students. They reached out to the NFB to help them with this campaign.
W.K. Kellogg, founder of the Kellogg Company, experienced vision loss in his later years and was totally blind by the age of 77. Kellogg was not only known for accidentally discovering dry flake cereal in 1894 with his brother Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, he also was a pioneer in brand advertising and promotions. He passed away in 1951 at the age of 91.
On individually wrapped packages of Rice Krispies Treats there is a heart. Parents are encouraged to write “love note” or words of encouragement on the heart. Then, the child will discover the note in their school lunchbox. It is, of course, more difficult for parents to share notes with a child who is blind or visually impaired.
This is where Kelloggs and the NFB come in.
From the NFB website:
“The new, accessible “Love Notes” are available in two forms: Braille stickers and re-recordable audio boxes. The “Love Notes” Braille stickers are heart-shaped to fit in the space on Rice Krispies Treats writable wrappers for written notes. Each Braille sticker sheet includes eight uplifting phrases in Braille for parents to share with their children, from “You’ve Got This” to “Love You Lots.” The re-recordable audio box holds a Rice Krispies Treat and, when opened, plays a ten-second pre-recorded message. The audio box messages can be re-recorded over a thousand times, offering opportunities to share love and support throughout the entire school year. Every package sent to families will include a Braille letter explaining this program and a co-branded Braille alphabet card featuring Snap, Crackle, and Pop, along with information about the NFB’s Braille programs.”
This is a fantastic idea that can help build a child’s self-esteem. It also helps a blind child to feel more included when their sighted peers are receiving lunchbox notes from their parents. But what about blind parents who have sighted children?
As a blind parent to a sighted six-year-old daughter, I am not able to easily share lunchbox notes. I was very intrigued by the talking snack box, especially since neither my daughter nor myself know braille.
I immediately ordered one and it is finally here!
The snack box is just big enough to hold one individually wrapped Rice Krispies Treat. There is a button in the lid that you hold in while recording a message to your child. As noted above, you can record for up to 10 seconds and re-record up to 1000 times. Your message automatically plays when the lid is lifted. Think of a greeting card that plays music when you open it.
If your child is blind or you are a blind parent of a sighted child like me, this is a great way to show that you care!
You can order the stickers or the talking snack box for free by clicking here.
