Children and families affected by Down Syndrome in The Bahamas will benefit from $11,000 raised during DQ's Miracle Treat Day as the treat company earmarked this year's money to assist The Bahamas Down Syndrome & Friends Center, Stapledon School and Hopedale Center.
DQ donated $2 from every blizzard sold on July 27 to local schools and organizations that support people with Down syndrome.
"There is tremendous need in our community, and the support Miracle Treat Day Bahamas receives encourages us to continue giving back in this special way to the children and families in our community who need it most," said DQ representative Derek Osborne.
The Bahamas Down Syndrome & Friends Center supports more than 50 children and adults between the age of eight and 50. The center provides specialized and intensive education as well as speech, physio and occupational therapy. For adults, math, English, reading, writing, cooking, art and music as well as outings to the grocery store, bank and other field trips are offered.
Cheryl Johnson-Newell, Bahamas Down Syndrome & Friends Center founder and president said they were grateful to DQ for selecting them as one of the beneficiaries of this year's Miracle Treat Day initiative.
"We spend so much time knocking on doors for assistance that it's truly refreshing to have a community-minded organization like DQ reach out to us with a helping hand. Those with Down syndrome are so loving, we call them the love doctors, and so to have DQ show us this kind of love is truly overwhelming," said Johnson-Newell.
In September, the center will open Ty's Place, a coffee shop and juice bar owned and worked by the adults of The Bahamas Down Syndrome & Friends Center. The venture is expected to not only provide gainful employment for those with Down syndrome, but give them ownership in the venture as well.
"We are so excited to open Ty's Place. Too many of our adults with Down syndrome are underutilized -- sitting at home and not using the skills they have. This will enable them to have ownership in something and give them purpose, a reason to wake up every morning," she said.
This was the fourth year that DQ Bahamas has participated in Miracle Treat Day, which has been celebrated for more than 30 years across the United States and Canada.
Osborne said their goal is to not only raise funds for those who need it, but to shine a light on their cause, and bring awareness that will help to sensitize the public to those people with special needs.
Since 2014, DQ's Miracle Treat Day has raised more than $32,000 for local children and non-profit organizations in need, helping to create miracles for those with cancer, diabetes, autism and Down syndrome.
DQ will host the fifth annual Miracle Treat Day Bahamas in summer 2018. Organizations wishing to pledge their support in advance may visit www.miracletreatday242.com or email DQ242MTD@gmail.com.

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