Sheletta has crowd busting a gut while accepting a national award for her autism work

You’re going to laugh if you give Sheletta Brundidge a mic.

That’s exactly what happened on a stage in Washington, D.C., when Brundidge accepted the Celebration of Service to America Award from the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) for her #SpreadLoveWithLocks campaign that keeps kids with autism safe from drowning.

“It’s such a surprise. Now I have hashtag job security,” Brundidge joked. “They can’t fire me, maybe just put me on probation!”

Kidding aside, the crew at WCCO Radio is not surprised Brundige took home the national honor.

“Sheletta is a force of nature,” said Chad Hartman, radio host at WCCO-AM. “Sheletta gets things done. Sheletta is never timid. She is never afraid of taking on the status quo.”

The honor from NAB for large market radio stations honors excellence and commitment to community service through dedication and initiatives in 2024. “She saw a need and used the powerful platform that is WCCO Radio to promote and highlight what she is doing,” said Brad Lane, brand manager of WCCO-AM.

Last summer alone, Brundidge hosted eight events across the country after the drowning deaths of autistic children. The National Autism Association reports that half of kids diagnosed with autism will try to escape a safe environment.  They are also 160 times more likely to die by drowning than other kids because they are drawn to water for the calming sensory experience it provides. The locks Brundidge hands out at her giveaway events require a six to 10-digit code on the doorknob and a key bypass for fire or safety hazards.

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar presented Brundidge with the NAB award, while also explaining the Spread Love with Locks campaign and giveaway events in Minnesota and beyond.

“She knew from her own experience as a mom of three autistic children that it was a critical safety measure that would save lives,” said Klobuchar. “She dedicated her platform to this effort, often broadcasting her radio show from events across Minnesota and from places like Boston, Houston, and Ohio.”

Klobuchar emphasized how the Spread Love with Locks Campaign also helped unite the autism community with a solution. “This helped them build a community around a challenge that is so often invisible and isolating. This initiative grew into a multistate effort directly addressing a critical need and offering peace of mind to countless families.”

In her typical fashion, Brundidge accepted the award while also having the crowd in stitches, “I can’t believe my boss said all those nice things about me. He don’t even like me! It’s such a surprise,” Brundidge exclaimed before outlining her motivation for the campaign.

“I’m a mom of three autistic children, and all of them wander. In that instant, when a parent’s back is turned, they will run to the nearest body of water, and sometimes that has deadly consequences.”

To date, Brundidge’s Spread Love with Locks events have put 1,000 interior combination locks into the hands of families of autistic children to keep them safe. Beyond protecting autistic kids, Brundidge’s campaign is also working to educate the public.

“We raised awareness for you all who don’t have kids with autism. We educated you all about the challenges our kids face, so you won’t judge parents. You give them grace.”

Learn more about the Spread Love with Locks Campaign and ways to help at: www.shelettamakesmelaugh.com