Packed with Care

Stuffed animals. Fidget spinners. Sunglasses. Soft blankets. These are some of the items in an LGM bag. LGM stands for Ledger Greyson Mann, the Virginia 9-year-old who created the bags. The clear backpacks hold items that can help calm a child with autism in a stressful situation. Ledger gives the bags to police officers and other first responders.

BAGS TO GO On June 6, Ledger takes part in the Louisa County Sheriff’s Office Special Needs and Autism Awareness Festival.

Ledger’s dad, J.T. Mann, is a sergeant with Virginia’s Prince George County Police Department. One day last fall, he got a call about an autistic child who had gone missing. The child was found safe a few hours later. When Sergeant Mann told Ledger what had happened, Ledger’s bright idea was born.

Ledger and his dad have packed and distributed more than 450 bags. In the beginning, the bags went to first responders in Prince George County and nearby areas only. Since then, father and son have delivered the bags to police officers, firefighters, and paramedics in Florida, Maryland, and West Virginia. Ledger’s motivation is simple: “To help other children,” he told TIME for Kids. “And I have autism myself.”

SPECIAL DELIVERY Ledger drops off LGM bags to the Hopewell, Virginia, Fire Department.

Helpful Items

In the United States, one out of every 31 children has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, or ASD. It’s a condition that can affect how a person learns, behaves, and communicates.

“Autism doesn’t look like any one thing,” Ledger’s mom, Amanda, says. Some kids might be sensitive to loud noises, bright lights, or touch. That’s why LGM bags have headphones, sunglasses, and blankets. Others might be nonverbal. Dry erase boards are included in the bags so kids “can write on the boards to talk, or draw stuff,” Ledger says.

IT’S AN HONOR Ledger is recognized for his service project by the sheriff and City Council of Colonial Heights, Virginia.

What’s Ledger’s favorite item in the bags? “Oh, definitely stuffed animals,” he says. “I have, like, a ginormous pile of them.” What’s comforting to Ledger helps other kids too.

Bags of Hope

Ledger used $100 from his piggy bank to make the first LGM bags. As people learned about the project, they stepped up to support it. Many organizations sent money to help fund the project. Today, the Mann family’s garage is filled with items donated by community members.

READY TO SERVE Ledger attends a Law Enforcement Appreciation Day event in Ashland, Virginia, on May 17.

Sports and school keep Ledger busy. Still, “every day, between football and doing jiujitsu and all that, we go and try to make five or 10 bags,” Ledger’s dad says. There’s a strict packing system. “Ledger is quality control,” Ledger’s mom says. “If I do it and it’s out of order, I hear about it!”

FLY HIGH Ledger and his dad pause for a picture after taking bags to the Virginia State Police Aviation Unit.

When officials in Ulster County, New York, heard about Ledger and his bags, they wanted to make their own. Now there’s one for every ambulance in the county. “His leadership at such a young age is truly inspiring,” Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger said in a statement last May. “In emergency situations,” she adds, the bags “will help create a calmer, safer, and more supportive experience for individuals with autism and their families.”

What’s next on Ledger’s service journey? His goal is crystal clear: “Do all America, baby!”

Inspired?

Let Ledger’s story inspire you to promote health and wellness in your community. Click below for ideas on how you can make a positive difference.