BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Just days before Down Syndrome Awareness Month begins in October, a Brevard County family is hoping to spread kindness during these tumultuous times.

Amanda Scauzillo is about to celebrate the first-year anniversary of her nonprofit, Kindness Squad. The nonprofit spreads random acts of kindness, like giving out positivity cards, sometimes a little cash, and giveaways.

The inspiration behind the organization is her 7-year-old daughter Gianna, who was born with Down syndrome.

According to Scauzillo, Gianna loves to smile and “senses the need for compassion. It's pretty interesting.”

But not everyone is kind enough to accept people’s differences, Scauzillo said.

“I had a nurse in the NICU [neonatal intensive care unit] tell my mother that there's no place in society for her,” Scauzillo said.

At school, Gianna’s 10-year-old brother Silas turned a negative comment into a positive learning lesson.

“I said something kind about everyone in the classroom, and the kid who said something not nice about Gianna ended up apologizing,” Silas said. “He wrote me a paper. I don’t want anyone thinking anything different of her than just a normal kid.”

Dozens of ambassadors who have learned more about Gianna are sharing her message of kindness.

The inaugural charity show of Encore Performance Company’s A Dance Down Cherry Tree Lane on Saturday at Merritt Island High School will benefit the Kindness Squad. Tickets are available for both the 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. shows.