Let's go Bruins! Thank you Charisma for shining a light on the important work ARI is doing to advance autism research and education.

The Arya Foundation provides need-based adaptive equipment to children with special needs in the Greater St. Louis Region. 

The Arya Foundation serves to provide need-based adaptive equipment that support the functional needs of children with differing abilities. The Arya Foundation believes these adaptive adaptive equipment are the lifeline for children with special needs and provide the necessary support so that all can learn and perform to the best of their ability.

The Arya Foundation

Nonprofit organization dedicated to inclusion of individuals with disabilities in the Muslim community of Houston

Dar-us-Sakina is a safe space for people of all abilities and their caregivers.  We inspire the community to abandon stigmas and embrace individuals with disabilities with empathy and respect.  Together, we are better!

We are dedicated to providing inclusive opportunities for individuals with disabilities, while empowering the affected and their caregivers with social support and access to local resources.  We envision a Muslim community where individuals with disabilities are fully accepted and included, and both they and their caregivers have adequate access to support.

Dar-us-Sakina offers its services to all special needs individuals and their caregivers within the Houston community, but reserves its Zakat fund for Muslim families who are in financial need or crisis. Our mission is achieved through three key service areas: Education, Support, and Community Awareness.

Education:

Special Needs Weekend Islamic School Programs: At four locations across Houston, children with special needs come weekly to the masjid to learn about their faith using an adapted curriculum and to be included in the community.

Teen Adult Program (TAP): This program helps individuals with special needs take the first step to adulthood by teaching them independent life skills in a supportive social environment.

Support:

Caregiver Support Groups: This allows mothers, fathers, and siblings of individuals with special needs to connect with others with similar life circumstances.

Events: From inclusive family events that make all accommodations to caregiver training events, Dar-us-Sakina engages the local special needs population on a monthly basis.

Zakat Services: For special needs families in crisis, we are committed to providing comprehensive support through our Zakat Fund, including funding of emergency respite care, counseling, necessary evaluations, advocacy and durable medical equipment.

Community Awareness:

Youth Inclusion Training: We visit local Islamic schools, masaajid, and Scouts to train typical youth on accepting and including their brothers and sisters with disabilities.

Community Education: We conduct awareness events and workshops to educate the general community on disability awareness and early childhood intervention.

Sakina Internship: This is a one year commitment for college age students who dedicate one day of the week serving individuals with special needs while learning about related topics.

Volunteer Enrichment Program: This is a volunteer buddy program for High School students.

Dar-us-Sakina

**Every child deserves the chance to thrive.**
In Malawi, 1 in 18 children has a disability — yet most never receive the care or support they need. At Fount for Nations, we believe every child is whole, worthy, and full of potential.

Your gift helps us:

- **Screen children early** so delays are caught and treated.
- **Provide therapy & care** through our Family Centre and community programs.
- **Empower families & champions** to advocate for inclusion.

Together, we’re building a Malawi where every child is seen, supported, and included.

*Your donation doesn’t just fund programs — it changes a child’s story.*

Fount for Nations (FFN)

Autism Empowerment is a neurodivergent-led nonprofit devoted to helping youth and adults  worldwide lead awesome meaningful lives!

**Autism Empowerment** is a passionate nonprofit organization led by individuals with lived experience. We are devoted to enriching and empowering the lives of autistic and neurodivergent youth, adults, and their families. We promote a culture of Autism Acceptance and believe every one of us has gifts and strengths to share with the world.

Through our enriching and empowering service-oriented programs like [Spectrum Life Magazine](https://www.spectrumlife.org), Autism Serves: Helping Hands, Autism Empowerment Cares and AWEtism We Embrace, we promote Autism Acceptance, Inclusion, and Advocacy for today's world and the future.

Come join us as an Ambassador for Acceptance of All Abilities! Be a meaningful part of helping create a world where people of all abilities are embraced! Your donations directly support programs that inspire and uplift our community members.

Thank you for your generosity and for being a part of positively changing our world!

Autism Empowerment

 We are dedicated to enhancing our community through emergency financial aid, scholarships, and humanitarian initiatives.

Madison Alfano, an effervescent 18-year-old, met a tragic fate when she succumbed to injuries sustained in a vehicle accident on the Garden State Parkway, just 12 minutes from her Staten Island home. Returning from her job at Monmouth University, Madison was known for her compassionate spirit and dedication to community service. Throughout high school, she actively volunteered her time, at beach clean-ups and clothing drives, etc. showcasing her unwavering commitment to helping others. Her aspirations extended to volunteering at pet shelters, reflecting her deep empathy for animals. In honor of Madison’s legacy and her selfless desire to make a difference, this Foundation was established to continue her altruistic endeavors and positively impact the lives of others, embodying the kindness and generosity she exemplified.

