Local Voices: Big Air Anderson, SC
Always support people who have a heart for community. Often, parents feel unheard when advocating for their children, especially if their child has a disability or a learning or other difference
I will always support people who have a heart for community. Often, parents feel unheard when advocating for their children, especially if their child has a disability or a learning or other difference. But recently, I witnessed a beautiful interaction between a parent and Mohammad “Mo” Farhan, the co-owner of Big Air Anderson, and it made the parent feel seen, heard and valued.
A parent spoke from her heart about how her child would love to spend more time at Big Air, but their needs made it difficult to enjoy the environment with the overwhelming music, noise and activity from other children. Farhan jumped into action. This was personal for him because he has a family member with autism. He quickly posted online asking for insight on how he could best accommodate sensory needs, admitting he didn’t have all the answers but was willing to become part of the solution — something he had wanted to do for a while but didn’t have all the pieces in place.
Within hours, Farhan and his team had set a day, time frame, and list of accommodations that would be in place for kids who needed a different experience at Big Air. The first Saturday of every month from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. will be sensory-friendly play time. A party room will also be available as a calming and quiet place for children throughout their regular business hours.
Through my chat with Farhan, I learned that this was only his most recent act of true kindness towards the community. When designing his facility, he did so with accessibility in mind.
“It means more to me seeing the joy and satisfaction on people’s faces as they’re enjoying the space,” he said.
Making the space accessible means a mother who uses a wheelchair can easily follow her child around as a they play, something that brought one mom to tears.
Farhan’s mission and purpose within his business aren’t about profit. He wants to provide a safe space for all children in Anderson County. As a child of immigrant parents, he understands the financial hardships many families face, but he wants to ensure every child has the opportunity to enjoy the center at least once.
“As a franchise, they usually encourage us to invite mayors and big names, but I just invited as many children as I could and opened up the doors for free,” he said.
Farhan and his team have partnered with Brooklyn Chastain at Mystical Events to help hospitalized children. Those who can safely leave the hospital for a day come to the center to play, win prizes, and forget about their struggles.
“Brooklyn is amazing,” Farhan said. “She’ll go to the hospital dressed as the child’s favorite character and bring them here, and we’re thrilled to accommodate.”
Farhan also regularly works with child-centered organizations such as First Light (a child abuse resource center), The Lot Project and the Discovery Center. Together with his son, his nephew and their growing team, they are proudly serving the community they love in more ways than one, truly living for the joy of others. They’ve gifted birthday parties and hosted fundraisers for schools, churches and more.
While Farhan will never boast about his actions and is quick to highlight others, I’m proud to say I had the privilege of meeting a new hero in our community.
Writer and photographer Nakeshia Shannon highlights the people, programs, organizations, and businesses that stand out as she makes her way across the Upstate — unique, local stories that make this community one that we all love. Join her in celebrating these local voices!
Originally published at
https://www.greenvilleonline.com
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