Assemblyman Billy Jones (D-Chateaugay Lake) surprised Mia Taylor with a New York State Assembly Citation on Saturday morning as she gave out handmade Easter cards to residents at Valehaven HFA Assisted Living in Peru, New York. Mia is a seven-year-old from Peru who was diagnosed with a rare disorder at a young age that led her to numerous surgeries in Vermont and Manhattan. Many of her friends and family sent her cards when she was in the hospital which inspired her to do the same.

Thus, Spread Love was born, what Mia calls her mission to brighten her community through acts of kindness. In 2022, she sent out over 1,300 birthday and holiday cards to the disabled community and nursing home residents and over 700 so far in 2023. Mia and her mother, Jessica Furnia, have also led school supply drives and holiday meal drives to make sure that everyone had a turkey at Thanksgiving and a dinner on Christmas Eve. For Easter, Mia prepared baskets for 13 local children in need and distributed Easter cards and donuts from Rulfs Orchard to local nursing home residents at Valehaven HFA Assisted Living and Elderwood Nursing Home in Lake Placid.

“Mia is doing tremendous things for her community and it was an honor to present her with a New York State Assembly Citation today,” said Assemblyman Jones. “Mia’s dedication to spread love in her community is an example of the North Country’s neighborly spirit and one of the many reasons why I am proud to live in our region. Mia’s continued efforts to help others in our community should be an inspiration to us all and the least I could do was recognize her today.”

In addition to presenting Mia with a Citation, Jones also got her some items to make more cards to send around the North Country. If you are interested in learning more about Mia’s mission, please visit her Facebook page.