Madison Rochelle Alfano Foundation Inc

Providing community-based rehabilitation, wheelchairs & inclusive education for children with disabilities living in Uganda
 


Kyaninga Child Development Centre (KCDC) was founded in 2014 to provide much needed, high quality, specialized and affordable therapy and rehabilitation to children with disabilities and their families and carers in western Uganda in order to enable them to lead more independent lives.  The Inclusive Education Hub provides professional development for teachers in Inclusive, child-led teaching practices and the Mobility workshop designs, develops and manufactures wheelchairs using locally available materials, suitable for the local terrain.

In addition to this, KCDC acts as a platform for education and support in the field of disability, offering training as well as guidance on best-practice methods to both individuals and healthcare professionals as well as communities and other institutions requiring assistance.

Kyaninga Child Development Centre 

Harmony Theater is an organization focused on performing arts for people with disabilities based in southeastern PA. 

Harmony Theater

Whistler Adaptive Sports offers a full range of adaptive sports programs and a dynamic learning centre in Whistler, BC. Canada. 

For over 20 years, the Whistler Adaptive Sports Program Society has been removing barriers to adventure for people with disabilities and neurodiversity, offering a full range of adaptive sports programs and a dynamic learning centre in Whistler, BC. Canada. We currently operate in Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton and Mount Currie. We also serve locals from across B.C. and visitors from Canada and around the world. 
 
Whistler Adaptive is committed to introducing individuals with a disability to sport, recreation and therapeutic sport programming. Whistler Adaptive supports sport for life by breaking down the financial, physical and social barriers as well as creating skills that will lead to future employment within sport and beyond. Whistler Adaptive empowers individuals through access to one of the world's best mountain resorts, providing them with the environment, support and opportunity to become physically active and focus on their abilities rather than disabilities. Programs are accessible to both children and adults with cognitive and physical disabilities. 

Whistler Adaptive serves locals in its community and visitors from across Canada and around the globe. All activities are run in a safe and supportive environment, allowing athletes to learn at their own pace. We pride ourselves on being able to change lives through the innovative sports programs we offer and the help we provide. Whistler Adaptive paves the way by increasing knowledge of adaptive sports through training and coaching clinics and values the consistent support that we receive from our volunteers. We seek to remove barriers to adventure and learning by training athletes with a real sense of passion. OVER 20 YEARS, 18 SPORTS PROGRAMS AND GROWING… The Whistler Adaptive Sports Program Society has been in operation for over 20 years with a record 3,000+ lessons taught in 18 adaptive sports. Through generous donations, we allocate resources for equipment and volunteer training to work with a range of individuals and athletes. Alpine skiing and racing, snowboarding, Nordic skiing, hiking and trail riders, hand-cycling, biking, canoeing, kayaking, rowing, swimming, triathlons, running, yoga and gymnastics are all part of Whistler Adaptive programming and our philosophies on "Grassroots to the Podium" and "Sport for Life". How we do it...The people here at Whistler Adaptive feel that sport builds socialization, leadership skills, healthy growth and development for everyone, whether they have just acquired a disability or have been active all their lives. By providing access to a vast number of sports across the winter and summer seasons, we are opening doors to endless opportunities and creating new levels of independence for individuals with disabilities. 

Whistler Adaptive Sports Program Society

CCHI facilitates housing and community engagement to include people with disabilities.

The **Collaborative Community Housing Initiative (CCHI)** is addressing one of the most urgent and overlooked challenges facing families today: what happens when adults with disabilities age out of the school system and the supports they rely on disappear.  Unfortunately, families are left without coordinated services, meaningful life-skills training, strong support networks, or safe, affordable housing options.

CCHI believes that every person—regardless of disability—deserves the right to live where they choose, with the people they choose. Yet inclusive housing options for adults with disabilities in Illinois remain extremely limited. In response, CCHI has taken a bold and transformative step by acquiring a building for **$5 million** and undertaking a **$3 million renovation** to create a fully accessible, cooperative living community that will support **47 adults with disabilities**.

