Welcome to In Good Co., your weekly dispatch on neurodiversity and causes worth caring about.

💜 Stimmates® Spotlight

Why Sleep Is the Ultimate Superpower for Neurodivergent Kids

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Eye-Opening Stat: 80% of autistic children experience sleep challenges, from difficulty falling asleep to frequent awakenings, compared to 30% of neurotypical kids. (National Autistic Society, 2025)

For neurodivergent kids, like those with autism, ADHD, or sensory processing differences, sleep is the secret sauce for emotional regulation. When sleep is solid, meltdowns mellow. But when it’s elusive, it can stimulate sensory overload, ramp up stimming, and amplify anxieties.

Sensory sensitivities, for example, might make a lumpy pillow feel like a pile of rocks, anxiety can spark racing thoughts, and atypical melatonin levels can throw off natural rhythms. But making subtle tweaks to routines can turn rough nights into much-needed R&R.

Experts highlight personalized approaches: Establishing consistency, optimizing environments for comfort, and incorporating tools like CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia) or melatonin (under medical advice).

Physical activity during the day also helps burn energy for ADHD, while weighted blankets provide deep pressure for autistic kids seeking calm. It's about experimenting with love and patience to find what works.

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The Co.’s Take: Sleep challenges in neurodivergent children are common but conquerable. For autism and ADHD, it’s key to honor individual needs, creating sensory-safe sanctuaries and routines that foster rest and fuel your little one’s full potential.

✅ 5 Quick Tips for Better Sleep for Neurodivergent Kids

  1. 🛏️ Establish a predictable bedtime routine every night to help your child’s body and mind prepare for rest.
  2. 🌙 Create a peaceful sleep environment using blackout curtains and white noise to minimize distractions.
  3. 📵 Limit screen time at least an hour before bed to avoid overstimulation and encourage natural sleep hormones.
  4. 🧸 Introduce comforting items like a weighted blanket or soft toy to help your child feel secure and relaxed.
  5. ⏰ Be patient and consistent. Changing sleep habits is a gentle persistence but can lead to lasting progress.

Learn more at Stimmates®, a welcoming, safe space for neurodivergent people and their families to connect and thrive. Explore resources, share authentic experiences, and find support designed to make life a little less isolating.

💚 Communitees™ Corner

Pencils of Promise: Building Classrooms in Underserved Communities Around the World

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Did You Know? Pencils of Promise has built more than 600 schools across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, impacting nearly 300,000 students by providing access to quality education worldwide.

Founded in 2008 by Adam Braun after a transformative backpacking trip to India, Pencils of Promise has grown into a global leader advancing educational equity.

Operating in Ghana, Guatemala, and Laos, PoP partners with local governments and communities to build schools, train teachers, and implement critical Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) programs. Their model actively involves communities contributing up to 20% of labor or materials, ensuring ownership and sustainable impact.

Home - Pencils of Promise
Pencils of Promise creates a better world through education, building schools, and WASH programs. Become a part of something bigger than yourself!
Pencils of Promise

School Builds

PoP goes beyond bricks and mortar. They partner with Ministries of Education and local communities to build schools and construct classrooms in some of the most underserved communities around the world.

Teacher Support

Recognizing that great education depends on skilled teachers, PoP provides workshops introducing innovative teaching methods aligned with curricula. Teachers receive ongoing 1:1 coaching to reinforce skills, boosting literacy and engagement for students in these communities.

WASH Programs

Health and education go hand in hand. PoP’s WASH initiatives install vital infrastructure like toilets and water filters, and educate students and communities on best hygiene practices. These efforts reduce illness, keeping children healthy and able to attend school regularly.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

Pencils of Promise proves that when education is accessible and inclusive, entire communities can flourish. Supporting PoP means investing in a brighter tomorrow for children, regardless of where they were born.

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Friends & Co. (Spread the Love): We’re proud to spotlight Pencils of Promise in this week’s newsletter. Here are some other orgs dedicated to making quality education accessible worldwide. Please support and share their work.
  • 📚 Room to Read: Focuses on literacy and gender equality in education across Asia and Africa.
  • 📖 BuildOn: Builds schools and runs learning programs to break the cycle of poverty through education.
  • 👧🏽 Camfed: Empowers girls and young women through education and leadership training in Africa.
  • 🚌 Teach For All: A network of independent organizations expanding educational opportunity in underserved communities worldwide.

