Communication is a human right, not a premium feature.For non-speaking and minimally-speaking children, AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) tools are the bridge to expression. They make it possible to ask for water, to describe pain when something hurts, to say "I love you," to connect with siblings and teachers and friends. For many autistic children, an AAC app is the difference between being understood and being unheard.The barriersThree barriers stand between a non-verbal child and their first word.Cost. The leading AAC apps cost $200 to $400. Many families cannot afford their child's voice.Static interfaces. A child who wants "I am hungry" has to navigate through four nested folders. The moment passes. Frustration becomes meltdown.Smart features that hurt. Some apps rearrange buttons to "personalize." For a child who relies on muscle memory, a moving button is a silenced voice.What we are buildingWe are building Lighthouse AAC, an open-source, research-grounded communication tool designed to be free and accessible to every family who needs it. Our work combines behavioural science, software, and machine learning, developed in collaboration with the autism community.This is our first product. Our near-term goal is a working beta by late 2026.Skin in the gameWe are parents of a non-speaking autistic daughter. One of us has spent 15 years building consumer software at scale; the other is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst who left computer science to study how our daughter learns. We are building Lighthouse AAC for her, and for every family raising a non-speaking child.Your donation funds the actual work being built right now:The Lighthouse AAC iPad and Android apps.The communication symbol library and accessibility features.Clinical research collaborations to ensure evidence-based design.Hosting, developer tools, and the open-source repositories that make Lighthouse possible.A gift of beliefKinder Horizon Foundation is a Canadian nonprofit, incorporated in April 2026. We are not yet a CRA-registered charity, so we cannot issue official tax receipts. Donations made today are gifts of belief from early supporters who want to see Lighthouse AAC exist before tax incentives arrive.Because Zeffy charges no fees, 100% of your donation goes directly to building Lighthouse AAC.Communication is a human right, not a premium feature. Thank you for joining us at the start.Kinder Horizon Foundation, BC Society S0085100, registered with the Canada Revenue Agency under business number 72195 3636.