This investment goes beyond bricks and mortar. CCHI’s model pairs accessible, affordable housing with social, educational, and community-building opportunities that foster independence, connection, and long-term stability. Residents are able to live, work, and remain rooted in the communities where they were raised—while enriching those communities through inclusion and shared purpose.

CCHI also empowers families by bringing them together through education, volunteerism, and peer support, equipping them with the knowledge, tools, and confidence needed to plan for adult life.

CCHI is proud to be the **first family-owned and family-managed cooperative living community model in the United States**.

**Your support can make this vision a reality.** Every gift brings us closer to creating a thriving, inclusive community for adults with disabilities and the families who love them. Join us today in building a place where independence, belonging, and opportunity are possible for everyone. **Donate now and help shape the future of CCHI Commons.**

Collaborative Community Housing Initiative(CCHI)

E N C Inc is a 501c3 nonprofit organization since 2019, based in Marsfield, WI focused on older adults and adults with autism.

Adults with autism need society to understand what autism is for each individual.  The education system, in much of the US, has gained a great deal of expertise in meeting individual needs and reliably creating a environment for individuals to be successful.  Unfortunately after high school there is a cliff rather than a bridge to more productive opportunities.

Our older adults in America are very often isolated by circumstances of where they live and how their lives have changed.  Children have grown up and moved away.  The social activities that the children obligated them to attend are gone so many have no social contact for weeks.  Isolation leads to boredom, loneliness and depression.  Loneliness has been shown to be as hard on health as 15 cigarettes a day.  

The Pandemic has taught us how all of us NEED social engagement.   It is not a luxury it is a need and each person needs social engagement differently.   The model for aging in America right now is to stay in one’s home as long as possible, move to assisted living if it is feasible, and ultimately to a nursing home as independence deteriorates.

The people who live the longest active lives on the planet are engaged in family and community and are needed members of the community.  In assisted living and nursing home models our older Americans often feel meaningless and crave a more meaningful life.

What if we could create a multigenerational community that understands autism and cultivates volunteer activities that support one another?  What if we could create a pedestrian community where one could walk down to the community center to meet for coffee and conversation?  What if we had close working relationships with property management, social services and our coordinating staff?  We could create successful long-term places to live for families, older Americans and autistic people in a vibrant connected community.

It has been estimated before the pandemic that up to 40 % of homeless people had intellectual or developmental disabilities.  We don’t really know what percentage have autism, but I can tell you a story about a young man near me.

Tim, not his real name, was 28 years old, with a job and living in his own apartment for three years in a complex for people with disabilities when he was arrested for cutting the cords on the vacuum cleaners for the second time.  For those of us who live with loved ones who are autistic we ask, “Why did it happen a second time?”  Autistic people have a variety of sensory hypersensitivities that may be sounds, sights, tastes, smells, and touch, basically any sensation that can be felt.  The manager could have told Tim when he was going to vacuum so that Tim could put on a headset, or the manager could have vacuumed when Tim was not home.  Likely the vacuum sound was torture for Tim.

Instead of working out a solution Tim was arrested and could have ended up in jail.  Fortunately Tim’s parents were still in the picture, and just as fortunate, the judge recognized that Tim was not competent and as such had not committed a crime.  Unfortunately, Tim was evicted from his housing, and would have been homeless except that his parents found him a place to live.

Many people with autism will never be able to self-advocate.  This is an inherent part of autism.  Navigating the social world is confusing at best and one of the biggest challenges for autistics to navigate the social world of the neurotypicals.

My autistic son has taught me a lot about how different autism perception of the world is from mine.  I like to say that living with him “Everyday is Opposite Day.”

What do we mean by opposite?
 
An autistic person may run back into a burning building after being rescued, seeking their place of comfort.  Unfortunately people have died, both the autistic person and would be rescuer when this has happened.  The person with autism may seek comfort when stressed and want to return to a bedroom.
 
A person with autism is likely to be unable to look at you and listen at the same time.  Most people assume if someone is not looking at them they are also not listening.  This is not only untrue but can also lead to worse issues.  Law enforcement is often trained that avoiding eye contact is a “guilty look.”
 
“Time out” may not be an effective strategy for discipline, as many autistic minds prefer isolation.  The isolation with “Time out” is often exactly what the person with autism likes; it is quieter, much less confusing and overwhelming and can be a situation that they want to experience over and over.

Services are not enough for our older Americans, our autistic loved ones, or any of our isolated people.  What is missing from our choices of assisted living and nursing homes?  A meaningful life.  People need opportunities to do meaningful things on their own terms.

