SMILE Pearland is a newly developed project under the broader  SMILE 4 Special Needs  umbrella. It is a youth-led, inclusive program designed to support individuals with special needs and their families through engaging, skill-building activities in a welcoming and supportive environment. The program is part of the  Youth SMILE 4 Special Needs  initiative, organized by Hummingbird Community Outreach, PROMIS/AYLUS Pearland, and the Light and Salt Association. The January 17 ev

On the afternoon of January 10, volunteers organized the first Pearland My PlayClub event of the new year. As usual, we offered face painting, games, and arts and crafts. In addition, hot chocolate was served due to the cold weather. The event promoted inclusive play at the city’s first inclusive park, while also raising awareness for the fundraising efforts supporting the development of the second inclusive park. Volunteers: 3 hrs: Andy Shi, Bella Mao, Katherine Wu, Gloria Z

We kicked off the new year with an exciting bucket drumming class at GiGi’s Playhouse Sugar Land, a Down Syndrome Achievement Center. The class included students of mixed experience levels- some returning participants and others new to bucket drumming. We began by introducing and reviewing the different sounds produced when the drumsticks hit various parts of the bucket, including the center, rim, and sides. Volunteers then guided the students through a variety of patterns an

On December 23, our volunteers attended the SMILE Holiday Luncheon, where they assisted with serving lunch and presented an overview of the history of the youth-led SMILE for Special Needs program. Now in its fifth year, the program has served hundreds of individuals and families with special needs and inspired thousands of youth volunteers to serve and advocate for the special needs community. Program founder Aila Jiang shared the program’s history and impact and outlined f

On the evening of December 20, volunteers involved in the SMILE Pearland project gathered to provide feedback to the project sponsor, Light and Salt Association. The group reviewed program successes as well as areas for improvement, and offered suggestions for new activities to be incorporated into the curriculum. The goal of this session was to strengthen youth-led activities for the special needs community by supporting the development of participants’ gross motor, fine mot

SMILE Pearland is a community based event to support individuals with special needs and their families, that inaugurated in September 2025. The December event feature holiday crafts and music. At the beginning of event, there was a circle time when everyone stated their favorite activity and they like most during holiday season. The interest ranged from Santa, family getting together, Christmas gifts, lights. Then all participants make ornaments, holiday purse and a chocolate

On December 6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., we hosted the 3rd Annual SMILE Portrait Day for individuals with special needs and their families. A total of 27 families participated in this year’s event. With generous support from the City of Pearland, we set up two fully equipped photo booths to provide a smooth and welcoming portrait experience. Each participant left with a special holiday gift to make the day even more meaningful. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our photograp

On December 6, we organized Pearland My PlayClub #31 to promote inclusive play for children of all abilities. This special holiday session featured a variety of festive activities, including Photos with Santa, holiday-themed games, and a dedicated face-painting station. Each participant also received a goodie bag to take home, adding an extra touch of holiday cheer. The event created a warm, welcoming space for families to celebrate together and enjoy a fully inclusive play e

On November 23, 2025, we hosted the SMILE Pearland session with the theme “Healthy Living in the Holiday Season.” The event began with a warm-up circle where volunteers and participants introduced themselves and shared their favorite holiday foods. Volunteers then led an interactive activity about the importance of eating a variety of colorful foods and introduced the “eat the rainbow” concept. After demonstrating how to prepare a healthy salad and sandwich, all participants

On November 15, volunteers gathered at Ed Thompson Inclusive Park for My PlayClub #30, a monthly event dedicated to promoting inclusive play. The afternoon was filled with joy and laughter as families enjoyed face painting, bucket drumming, holiday crafts, and interactive games. Volunteers also supported the LSA Special Needs Caring Center’s fundraising efforts by hosting a booth that sold holiday pet wear, with all proceeds benefiting their job skills training program. More

The SMILE Pearland October session was held at the West Pearland Library on October 11. Volunteers and participants explored the theme of landscaping, learning about trees and flowers native to the Greater Houston area. They created beautiful paintings featuring oak trees and bluebonnets—the Texas state flower—using crayons, Q-tips, and acrylic paint. The group also discovered the habitat of the Texas state bird, the mockingbird, and listened to the wide variety of sounds it

Our volunteers were invited to join individuals with special needs from the LSA Special Needs Caring Center (SNCC) and Fort Bend Chinese...

In September 2025, SMILE 4 Special Needs volunteers began supporting the Pearland Miracle League’s fall season. During the games, they...

AYLUS Pearland PROMIS collaborating with Hummingbird Community Outreach and McGovern Medical School, is excited to announce the launch...

On September 9, volunteers came together at Ed Thompson Inclusive Park to host  My PlayClub #29 , a monthly event to promote inclusive...

For the second year in a row, we were excited to support the  Back to School Bash  at GiGi’s Playhouse Sugar Land, a Down Syndrome...

On August 9, volunteers came together at Ed Thompson Inclusive Park to host  My PlayClub #28 , an event dedicated to children with...

On August 3, Sulan Yang and Suya Yang collaborated to create illustrations of the bucket drumming activity and designed flyers for...

On August 1, volunteers led a fan painting session they designed for the campers. To begin, campers were invited to choose from several...

On July 31, volunteers taught the final bucket drumming class of the summer at GiGi’s Playhouse Sugar Land . They reviewed the skills...