Clay Aiken has announced the new name for the foundation he co-founded with Diane Bubel(photo from the National Inclusion Project website).
In an open letter from both Clay Aiken and Diane Bubel they state in part:
"The Bubel/Aiken Foundation grew out of the relationship between the two of us and Diane’s son, Mike, a 13 year old with autism. The bond between us grew strong as we shared a vision of a world where children like Mike could be fully immersed in society. We had both witnessed children with disabilities repeatedly turned away from activities opened to typical children. We met while Clay was pursuing a degree in special education at UNC-Charlotte. As part of that pursuit, Clay completed an independent study project where he created a foundation that focused on providing the support system for recreational and educational programs around the country to open doors to children with disabilities that had thus far remained closed. We realized that an organized effort could encourage and facilitate community inclusion and empowerment of individuals with disabilities. This shared goal grew into reality on July 28, 2003 when we officially announced the creation of The Bubel/Aiken Foundation."
Per National Inclusion Project's site, in six years, the Foundation has worked with hundreds of programs, trained numerous staff members and leaders, and provided inclusive opportunities for over 20,000 children. For more information, please visit:
Clay Aiken is more than just your usual pop star. Clay has also been a proponent for children all around the world. His UNICEF visits have taken him to Indonesia, Uganda, Afghanistan, Mexico and Somalia - all to help raise awareness of the plight of children on a global basis.
What else has Clay done? He co-founded a wonderful organization, started out of love, and continues to grow. The Bubel/Aiken Foundation now helping kids in 20 different states.
Want to learn more about The Bubel/Aiken Foundation? Check it out at
Clay Aiken spent six hours online at the Clay Aiken Official Fan Club answering questions from his fans - Clay even answered one of my questions!!!
Clay said he was going to go out with a bang, and he sure did. Clay gave us the gift of music and, in true Clay Aiken fashion, requested we donate to The Bubel/Aiken Foundation in any amount that we can:
"We are gonna do this on the “honor system”… Go ahead…. download the song. It’s yours. Share it with your friends. It’s free. But… I want to make it count for someone… so let’s make it count for tens of thousands of children in the US with developmental disabilities If you can’t afford anything for it.. then don’t pay… but… if you can… I encourage you… I ask of you… that you make a donation to the Bubel/Aiken Foundation for how ever much you feel the song is worth. If you want to give $1… great. If you want to give $1000… GREAT… if you can only give $.05 … that’s fine too. It’s a tough time we’re living through nowadays, and non-profits are hurting more than ever as well. BAF (which will soon be known by a different name) has had amazing success in fulfilling it’s mission, and is embarking on a long term plan to continue including kids in every aspect of life. But, it will continue to need help from all of us in order to make that possible."
For more information, check out The Clay Aiken News Network by clicking the link below
It's time of year!! Time for "Dancing Like the Stars", a fund raiser to benefit The Bubel/Aiken Foundation. The Bubel/Aiken Foundation was co-founded in 2003 by Clay Aiken and Diane Bubel. It's Mission? to bridge the gap that exists between young people with special needs and the world around them
For more information, and to view the videos, please check out The Clay Aiken News Network
Clay Aiken is a man with a heart as big as his voice. Clay is an advocate for children on a global basis. As a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, he has traveled the world in order to educate us on the plight of children on a global basis.
Closer to home, on October , 18 2008 The Bubel/Aiken Foundation (co-founded by Clay & Diane Bubel) hosted their 2008 Champions of Change gala.
The 2008 Recipients were CVS Caremark, Corporate Champion of Change; Dan Habib and Betsy McNamara, Champions of Change; and Rich Donovan, Champion of Change. Follows is a brief description of this year's recipients as posted on the Bubel/Aiken Foundation website
CVS Caremark Charitable Trust was honored as a Corporate Champion of Change for their outstanding efforts to improve the lives of children with disabilities. The five-year, $25 million CVS Caremark All Kids Can program supports nonprofit organizations helping children with disabilities in school, in recreation and in developing skills for successful lives, all within an inclusive environment.
Champions of Change Dan Habib and Betsy McNamara turned their personal goal of educational and social inclusion for their son Samuel into a universal goal of ensuring that all children have the tools to reach their full potential. The result is the film Including Samuel, which tells their son’s story of inclusion, along with the trials and triumphs of four other subjects. Dan is an award-winning photojournalist, director and producer of documentary films. Betsy is a fundraising consultant and an inclusion advocate who is the mother of Samuel, who has cerebral palsy, and Isaiah, who is typically developing.
Rich Donovan was recognized as a Champion of Change for applying his world-class business acumen to creating means of empowerment for people with disabilities. He was a key to Merrill Lynch’s diversity strategy. As CEO of Integrated Process Solutions, Rich provides large corporations and governments with ready-for-action profit opportunities as a “return on disability”. Rich, who happens to have cerebral palsy, is Board Chairman of Lime Connect, showing real-life solutions - and real financial advantages - to hiring, working with, and providing products and services for people with disabilities. In serving children, he is an advocate of education as essential to the future economic and social success of individuals with disabilities.
The gala included dinner, both a live and silent auction and a special performance by Clay Aiken.
The Bubel/Aiken Foundation was founded on July 28, 2003, based on the shared vision between Clay and co-founder Diane Bubel of a world where special needs children could be fully immersed in society.
Here's a video of some of the highlights of an amazing night.
We're coming up quickly to Clay Aiken's 2008 Champions of Change Gala. Well, maybe not CLAY'S Gala, but The Bubel/Aiken Foundation's Gala!
This years honorees are a diverse group but they have one thing in common - an inclusive world, where specialneeds children interact and learn from typically developing children (or maybe it's the typically developing children interact and learn from special needs children). To read more about this year's honorees visit The Bubel/Aiken website at TBAF News
This should be an amazing evening - including auctions and entertainment! For a list of auction items, visit The Bubel/Aiken website at TBAF Gala Auction (sniff, I want that Carolina Hurricanes Jersey - like LOTS!!!)
Finally, here's a clip preview from "Including Samuel" - a documentary film by Champions of Change honorees Dan Habib and Betsy McNamara.
Clay Aiken has taught me quite a bit in the past five years. Some of these lessons I knew, but Clay reinforced the ideals.
Clay Aiken is a different kind of celebrity - he cares. He defined his path early on in life and has not deviated from his goal. That goal? To lead a life of service.
Clay has proven in his actions that he is here to make a difference, to affect the lives of others in a positive way. Whether it's through his affiliation with UNICEF (UNICEF site) or his own foundation, The Bubel/Aiken Foundation (TBAF Site), he is making a difference.
One of the ways that Clay makes a difference is through education. Prior to American Idol, Clay's path was to become a special education teacher. In his book Learning to Sing, Clay points out that
"I was planning to teach in the classroom. I am still teaching. My classroom has just gotten a lot bigger."
This was true in 2005 and remains true to this day.
I have learned a lot from Clay Aiken, more than this blog can handle. I have learned about love and I have learned about hatred. I have learned that "family" comes in many shapes and forms. Clay puts this best when he writes of the couple who took he and his mother in after they left his biological father ~
"What I learned from Nanny and Pop, and their children, and all the folks who came to our aid in those difficult times, is that family is what you make of it. Family is about love."
Through Clay, I have found an amazing family on the Internet. These people come from all walks of life, every age, race, religion and political affiliation. What we have in common is Clay and through Clay, and what he has taught each of us, we are also making a difference. We have embraced his causes. We have given, volunteered, learned more and become active participants in this world. It feels good. It feels right.
With that, here's a little video about Everything that I Needed to Know I Learned from Clay Aiken. Hope you enjoy
