She had read about Kids for Kids and what they were doing to transform children’s lives in Darfur and, with the help of her mother, Kathy, she emailed Patricia from her home in Oregon, USA, to ask if she could help. What Cassidy then did changed many lives.
Instead of feeling helpless, Cassidy decided she wanted to raise money for goats. She knew that goat’s milk would be good for children with little to eat.
Cassidy came up with a wonderfully creative idea. She would make cat toys.
The handmade shoe company Softstar Shoes generously gave Cassidy leather and sheepskin scraps left over from making their shoes. Instead of letting these beautiful materials go to waste, Cassidy and her little friends turned them into small catnip-filled toys they called “Playful Pancakes.”
They sold the toys at local events and on the internet – which was in its early days! – and quickly discovered that people loved the idea.
In just the first two years, Cassidy and her friends made hundreds of toys, raising enough money to buy 250 goats for families in Darfur.
Cassidy told her cousin in California what she was doing. St Gabriel’s school in San Francisco adopted Kids for Kids. They raised enough for a handpump. That handpump is still giving fresh water to children in a remote village, out of sight of the world! All thanks to one child being ’angry’ and determine to do something
What began as one child’s idea has transformed lives thousands of miles away. And continues to do so as all Kids for Kids goats are lent to families for two years, and then the same number of goats they have received are passed to another family, and so on. One goat becomes many goats meaning many children are drinking their milk – saving their lives.
Cassidy’s story inspired the team at Softstar. They decided to continue supporting the project by making the toys themselves in their workshop, using the same leftover leather and sheepskin from their handmade shoes.
Today, 100% of the proceeds from the cat toys are donated to Kids for Kids, helping provide goats to families who desperately need them.
Softstar also donates the materials, labour and shipping, ensuring that every purchase goes directly to supporting children and families in Darfur.
Softstar’s approach reflects a beautiful philosophy: walking lightly on the earth.
Their shoes are handmade with care and designed for healthy feet, but they are equally committed to reducing waste. By using off-cuts of fabric and leather from their shoes to create the cat toys, they show how creativity and sustainability can go hand in hand.
Cassidy’s idea not only helped children in Sudan, but it also demonstrated how reusing materials can reduce environmental impact while supporting a good cause.
Cassidy was only seven when she decided to act. Her compassion and determination inspired a company, mobilised her friends, and have continued helping families in Darfur for nearly two decades.
Her story reminds us of something powerful: One child’s idea really can change the world.
You can support Cassidy’s incredible initiative today. Buy a Playful Pancake cat toy and help provide goats for families in Darfur. Because sometimes, the smallest ideas, even a little cat toy, can make the biggest difference.
Pictures of Cat Toys are from the Softstar Shoes website and available to purchase today: https://www.softstarshoes.com/playful-pancakes-cat-toys-for-charity.html
