Debbie Smelko & TJ Smelko-To Be Like Me Fundraiser

We need your help to support To Be Like Me, a non-profit dedicated to educating our community about disabilities, breaking down barriers, and fostering empathy, compassion, and inclusion.

Meet TJ (pictured), a proud LEADer from the very beginning. He’s passionate about teaching sign language and raising awareness about what it’s like to be Deaf and live with Cerebral Palsy. Debbie, our former board president, served for three impactful years and is now helping to establish an advisory board to further our mission.

To Be Like Me is a unique disability awareness program led by individuals living with disabilities—our LEADers (Leaders in Education and Advocacy for Disabilities). Our mission is to break down barriers, illuminate the transformative power of inclusion, and ignite compassion within our communities. Through meaningful interactions with our LEADers, who are employed by our organization, we offer enriching learning experiences that foster empathy and equip our communities to be more inclusive.

We offer in-person field trips for school-aged children in Richardson and Dallas, as well as online programming for students and educators nationwide. Your donation will directly support the compensation of our LEADers, fund our essential programming, and help furnish our new space in Richardson’s Greenwood Hills neighborhood.

Thank you for joining us in making the world a more inclusive place for everyone.