November 13, 2025

Meet the Artists Behind the Cards That Carry Hope Forward

Posted November 13, 2025

Meet the Artists Behind the Cards That Carry Hope Forward

Every giving season invites us to slow down, reflect, and look for the light that keeps us moving forward.

At Kids on the Move, that light shines brightest in the children and young adults who inspire us every day- especially the remarkable artists who created this year’s Share Hope Cards.

These cards are more than artwork.
They are voices, dreams, and messages of possibility– tangible reminders that hope grows brightest when it’s shared.

Today, we’re honored to introduce you to the winning artists whose hands and hearts created something beautiful.

 

Benjamin: Hope Looks Like Friendship

Benjamin is autistic and has always expressed his feelings most clearly through art. When asked to draw something that represented hope, he didn’t hesitate, he drew scenes filled with playtime, sleepovers, and moments shared with friends.

In his drawings, those friends appear as stuffed animals– symbols of comfort, inclusion, and connection.

Benjamin’s artwork reminds us of something powerful:
When children experience true belonging- in their homes, schools, and communities- their hopes don’t just stay dreams. They become possible.

 

Adele: Hope Sounds Like a Happy Song

Adele is seven, autistic, and non-conversational, but her artwork speaks in color, emotion, and joy.

Her newest piece features Mary “singing a happy song,” a reflection of Adele’s vibrant spirit and her belief that every person is beautiful, every color belongs, and every voice matters.

In a world that often talks over children with disabilities, Adele’s art reminds us what happens when we stop, look closely, and truly celebrate every expression of the human spirit.

Her hope doesn’t need words, it dances in every brushstroke.

 

 

Sam: Hope Grows in Every Line and Color

Sam is a bright, loving autistic artist who shares happiness in every way she can- through kind words, gentle back scratches, and drawings created with so much love. Colored pencils are her favorite, and every card she creates begins with a smile.

Through every drawing, Sam shares what’s in her heart- and invites us to do the same.

 

Why This Season Matters

This giving season, reflection turns into action, and action turns into hope.

At Kids on the Move, hope is not just a feeling.
It’s a movement.

Through Hope in Motion, we are:

  • Reshaping global perspectives on disability
  • Building the world’s first fully inclusive campus
  • Equipping leaders worldwide to carry hope home to their communities

And it all begins with simple acts of kindness, like a card sent with love.

Three Ways to Pass It On

 $15 – Share a Card of Hope

Choose a card created by one of our brilliant autistic artists. Add your personal message, and we’ll deliver it for you.

One card. One spark. One ripple of hope.

$50 – Share Hope Pack + Story of Strength

Send a pack of Share Hope cards along with Chasing the Impossible, a story that reminds families they’re not alone. Perfect for sharing with a friend, teacher, caregiver, or someone who needs encouragement.

Gift a Blanket of Hope

Wrap someone in warmth—literally—with a soft, beautifully designed Share Hope blanket. Your gift provides comfort today while fueling life-changing care for children tomorrow.

Shop Share Hope Cards

 

Pass It On. Share Hope. Move Hope.

Every card written, every blanket gifted, and every donation given helps carry Hope in Motion forward- turning “you can’t” into “watch me” for children around the world.

This season, let’s create a chain of hope that moves from one person to the next, until the world is changed.

Mat Dastrup, CFO

Mat Datstrop, Chief Financial Officer at KOTM, truly embodies a blend of expertise and visionary leadership. Joining Kids on the Move in September 2019, Mat brought a rich history of accomplishments, having served as CFO for manufacturing and software companies. His successful track record includes starting and selling three businesses, showcasing his entrepreneurial spirit and strategic insight. As a licensed CPA and a Six Sigma Black Belt, Mat’s skill set is uniquely suited to driving innovation and accuracy within financial processes. His passion for integrating technology and developing robust accounting systems positions KOTM for long-term success. In his role, Mat is deeply dedicated to creating sustainable impacts that will echo throughout KOTM for decades. His presence in the organization is marked by a steadfast commitment to fostering an environment of lasting change, ensuring families benefit from his transformative work well into the future.

Ryan Erickson, COO

Ryan Erickson, the Chief Operating Officer of KOTM, brings extensive experience and a passionate commitment to nurturing innovation and growth. With over two decades spent as a thought leader and innovator across leadership roles in the medical, software start-ups, technical consulting, and information technology sectors, he has steered successful technology companies to new heights.

Ryan’s expertise is unparalleled. His dedication to mentoring entrepreneurs and CEOs in transforming ideas into reality speaks to his compassionate nature and deep-seated commitment to growth. Serving on several software and technical company boards, Ryan consistently helps these companies reach new heights.

At KOTM, Ryan is uniquely positioned to guide the organization into its next 40 years. His diverse skill set enables KOTM to not only meet current challenges with agility but also to strategically position itself for future growth under his committed leadership. Ryan continues to inspire hope and innovation, reinforcing KOTM’s status as a beacon of support and transformation for families everywhere.

Rachelle Rutherford, CEO

Rutherford is the strategic visionary and Chief Executive Officer of Kids on the Move (KOTM). A multifaceted and sophisticated businesswoman, she has led the trailblazing multimillion-dollar non-profit in its commitment to providing essential and comprehensive support, education, and therapies for children with delays and disabilities.  Rutherford has now spent 20 years in executive leadership roles within the telecommunications, genealogy, real estate, health care services, and education industries. Her notable contributions lie in her perseverance to find impossible and impactful solutions. Rutherford is skilled at reverse-engineering goals by mapping out exactly what is required for a successful outcome.

To help raise $150M to expand KOTM’s support services and establish a state-of-the-art center, Rutherford has partnered with Forbes Books to author and publish Chasing The Impossible, a captivating exposé delving into Kids on the Move’s transformative work. With it, she uncovers the compelling stories of resilience and hope from children, families, doctors, and community members who tenaciously pushed forward when faced with impossible odds or challenges.

Her profound understanding of what it takes to overcome the impossible stems from her own journey as a survivor of abuse and trauma, which has shaped her philanthropic missions, her intuitive nature, and her steadfast leadership. As a CEO, mom, speaker, and philanthropist, Rutherford believes discipline is one of the highest forms of self-love, consistently putting in the necessary work every single day to provide impactful solutions for others, promote a balanced and holistic lifestyle, and create opportunities for continuous growth and empowerment around the world.