GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - You might have observed a small band of do-gooders out and about in our community.    

Founded in 2017, the non-profit group “Angels Who Care” serves the better part of Butte County, focusing on people who are financially stressed, elderly, in need and community service in general.

Many of the members, including the adult supervisors, have intellectual disabilities, such as ADHD. President Francean Kennedy said that the Angels program helps “keep the youth and (young) adults out of trouble.” She said, “We give you something to do… When you don’t have something to do, that’s when you get into trouble.”

It began at the family level. One day Kennedy noticed that her children and children’s friends were not outside playing like she had thought. Instead, they were out helping an elderly neighbor clean up their yard.  She says that she called them in and sat them down, saying that it wasn’t safe for them to be doing those things alone, working with strangers. They expressed that they wanted to help people. “Angels” was officially formed so that they could continue their work.

Kennedy says that the children are the masterminds behind all the service events. “They create the events, say what they want to do, we write down how they say things and we (adults) run their event.” Events include free Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners which are prepared and served by the children (with adult supervision of course), toy and coat drives, educational camp outs, city park clean-up days, helping seniors with laundry, housework and more.

Angels Who Care helps reinforce that even those with disabilities can be a major force for good in their communities. “A lot of people think that intellectually disabled people can’t do much - they just think we sit at home being disabled,” say Kennedy, “but we are actually out in the community proving that we can make a difference.”

Since then the group has grown to about 20 members and invites other area youth and adults to join them in serving the community. “We are always looking for more adult members and children,” says Kennedy. Anyone can join by visiting their Facebook page. The little angels “want other kids to join them instead of being out there getting in trouble. They want to spread a positive image–enjoy life and go out and do good things because when you do good things, you feel good about yourself.”