How This Started
Kia ora, I'm Kelly – a neurodivergent māmā raising neurodivergent tamariki.
Years ago, when my daughter was diagnosed with Autism and my son with global developmental and speech delays, I couldn't find the right tools to support them. So I started making them myself, beginning with a weighted blanket I stitched late one night.
That blanket became a small business called The Resource Box. Over the years, as my understanding deepened and my focus shifted toward supporting teens and adults, the business evolved too. Now it's The Neurodiversity Project – different name, but same heart.
What I Do
I create custom-made weighted blankets, lap pads, wraps, and plushies for whānau like mine, made to suit individual sensory needs. These have always been at the heart of my work.
I also offer practical, affirming resources and communication tools that support mental health, emotional regulation, behaviour challenges, everyday living skills, and alternative communication needs – the stuff that actually matters in daily life but often gets overlooked by professionals.
This business is built by and for neurodivergent people, especially teens and adults who get overlooked in traditional support systems.
Why I Do Things Differently
I don't follow trends – I follow needs.
I create with aroha (love and care), using high-quality materials from trusted New Zealand suppliers. I don't stock cheap imports from AliExpress or Temu. Most of my products are custom-made because one size doesn't work for every body or every mind.
I price things fairly, not what the market will bear. I create tools that tautoko (support) people to feel safe in their bodies, seen, and empowered.
This isn't guesswork. My designs come from 25+ years working in special education, speech and language, autism support, early childhood education, child psychology, and behaviour – and from living this life myself.
A bit About Me
I'm Autistic and ADHD, living with a non-traumatic brain injury. I've raised neurodivergent tamariki with multiple diagnoses and complex needs. I know what it means to fight for support, to create what doesn't exist, and to do the mahi when the system won't. I get it - not just professionally, but personally.
I'm also an author and advocate who runs community workshops and mentoring. My work isn't just about products – it's about this kaupapa, creating spaces where neurodivergent people can thrive.