Learn more at Communitees™, where cause-driven apparel gives more visibility to missions that matter. We collaborate with nonprofits, artists, and advocates to amplify messages of hope, equity, and change.

💙 Advocacy Angle

The Political Divide: Beyond Propaganda and Polarization

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Eye-Opening Stat: 58% of Democrats and 45% of Republicans want leaders who prioritize compromise, even if it means concessions to get things done. (Pew Research Center, 2025)

I’m writing this from a place of genuine curiosity and a bit of frustration, because politics these days often feels like an endless tug-of-war. Now, more than ever, it seems that all sides are locked in what seems like an irreconcilable fight, just shouting past each other.

But here's what I've come to realize: underneath all that chaos, most of us (for the most part) are chasing the same things: safety for our families, dignity in our daily lives, and real opportunities to thrive. So why does it feel like we're ripping society apart at the seams?

A big culprit is propaganda.

It's the calculated messaging engineered to sway your opinion, rally extremists, and consolidate power.

Whether it's coming from political machines, media giants, or even advocacy groups with good intentions, propaganda amps up our differences, floods us with misinformation, and turns our neighbors into our enemies.

Sometimes it's outright manipulation designed to benefit a select few. Other times, it's from folks genuinely trying to spark change for the greater good.

Either way, it warps our view of the world (and each other), boiling down nuanced human experiences into black-and-white "us versus them" stories. It builds walls where we should be building bridges.

And as someone passionate about identity and inclusion, I see how this is playing out for marginalized communities. Propaganda exploits vulnerabilities, spreads stigma, and drowns out voices calling for equity and equality.

Understanding the left-right spectrum has helped me see that political labels are just that: labels.

Behind the labels are real people with real struggles and needs far more alike than we’re led to believe.

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The Co.’s Take: Imagine spending your whole life deliberately spreading misinformation to sow division? Propaganda twists reality to manipulate public sentiment. It simplifies complex issues, fans fear, and magnifies differences. Spotting these tactics helps us question the narratives we’re fed and focus on finding common ground.

✅ Action Steps: Make It Personal. Make It Policy.

🗣️ Raise your voice. Find and contact your elected representatives. Keep them on speed dial and urge them to promote transparency, resist propaganda, and support policies that foster unity and informed public discourse.

🇺🇸 United States

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

🇨🇦 Canada: Find and contact your Member of Parliament.

🇪🇺 European Union: Find your official parliament contact.

🇦🇺 Australia: Find your federal MP or Senator.

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Friends & Co. (Spread the Love): We’re proud to support these organizations leading the fight against misinformation, political propaganda, and for media literacy and democracy worldwide:

💛 Before You Co.

Eddie’s Weekly Wrap-Up

I like to close each issue with a little love to carry you through the week. Consider it good vibes for good Co.

🎵 Sing w/the Co. | Apple Juice by Teddy Swims

Teddy Swims has become one of my new favorite artists. Something about this track makes me warm inside.

📚 Read w/the Co. | If I Ever Have Boys by Daragh Fleming

Daragh Fleming is an Irish poet, writer, and mental health advocate. He has spoken extensively at universities and workplaces across Ireland and delivered a TEDx Talk on creativity at NUIG in November 2023.

His poem blew up on the internet after capturing hearts with its powerful message about toxic masculinity.

📺 Watch w/the Co. | My Octopus Teacher (2020)

This documentary explores the bond between a man and an octopus, reminding us of nature’s uncanny beauty.

🛍️ Shop w/the Co. | Thrive Market

Thrive Market is an online marketplace offering thousands of organic and non-GMO groceries, household items, and wellness products at discounted prices. Its mission is to make healthy living affordable and accessible by combining convenience, quality, and sustainability.

Organic, Healthy Grocery Delivery Online | Thrive Market
High quality organic groceries, delivered to you! Great prices on healthy products and diet-friendly foods from the best brands. Most orders ship free!
Thrive Market

❤️ Spread the Love and keep the good vibes going. We’re not backed by sponsors or grants, so every little bit helps.

👉 Subscribe to In Good Co. for weekly wake-up calls on neurodiversity, advocacy, and causes worth supporting.

👉 Join the Co. to fuel projects like Stimmates® and Communitees™ and keep our mission thriving.

👉 Connect with us. Share your story, amplify a cause, or get featured in our weeklyIssue newsletter.

👉 Meet our Friends & Co. These are the orgs featured in our newsletter who help keep our mission alive.