We are interpreting an award-winning model, “Treehouse Community” in Easthampton, MA, that brought together older Americans with families adopting children who have experienced foster care.  They have a high school graduation rate near 100% for those children with near 90% who go on for higher learning.  The community is all about building long term relationships.  The older Americans we met there voiced, "I never imagined I could have a life like this."  The older Americans support one another, the kids, the parents and love what they are doing.

In the model they have a three-way cooperation between Treehouse staff, property management, and social services.  They are able to match peoples’ needs to available services, leveraging what is available already.  It is a neighborhood community that considers itself trauma informed and encourages 6 hours or more a week of volunteering in the community for seniors.  This might be giving rides, teaching a skill like cooking, or taking a walk.

We have spoken to church groups, employee groups and clubs and the most common question is, “Why doesn’t this exist already?”  This kind of community is not for everyone.  Grouches need not apply.  For people who want to build a new social life where they are needed it is a new choice.

Imagine a community where people appreciate one another, where we grow understanding of one another’s’ unique qualities.  I imagine a community where my autistic son can greet everyone enthusiastically and the people get a charge out of it.  I call him “My Tigger” for the way he bounds and bounces from person to person greeting them repeatedly with his big smile.  He seems to understand that greeting people makes them happy so I imagine his repeated greetings as him multiplying the happiness he is spreading.  Who wouldn’t want someone who is happy to see them?

We will be nurturing understanding of one another, not just the autistic individuals.  We will be fostering volunteer activities of all kinds that can introduce people to one another and create teamwork in efforts desired by the community members.   We see many of the needs and abilities that may dovetail, like our older folks needing house cleaning and a few of our autistic people who love to clean.  We see working with local agencies and creating new opportunities to expose our special people to new activities but with agencies that know how to do it.

As a parent I worry about what will happen to my son when I can no longer advocate for him?   Family is not enough.  He needs a community.  We need to grow advocacy both for our aging population and our adults with disabilities.

Autism is very challenging because each person is so different.  The saying in the autism community is, “If you know a person with autism you know ONE person with autism.”  In a neighborhood community it is our aim for people to know one another and look out for one another.  

We are partnering with Wisconsin Housing Preservation Corporation (WHPC), a nonprofit developer to create the rental properties that will include a portion of affordable rental units and a community center.  We would also like to have a home ownership option immediately adjacent to the rental community.

We aim to have an outreach activity that includes the general public and those with autism in the greater community who wish to engage.

We don't have a committed timeline yet, but an estimate is three years.  We don't have a final budget yet but our estimate is $1,000,000 for our part of the capital fund and $500,000 for start up costs and staffing.  The Treehouse model has  a Community Facilitator, an education officer, coordinators for volunteers and outreach coordinators.

We believe our town is the right place for the first community like this.  We have many retired teachers and healthcare personnel who have the passion for helping one another.  A small town has its challenges in fundraising and we are grateful for the opportunity on Every.org.  We believe that this community model will be replicated and will promote a better healthy aging option for our growing population of older Americans.

I imagine a community where people understand and value one another.  I imagine a community where "My Tigger" can greet and spread happiness to all he meets there.  One need only understand that he will not likely be a conversationalist but he has a great smile and enthusiasm that is contagious.

I imagine a community where my son and others like him are safe in the world when parents are gone.


E N C Inc

ARI works to advance the health of autistic people through biomedical research and free education.

Established in 1967 by psychologist and renowned father of modern autism research Dr. Bernard Rimland, ARI continues to pioneer in research, outreach, and cooperative efforts with other organizations worldwide. ARI advocates for the rights of autistic people and operates without funding from special-interest groups.

Connecting investigators, professionals, parents, and autistic people worldwide is essential for effective advocacy. Our continued work focuses on education while funding and supporting research on genetics, neurology, co-occurring medical conditions, nutrition, sensory processing, severe and challenging behaviors, and adult and senior issues. ARI is committed to pushing the boundaries of autism understanding, providing practitioners with current research, creating accessible resources for everyone, and advocating for the best possible care for autistic individuals and their loved ones.

- In January of 2023, the Autism Research Institute’s [National Autism History Museum](https://autism.org/visiting-aris-national-autism-history-museum/) officially opened its doors. The museum offers an engaging and comprehensive look at the prolific history of autism research and discovery. Its interactive exhibits highlight prominent autistic figures and underscore critical moments in the evolution of autism research. Leading researchers from many areas are collaborating with ARI to curate a collection of historical artifacts. The museum promises to be a valuable resource in increasing autism acceptance and understanding.

