In 2020, Sreenidi Bala, a teenager from Farmington, Connecticut, started a passion project that would change the lives of hundreds of autistic students. Four years later, Bala was named the Prudential Emerging Visionaries Employees’ Choice Award winner for her Code for All Minds initiative. The award came with $10,000 she can use to expand her…
With summer heat waves upon us and fall marathons on the horizon, RUN FOR AUTISM’s Bank of America Chicago Marathon and TCS New York City Marathon team members have some tips for beating the heat while logging miles. Runners agree on two main pieces of advice: start early and hydrate. Aaron Siegel, NYC Marathon runner,…
Hire Autism recently published two new employment-related articles on its website. These articles aim to provide much-needed answers to job seekers’ frequently asked questions. Additionally, each article features input from community members who have experience with the topic. “Making the Most of Career Fairs” discusses what career fairs are and how they are helpful in…
Siblings of autistic individuals often face similar challenges and stressors, from childhood to adult roles as advocate and potentially caretaker. OAR’s autism sibling support resources provide information that can help. These resources are available online for free and two copies of each can be mailed free as well. Autism, My Sibling, and Me Tailored towards…
Being an older brother to someone with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a journey filled with unique challenges and profound rewards. To provide insight into our family and the perspective from which I write, I am the older brother of James, the younger brother of Jacob, and the son of Sherly and Tom. The middle…
In November, OAR’s Board of Directors authorized funding for eight applied autism research studies in 2024. These new grants, totaling $297,569, bring OAR’s total research funding to more than $5 million since 2002. This article is sixth of eight previews to be featured in The OARacle this year. Autistic children are reported to be five…
Siblings of autistic individuals experience both benefits and challenges related to their sibling relationships. Benefits often include greater empathy, compassion, and resilience. Challenges can include parentification (i.e., acting in a parental role in childhood), struggling to plan for future caregiving, and responding to challenging behaviors. Parents often report worrying about the experiences and well-being of…
I love to travel! It’s fun getting out of the house and exploring a new environment. But for us autistic people, traveling can bring some unique challenges. That is why I’m here to help you plan and execute a successful vacation as an individual on the autism spectrum. Plan for Accommodations Traveling as an autistic…
I had never considered raising money through my running. After all, I love to run. Why should anyone pay me to do it? I (mostly) don’t think of running as suffering, but as an activity that brings me joy, connection and satisfaction. The only reason I decided to fundraise is that I wanted to run…
Boundaries help us build trust, safety, and respect in relationships. How do you set and communicate boundaries with others around you? Clear communication yields the best results when establishing boundaries. If I need to communicate boundaries, I must ensure that my delivery is tactful and kind. I articulate my needs using the same methods as…
