SAN CLEMENTE, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2019 / Zuggy, Etc. is the brainchild of San Clemente resident, Jennifer Tracy. zuggyetc.com is an online store where you can buy T-Shirts (and even homemade peanut butter balls). So, what's the big deal about that? Well, Zuggy Etc., is a small little business she started with three of her best friends who happen to be young adult with Autism.
Ali, Isaiah and Juan - are a group of best friends Jennifer has cared for since they were children. Ms Tracy has a background in special needs care and education and spends over 50% of her days with these young men - giving them independence and life outside their homes. One thing the men all have in common when they hang out together - is a love for drawing. Jennifer thought their individual creations were so good - that they would make great T-Shirts. So, she asked them if they would like to start a business and sell their T-shirts and they all said, "Yes!"
SO, Jennifer created Zuggy, Etc., and the boys started churning out drawings each week to find their best work. Jennifer also wanted to teach them about helping others, so every month a new charity is chosen by the young men based on their interests and a portion of the sales goes back to a charity of the kids choice. This month's chosen charity is, Mavs Foundation, the Dallas Maverick's Foundation for women, children and families in need, inspired by Ali's love of basketball.
The website and online store give the three men an ongoing goal each week - coming up with new designs for T-Shirts, engaging and participating in the style and colors of shirts and deciding which charity will benefit from proceeds of shirt sales.
One other activity these three men have enjoyed while spending time with each other and Jennifer - is baking. So, Jennifer also oversees and helps the boys produce a line of homemade peanut butter balls that she sells on the online market, Etsy under Auntie's Famous Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Balls, a name the boys gave to their favorite sweets when they were kids. The money earned through sales of their sweet and tasty confections - goes toward outings for the young men who enjoying shopping, traveling and going to the beach. Zuggy, Etc. wants to showcase their great shirts and help with the awareness of autism and the special needs community.
Ali is 22 years old loves basketball; Juan loves shopping and anything with numbers; Isaiah loves the beach and the pool. Jennifer loves spending time with her family and recently founded a charity for special needs named Kahuna Cares Foundation to honor her father famed surfer Terry "Tubesteak" Tracy (the Original 'Big Kahuna' from The Gidget movies) who passed away in 2012.
You can look for Zuggy, Etc. on Facebook, Etsy and online at zuggyetc.com.
CONTACT:
949-370-1083
SOURCE: Kahuna Cares Foundation