When Danielle Grandholm’s daughter, Sammy, was born in 2020, her arrival came with an unexpected diagnosis — Down syndrome. Danielle remembers the moment vividly.
“The nurses brought her over to me, and I just knew,” she says. “I asked, ‘Does she have Down syndrome?’ and the whole room went silent.”
That silence marked the beginning of a deeply emotional journey. While hospital staff were kind and supportive, Danielle and her husband were sent home from Lakeland Hospital with little more than a two-page Google printout explaining what Down syndrome is. The couple found themselves navigating a maze of unfamiliar medical terms, specialists, and emotional challenges — and doing so in the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We felt completely alone,” Danielle recalls. “We didn’t know anyone walking this road.”
Out of that experience came Rising Kites, a Bridgman-based nonprofit dedicated to helping families facing a new Down syndrome diagnosis, find connection, encouragement, and hope. Founded in 2021, the organization provides hospitals, birthing centers, and prenatal clinics with resource bags designed to reach families from the very beginning of their journey.
Each Rising Kites Bag includes a letter from Danielle’s family, a book about Down syndrome, a children’s story featuring a child with the condition, and a folder filled with practical resources — from state-specific support services to contact information for nearby families.
“We wanted parents to know they’re not alone,” Danielle says. “That their child is something to celebrate.”
A recent guest on The WSJM Morning Show with Ken & Friends, Danielle says since the first bag was delivered four years ago, Rising Kites has distributed more than 3,400 bags across all 50 states and in over 22 countries.
That global reach began simply — through word of mouth and social media. “Once you enter the Down syndrome community, you meet families all over the world,” Danielle says. “It’s a very connected group of people.”
The organization’s name, Rising Kites, comes from a deeply personal story. Before Sammy was born, Danielle and her husband had experienced miscarriages and a season of infertility. When they discovered they were expecting again, they celebrated by flying a red octopus kite on a beach in Maine. Months later, after Sammy’s birth, a friend gifted them a children’s book called We’ll Paint the Octopus Red — about a family welcoming a baby with Down syndrome.
“I flipped open our calendar, and that same picture — of us flying a red octopus kite — was on the month of one of Sammy’s appointments,” Danielle says. “It was such a clear reminder that she was known, loved, and celebrated before we even met her.”
To Danielle, the kite became a symbol of joy, resilience, and rising above fear — an image she now uses to describe every family touched by Down syndrome. “A rising kite represents celebration,” she says. “It’s helping these individuals soar.”
Beyond the care packages, Rising Kites has expanded into creating meaningful job opportunities for people with disabilities. The nonprofit operates Rising Kites Coffee, a Bridgman coffee shop at 4158 Lake St, employing 13 individuals with disabilities, and Rising Kites Flowers, a nearby flower farm that offers seasonal employment and a subscription delivery service.
“These programs give people real-world job skills and a place to belong,” Danielle says. “They’re learning, connecting, and contributing in ways that make our whole community stronger.”
Funding comes through donations, grants, and community partnerships — including the Stephen E. Upton Love Your Community Grant, which helped launch the coffee shop, and a recent $93,000 gift from the Associated Builders and Contractors of West Michigan.
For Danielle, though, the work is more than numbers and programs — it’s about reframing the way the world sees Down syndrome.
“My husband and I truly believe it’s a gift,” she says. “Our lives are better because of our daughter and the people she’s introduced us to. We just want every family to know that.”
Families, supporters, and volunteers can learn more at risingkites.org or visit risingkitescoffee.org for information about the coffee and flower programs.
“Sammy has changed everything for us,” Danielle says, smiling. “She’s the reason we do this. She’s our rising kite.”
