Articles for tag: Melinda Gividen

Removing Barriers to Community

By Melinda Gividen A story from Newton, Massachusetts, just outside Boston, is spreading joy across the country. Two-year-old Samantha Savitz lives there with her family; they moved to the neighborhood right before Sam was born. From the start, neighbors have loved on Sam and her family, sharing such things as cookies and casseroles with them. But the story grew more interesting when the family, and then the neighbors, learned that Samantha was born deaf. Over the last two years, Sam has become the most popular girl on the block. She takes daily walks with her parents, waving and smiling at