ROANOKE, Va. – At Virginia Heights School, the faces of children light up when they see toys that look just like them, complete with hearing aids and other assistive devices. The Toy Like Me program is making sure kids with disabilities see themselves reflected in the toys they play with — and that inclusion is making all the difference.
Frances McCutcheon, a professor at Roanoke College, started the program to help children feel seen and included. “It makes a difference for the kids’ health, their community, and their therapists. Each toy touches about 100 people,” McCutcheon said.
Virginia Heights, home to the Roanoke Valley Regional Program for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, recently received a special delivery. Students from Roanoke College’s Disability Studies and American Sign Language programs brought toys that reflect the children they serve.
Maryearl Varat, a volunteer, explained the impact of the program: “It’s tough when you can’t hear or understand everyone else. This community is special.”
The program’s impact is long-lasting. One teacher recalled, “I had the honor of having the first group graduate, and they still talk about it 9 years later. They’re talking about, ‘Do you remember that time at Virginia Heights when they came and gave us toys that look like us with our colliers and hearing aids?’ So seeing that and hearing that, the impact is huge.”
Next year marks 10 years of Toy Like Me, and Virginia Heights looks forward to keeping the joy alive for many more children.