Caroline’s cart is a specially designed shopping cart for children with special needs. This cart provides a very important solution for parents for grocery shopping by eliminating the need to maneuver a wheelchair as well as a grocery cart. This innovative idea came into reality when Drew Ann’s daughter Carolina outgrew a typical shopping cart. Caroline was born with a rare disorder Rett syndrome that requires her to use a wheelchair. When Drew Ann could not find a ready solution, she took it upon herself to provide one. She designed and brought her idea to the market helping countless families. Caroline’s cart is used in all 50 states in the USA as well as 8 other countries. More Info
Making a difference in the community for people with disabilities Caroline’s Cart(CC) makes shopping POSSIBLE for millions of families worldwide. The special needs community is the world’s largest minority group yet highly underserved and often called the invisible population. By providing Caroline’s Cart, stores provide an atmosphere of acceptance and inclusion while gaining a loyal customer base. Having special needs children out in our communities, participating in typical peer activities, even grocery shopping - brings a public awareness to make inclusion a priority in our evolving culture.
Inspiration behind Caroline's Cart My(Drew Ann Long) daughter Caroline is my inspiration. When she outgrew all the variety of shopping carts that stores provide I honestly could not believe there was not a special needs shopping cart. I knew this was a problem that could no long be ignored. If stores are going to provide shopping carts for their typical customers, they must also provide shopping carts for their special needs customers. It all started with a napkin drawing and the rest is history.
Who can benefit from Caroline's Cart Anyone who needs assistance while shopping. Caroline’s Cart holds up to 250 pounds allowing both children and adults to benefit. Please remember not all disabilities are visible. Many who CAN walk NEED to use CC. Many elderly need the cart – not everyone can drive electric scooters. CC has been a tremendous benefit to the Autism community as well.
Our message Advocate. Acceptance and inclusion should be standard in ALL communities. But this kind of acceptance and inclusion isn’t going to happen automatically. We must challenge communities at the local level and the business we interact with daily to be forward thinkers, and to no longer ignore and exclude the growing special needs population. It is essential that inclusion and acceptance of everyone moves to the forefront of our conversations, breaking down barriers, in order to provide equal access and equal opportunities for all citizens. “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” Helen Keller
