KultureCity raises thousands for LifeBOKS Campaign
KultureCity raised $2,547 during a free pizza event at The Summit.
The event was a collaboration between KultureCity and Pieology Pizzeria, a new pizza restaurant that opens this week.
Pieology held a training event on Aug. 25, where employees prepared free pizza for customers prior to the store’s official opening. While these training events are typical, owner Lin Stinson said this is the first time Pieology has paired with a charity.
“It’s a great opportunity to be able to work with them [KultureCity],” Stinson said.
Customers were able to try one of Pieology’s signature pizzas for free from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and from 6-8p.m. They also had the opportunity to donate to KultureCity, a locally operated non-profit which seeks to help individuals with autism and their families.
KultureCity is using the money raised at this event to provide free LifeBOKS toolkits to families with children with autism. The toolkit is geared toward helping in wandering situations, when a child with autism might leave a safe area and potentially enter a dangerous situation.
A LifeBOKS includes a family emergency plan, a QR code shoe ID tag that can be used to pull the child’s identifying information, a tracking bracelet, an autism information booklet and a wandering information booklet. It costs $18 to make and is distributed to families for free.
Carol Adkins, a board member with KultureCity, said the group’s cause is close to her heart because she has a 20-year-old niece with autism. There have been times when her niece has wandered, and a bracelet similar to the one in LifeBOKS would have been beneficial.
With the money raised, KultureCity can provide around 140 of the toolkits to families.
Bryan Moody, manager of the Old Navy at The Summit, said he heard about the fundraiser through a flyer from Pieology.
“My staff has been waiting for this place to open,” Moody said.
He hadn’t heard of KultureCity before receiving the flyer, but Moody chose to donate at the event. By supporting the LifeBOKs toolkits, Moody received a KultureCity T-shirt.
Pieology opens Thursday, Aug. 27 and is located at 325 Summit Blvd. For more information visit pieology.com.
For more information about KultureCity and the LifeBOKS toolkit, visit kulturecity.org.