Miles Peck loves school as much for the chance to spend time with his friends as for the classroom experience. He is bracing his mom for the future, when he insists he’ll be heading off to college. He’s a big fan of Cheez-Its, his big sister Caroline, and a jaunty hat.  

He’s also the inspiration behind Miles for Miles, an organization founded by his parents, Kara and Chris Peck, to support non-profits who provide opportunities to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Like Miles, who was born with Down syndrome in 2009.  

The Pecks’ extended family may have known Kara and Chris’s hearts before they did: Even before the parents had adjusted to life with a newborn, let alone learned how to navigate Down syndrome, Kara’s family dreamed up the Miles for Miles name and logo—just in case. And when Miles was three, Kara and Chris were ready.  

“We held one fundraiser to get our feet wet,” Kara said, but that turned out to be the start of something bigger. She and Chris quickly filed for 501(c)(3) status and started planning for their next event. Now Miles for Miles holds an annual fundraiser and distributes funds to fellow IDD-focused organizations. The objective is to help raise awareness and increase opportunity for those who live with IDD.  

“Miles has been such a gift,” Kara said, “and in turn, he has motivated us to give and share. I’m proud that we can help bring greater opportunity to other families on his behalf.” 

In its early days, Miles for Miles helped bring Best Buddies Jobs program to the area as a founding partner. Best Buddies is an international organization dedicated to supporting social, physical, and economic development for people with IDD. Best Buddies ultimately helps people with IDD train for and find jobs and ultimately support themselves. The Tennessee program, founded in 2015, has been nationally recognized for its leadership.  

Miles for Miles has followed the Pecks’ experience and their own learning related to Miles’s development and the kinds of help families like them could really use.  

“In general, we want to create opportunities,” Kara said. “Miles, even early on, showed he has a lot of ability, but my worry is whether the opportunity will be there. He can do anything; it just might take him a little extra time.”  

Kara, who remembers her own school days where IDD students existed in separate spaces and on distinct educational tracks from other students, has been happy to see her son experience something completely different. He attends an inclusive high school and, although his interest is shifting as he grows from slides and swings to spending time with his friends, Brentwood’s first inclusive playground bears his name thanks to a major contribution from Miles for Miles.  

“We continue to get compliments on the park,” Kara said. “The community members just love it, even if they’re in the park for the walking path and not because they brought kids to play. It’s an updated space that the entire community has been able to benefit from.” 

And although Kara is eagerly awaiting final approvals for a separate project, Miles for Miles is about to provide another big gift “to make something fun happen for the city.” Stay tuned.  

Because Miles for Miles gets by primarily as a family affair, the organization’s greatest need is for the donations it passes along to other local nonprofits, like Down Syndrome Association of Middle Tennessee and Gigi’s Playhouse.  

You can donate to Miles for Miles here, and if you live in the Brentwood area and would like to help out with a fundraising event, the Pecks would love to hear from you.