Newsletter: What’s Next

News

Apr 11

We are thrilled to be using our grant from Cardinals Charities to create some great social events for families who share a diagnosis of autism or similar challenges. When our son was younger the hardest things to do were what everyone else thought was fun! Ice skating, the zoo, or going out to dinner, to name just a few. For us, those were times filled with anxiety. Would he have a meltdown? Would we have to leave 5 minutes after we arrived with our other 2 children telling us they wanted to stay? It was really difficult, so we had an idea to create environments that allow for kids to succeed or at least try out different experiences.

We would like to introduce our series of events, the first of which occurred in early April in partnership with AZ Assist. We helped sponsor approximately 35 young adults with ASD as they attended “Video Games Live” at the Mesa Arts Center. We would like to thank AZ Assist for doing an amazing job setting up the event and Mesa Arts Center for their generosity and for being a gracious host.

As the series, “It’s All Fun and …” continues, the future events include: ice skating at Alltel Ice Den, an afternoon at MacDonald Ranch and more. We hope by managing the music, limiting the number of people and surrounding our families with support, our kids can have some positive interactions and thanks to Cardinals Charities the events will be at little or no cost to the families. We do ask that you reserve a space if you plan to attend. These are family events, not drop off events, so at least one parent will need to remain with their child but we really hope you will use this as an opportunity for your whole family to enjoy time together. Check on our Upcoming Events page.

“Be the Change You Want to See In the World”

— Mahatma Ghandi

Ghandi said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” That is exactly what Lea (11) and Sierra (8) have done; they are sisters who live in Watertown, Wisconsin. Their cousin has autism. During the holidays Kids with Autism Can received a check for $46 from them!

The girls had decorated jars and left them at local businesses for people to make donations. Not only will the money help the organization but teaching our kids to give back is essential to creating a successful community. A big thanks to Lea and Sierra, their parents and all of the people in Watertown who supported the girls in their fundraising efforts. They are amazing!

“Listen to the mustn’ts, child. Listen to the don’ts. Listen to the shouldn’ts, theimpossibles, the won’ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me...Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”

— Shel Silverstein

What’s Been Happening?

Our first talk at ASU Polytechnic was a success. We have had positive feedback about the ideas and support we were bringing to the community. The speakers were both informative and optimistic about options in higher education for some young adults on the spectrum. We enjoyed being able to inspire others on their journey and share some of our successes. If you have a group you would like us to speak with please feel free to contact us at info@kidswithautismcan.org to discuss options.

Email KWAC

We have also been making connections with music and art groups who might be interested in working with kids and young adults with Autism. We hope to set up some more interesting opportunities with these groups as we continue growing our relationships.

Link it Up

In this section, we will share links pertaining to all different aspects of autism. These links do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Kids with Autism Can. We want to provide many different sources of information.

Ear Candy Charity

Smart Knit Kids

Spring has Sprung!

We are sharing a special springtime treat. These birds’ nests are great to make and decorate with kids of any age. Please remember the ingredients will be hot, work closely and safely with your children.