The Autism Society Celebrates Differences for Autism Acceptance Month
This April is Autism Acceptance Month, and the Autism Society reminds everyone that acceptance happens every day.
Syracuse, NY - This April, the Central New York Chapter of the Autism Society (CNY ASA) is inviting the Autism community to be the connection to resources, acceptance, and each other. Autism Acceptance Month kicks off on April 1, and the Autism Society celebrates the varied experiences within the Autism community and highlights the critical need for us to put acceptance into action.
Autism is the fastest growing developmental disability in the United States with increasing prevalence rates continuing to create the urgent need for supports and services. 1 in 36 children are diagnosed and can be attributed to a variety of factors, including primarily improved diagnostic screening and identification, as well as an increased prevalence rate itself.
"Autism Acceptance Month provides us with an opportunity to take action through acceptance to provide the Autism community with the supports, services, and resources needed," states Christopher Banks, President and CEO of the Autism Society of America. "The Autism Society has continued to develop strategic initiatives, breaking down barriers and creating solutions through programs like Safety on the Spectrum, Employment, and the Autism Justice Center."
The Autism Society's Safety on the Spectrum programs include a focus on first responder training. water safety and wandering prevention, and further deliverables in support of the Kevin and Avonte law. The Autism Society offers a National Helpline which provides information and referral services to connect the community to the resources they need - our nationwide network of helpline support serving more than 130,000 people per year.
Together, we are connecting Autistic individuals, their families, friends, and support
teams with our #CelebrateDifferences theme. Our goal is to highlight the infinite
ways in which people experience life and how we can take action to provide the
support that’s needed. Acceptance starts with an understanding that everyone’s
experiences are unique and valid creating a space for each member of the Autism
community to speak openly without judgment.
As a part of our #CelerateDifferences theme, the Autism Society will travel
nationwide to collect community stories with our “Road to Acceptance” project.
This mobile video studio will engage community members to reflect on acts of
acceptance, moments of challenges, and opportunities for greater inclusion. Stay
tuned for more information about this campaign as it kicks off.
About Autism Society of America
The Autism Society’s mission is to create connections, empowering everyone in the
Autism community with the resources needed to live fully. As the nation’s oldest
leading grassroots Autism organization, the Autism Society and its 70+ affiliates
serve over half a million members of the Autism community each year. It envisions a
world where everyone in the Autism community is connected to the support they
need, when they need it – including education, advocacy efforts, community
programming, and supports and services throughout the lifespan.
The Autism Society works everyday to measurably improve the quality of life for individuals and families affected by Autism, providing information and resources for communities to be more aware of Autism, promote acceptance, and be more inclusive in everyday life. Our local affiliate, CNY ASA is committed to assisting families in the Central New York area affected by Autism, reaching out to the community to promote awareness, disseminate information and provide educational and recreational programming.
We serve our local community and comprise our own separate entity.
We continue to be about creating opportunity and options for all on the spectrum and strive to create a place where each person with Autism is valued, respected and provided the opportunity to maximize their quality of life each and every day.
The Autism Society Launches New Brand:
The Autism Society has updated its brand to fully reflect the experiences, needs, and diversity of the Autism community, including Autistic individuals, their families, friends, caregivers, and professionals in Autism-related fields. Those living on the Autism spectrum have for far too long been categorized, labeled, and placed in diagnostic boxes. Life experiences are far more complex. The Autism Society embraces and celebrates the infinite ways in which people live their lives.
As the nation's oldest and largest grassroots Autism organization, the new brand is a reflection of our foundation through grassroots input and ongoing engagement. Over the course of a year, 150 individuals in the Autism community participated in the brand development, through interviews, focus groups, and participation on advisory councils, whose members include people on the Autism spectrum.
The Autism Society’s new brand will support the organization, including the 75 affiliates across the country, as it aims to deliver its mission to create connections, empowering everyone in the Autism community with the resources needed to live fully. Whether an individual with Autism advocates with the organization or a parent of a newly diagnosed child comes seeking information – the brand is designed to support a person’s emotional, practical, and intellectual needs to build and foster connections. “No matter how you engage with the Autism Society, we want you to feel welcome, included and connected to the resources, support and community you are looking for,” said Autism Society of America’s President and CEO, Christopher Banks. “That’s why I am so deeply inspired by our new tagline - The Connection is You™. This is a call to action for every one of us in the Autism community to create connections intentionally. When you come to the Autism Society looking for information, you are the connection. When you create a local support group for fathers of Autistic children, you are the connection. When you are an Autistic self-advocate showing up to share your story for policy changes, you are the connection.”
The Autism Society - Central New York's mission is to create connections, empowering everyone in the Autism community with the resources needed to live fully. The Autism Society and its 75 local affiliates serve over half a million members of the Autism community each year. It envisions a world where everyone in the Autism community is connected to the support they need, when they need it - including education, advocacy efforts, and supports and services throughout the lifespan.
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