andy's abcs

 Just a few short weeks before Andy’s passing, the very first "ABC" took place—before anyone could have imagined what was to come. While shopping for school supplies for Andy’s older brother, Andy and his dad were waiting in line at the store. In front of them, a mother and her children were checking out when she asked the cashier to remove an item because she couldn’t afford it. Without hesitation, Andy’s dad stepped forward and paid for it. This simple act of kindness became a powerful memory—one that later inspired the idea of honoring Andy through acts of compassion. 

 Shortly after Andy’s passing, a close friend of his mom came to visit—simply to sit with her and offer comfort. During that visit, the friend shared a card she had made and titled it Andy’s ABCs. At that moment, there was no formal mission or plan—just a shared sense that something meaningful needed to be done to honor Andy and keep his spirit alive. From that simple gesture, the idea of Always Be Caring was born. It became the foundation for a movement rooted in random acts of kindness, inspired by the belief that you never truly know what someone else is going through—so choose compassion and care, always. 

 Andy’s ABCs has grown from a simple random acts of kindness project into a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting individuals with special needs and their families. What began as a tribute to Andy’s spirit of joy has evolved through lived experience and a painful realization: there is still a long way to go in fostering true understanding and awareness of disabilities. This journey has reshaped the mission of Andy’s ABCs—transforming it into a platform for advocacy, support, and education, all rooted in the enduring message to Always Be Caring.