Research

- ARI awarded more than $400,000 in grants to scientists whose work will have a direct impact on the lives of those on the autism spectrum. The funds supported research in immune, gastrointestinal, metabolic, neurologic, and sensory issues. [View ARI’s 2023 Research Grant Recipients](https://autism.org/ari-funded-research-studies-2023/)
- **Robert L. Hendren Research Grant Award**
*Inaugural Recipients – 2023*
Emanuel DiCicco-Bloom, MD
Ed Levin, PhDIn honor of his many years of support for our work, serving as a member of ARI’s Scientific Advisory Board and Board of Directors, the top-scoring research grant proposals funded each year are now recognized as Robert L. Hendren Research Grant Award recipients.
- [ARI’s annual in-person Think Tanks](https://autism.org/ari-scientific-think-tanks/) occurred during Autism Awareness Month last April, convening researchers
and clinicians to discuss emerging findings about autism.
- ARI held its annual online scientific meeting in October 2023. This international conference featured live presentations and discussions to provide researchers with updates on metabolic issues, co-occurring gastrointestinal conditions, and genetics.
- ARI continues to develop a [global research network](https://autism.org/aris-global-networks/) to keep researchers up to date with the latest news in the scientific community; this includes sharing articles on conducting research, informing them of various funding sources, and notifying them of the latest studies published in peer-reviewed journals
- ARI co-sponosored “Autism and/or Intellectual Disability and Older Adults: A Think Tank Promoting Quality of Life and Health” convening autistic seniors, clinicians, researchers, and caregivers to build on previous work to advance priorities related to the quality of life and health of older adults with autism and intellectual disabilities.

Publications

- ARI continues to publish its quarterly science newsletter, *[Autism Research Review International (ARRI)](https://autism.org/subscribe/),* summarizing current medical, sensory, and educational research.
- [ARI’s monthly e-newsletter](https://autism.org/ari-monthly-e-newsletter/) keeps more than 145,000 subscribers up to date on new resources and the latest research.
- ARI publishes a bimonthly e-newsletter, *[Clinical Research in Autism](https://autism.org/clinical-research-e-newsletter/)*, for obstetricians, pediatricians, and nurses who want to keep up to date with research relevant to their practice.

Continuing Medical Information

- ARI filmed a new series of[ continuing education](https://autism.org/cme/) talks during the fall of 2023 offering updates on co-occurring metabolic conditions frequently associated with autism.Connecting physicians to improved standards of care is crucial to amplifying understanding of the health needs of autistic people.

Online Learning

- ARI continues to host [live webinars](https://autism.org/webinars/) multiple times each month featuring top researchers and treatment professionals. In 2023, thousands of viewers registered to watch live presentations on various topics, including research updates, nutrition, behavioral support, assessment, educational therapies, adult issues, and more. One webinar each quarter (four per year) is offered in joint providership with the World Autism Organization.ARI webinars, both live and recorded, offer real-time, captioned translation support in more than 20 languages.
- Clinical webinars, aimed at guiding healthcare providers worldwide, are offered with live Q&A and simultaneous language interpretation.
- [ARI’s YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCewrICyE_Pl9LiyCHp6GnRQ) offers free access to experts with up-to-date webcasts on medical support and educational videos, social stories, and selected talks from past conferences. Users have tuned in for more than 1 million viewings.

Outreach in the U.S.

- ARI offers a hotline for parents and professionals, who can reach a live person for information and support. [Contact Us](https://autism.org/contact/)

International Outreach

- ARI embraces a global autism community, networking with parent support groups worldwide. The network aims to improve communication among support groups and inform the international community of the current state of the science regarding the underlying biology of ASD and evidence-based treatments. To date, 230 groups have joined the network spanning 77 countries, including Argentina, Belgium, Croatia, Egypt, Germany, Israel, Moldova, Nigeria, Peru, Poland, Romania, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, Venezuela, and Vietnam.
- ARI is an NGO (non-governmental organization) registered with the United Nations.
- ARI continues to translate many key articles, as well as our[Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC)](https://autism.org/autism-treatment-evaluation-checklist/), into diﬀerent languages—the ATEC is now available in 25 languages online. On average, more than 150 users per day complete ARI’s ATEC.

Autism Research Institute

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I believe in gratitude+action and that together we can build a better world. Cofounder at Every.org :)