Today we’d like to introduce you to Robyn Rosenberger.
Hi Robyn, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for sharing your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
In 2012 I lived in Seattle, Washington, with my husband, Joe, and our 1-year-old son. A woman out of Illinois began a Facebook Page for updates about her daughter Brenna, who was the same age as my son and was born with a severe skin disorder called Harlequin Ichthyosis. Her condition was life-threatening. I will never forget the moment that I was rocking my son, reading her story, and wondering – if I were in the same situation, would I be as full of grace and gratitude as she was? Of course, she was scared, but her gratitude for everyone helping her daughter stuck out to me. I was making superhero capes at the time (initiated by a nephew’s 2nd birthday), and one day it hit me – Brenna needed a cape! That one small, unremarkable choice to mail Brenna a cape changed the trajectory of my entire life. I received a gorgeous photo of Brenna in her cape alongside her brother in his cape, and I was hooked. Anytime a story would pop up in my feed of a child who was a superhero, I would send them a cape. Some unanticipated media coverage pushed me forward quickly, and TinySuperheroes began.
We have sent over 120,000 capes to children in all 50 states and 22+ countries. TinySuperheroes’ Mission is to empower extraordinary kids as they overcome illness or disability. There are no ‘qualifiers’ as to who can receive a cape, and our Squad consists of a range – from kids with ADHD to kids with terminal illnesses. It is the unity of the Squad that makes it special – we all have differences, and we all have different superpowers. When we use them all together, we make the biggest impact. TinySuperheroes’ journeys begin with a Cape, but the journey with TinySuperheroes is so much more than that! Together, our Squad earns Patches to put on their Capes by practicing superpowers! We call them Missions, and there is a new one each month, available to all families at no cost. We have a unique business model because, you know, we’re a little different, too! TinySuperheroes is a social enterprise because businesses can do good while doing well. We use a pay-it-forward model with mini-crowdfunding campaigns to fund the capes we send. While not every child raises funds, every child gets a cape! When I reflect back on 10 years, I cannot believe how much I have learned. How many people have I met. How many challenges families overcome, and just like Brenna’s mom, gratitude is the commonality that shines through repeatedly. All because of one small, unremarkable choice to send one cape.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Haha. I’ve never been drawn to smooth roads as I have a short attention span, so this journey has been perfect. We have traveled through the mountains! Running a business is one challenge, followed by a harder challenge. I am luckier than most because I see the impact of hard work. Recently, amid a fairly stressful week, someone walked into our office to pick up her son’s cape. Within a minute of meeting her, we learned that currently, her son is in the hospital, awaiting a new heart. She carries the pager everywhere she goes, knowing that the heart they’re praying for could arrive at any moment; moments like this and emails about kids who did something with their cape that they were previously terrified to do well, it’s like our fuel. These moments show up when my tank is empty. When you think you can’t do this anymore, I get a vivid reminder of why I do.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
What I love but don’t talk about most is that I love to draw! I have drawn 90% of the patches kids can get for their Capes! We have over 200 for them to choose from – Patches representing surgery or specific diagnoses, Patches for sports they love, developmental milestones, and even some cute animals!
Let’s end by discussing what matters most to you and why.
What matters most to me is my faith, my husband, and my 3 boys. Knowing that family matters most to many people drives me in my work as well – I think of my work as sending courage, strength, and hope via USPS mail (in the form of a cape!)
Pricing:
- You can sponsor a cape for a child for $50
- You can purchase a personalized cape for a child that you know for $65
- Anyone can nominate a child and run a cape campaign at tinysuperheroes.com/nominate
Contact Info:
- Website: TinySuperheroes.com
- Instagram: @tinysuperheroes
- Facebook: facebook.com/tinysuperheroes
Image Credits
Alexandria Mooney Photography, Rikki Lauren Photography
