The Holiday Comfort Project (HCP) and What We Do

My name is Oonagh Brault.

I have spent over 30 years working in the mental health, child welfare, and suicide prevention fields. Within this work my goal is to empower families to be able to advocate for their needs. I have been helping state agencies gain a better understanding of the importance of fully partnering with and listening to the voice of families, which exponentially improves outcomes for all involved. This is evidence-based practice.

I started the HCP just over two years ago to help bring comfort to children, adolescents and adults with intellectual disabilities in locked psychiatric settings or DCF emergency residential shelters throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The young people in locked psychiatric settings become more isolated over the winter holidays. Children placed in an emergency DCF residential shelter during the holiday season have been separated from everyone and everything they know including pets, toys and their home surroundings.

Why Stuffed Animals, Blankets and Socks?

SQUISHMALLOWS

These stuffed toys provide gentle comfort, helping both children and adults feel calmer and more secure after a traumatic experience. There is also evidence that they help different populations with neurodivergent issues such as autism. This is due to their shape, texture, colors and the density of their stuffing. They are hypoallergenic, machine washable, and 100% safe for people who may be in an institutional setting where safety is an issue.

OVERSIZED QUALITY SUPER SOFT THROW BLANKETS

For youth and adults who have experienced trauma, high quality, super soft throw blankets can feel grounding and offer a sense of safety. They can be a quiet place to retreat to when things feel overwhelming, or something safe to hide under.

FUZZY WARM SOCKS

For people who have experienced trauma, warm cozy socks can offer a body level reassurance by providing steady, gentle pressure on the feet which helps signal safety and a sense of security. Each child or adult always gets two pairs, so they have a pair to wear then the other pair is in the wash.

HCP’s Mission Statement and Volunteers

HCP’s Mission is to provide comfort to children, youth, and adults with intellectual disabilities in institutional settings by providing items such as Squishmallows, comfy throw blankets, and fluffy socks over the Winter Holidays.

We are so grateful and truly honored to have been able to gather a small group of dedicated individuals who understand and work with this population. We are striving to make life better for families and children across Massachusetts.

ADD PICTURE OF THE BOARD

Our Impact and Goal

This year the Holiday Comfort Project aims to get a comfort package for every bed reserved for a child, adolescent, or adult with intellectual disabilities, in a locked psychiatric setting or DCF emergency shelter across Massachusetts. We are not restricting it to beds occupied on Christmas day because we want everybody that is in, or enters, these settings between Christmas and New Year’s to receive our comfort package. We want these most forgotten, vulnerable people to know they are valued, remembered, and loved.

HCP in the News

Oonagh was interviewed about the Holiday Comfort Project on Channel 5 News. Check it out here:

Boston Channel 5 News interview