Mattel introduced a new Barbie, who is autistic and reflects some common features of autism, in January. In development for more than 18 months in partnership with ASAN, this doll joins the Barbie Fashionistas collection, which features a diverse range of skin tones, hair textures, body types, and various medical conditions and disabilities. In its announcement welcoming the new doll, ASAN…
OAR is excited to announce our 2026 Youth Art Contest, inviting autistic children and their siblings, classmates, and friends to share their creativity through art. The 2026 theme, Courage, encourages young artists to explore what it means to be themselves and express what courage looks like through their unique lens. Our Youth Art Contest continues to attract artists from across…
At the beginning of a new year, January offers a natural moment to pause, reflect, and look ahead. For OAR, 2025 was a year of continued growth, learning, and connection across the autism community. Throughout the year, we advanced our mission to apply research to the challenges of autism by expanding resources, strengthening partnerships, and…
In 2025, RUN team members from around the world represented OAR at 30 events, from international marathons to our very own Active for Autism 5K and Kids Dash. The RUN team of nearly 1,200 runners joined forces to raise over $1.25 million. Their fundraising efforts helped OAR fund new applied autism research, including eight new studies funded through the…
This fall, OAR set out to provide free informational resources about autism to families, individuals, and communities across the country. With your help, we surpassed many of our goals for distributing paperback resources and increasing engagement with our Libby library. Goal 1: Provide Informational Resources to Support Families By the end of the fall outreach…
Arlington, VA, January 5, 2026 – The Organization for Autism Research (OAR) is publishing the Korean translation of the Kit for Kids program, which aims to promote autism awareness and acceptance among elementary and middle school students. The following Korean-translated PDFs are available to download now: Kit for Kids Classroom Set What’s Up with Nick? Booklet Classroom Poster Lesson Plan How to Use Sheet Kit for Kids Activity Workbooks Classroom…
Arlington, VA, December 12, 2025 – The Organization for Autism Research (OAR) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2025 Applied Research Competition. This program, which began offering grants of up to $50,000 in 2024, provides funding to researchers and professionals who conduct applied autism research. This year, OAR’s Board of Directors approved funding…
As 2025 draws to a close, OAR welcomes six talented volunteers joining Hire Autism as navigators. Congratulations to Ariel Coburn, Bettina Hoffman, Danielle Johnson, Marie Johnson, Lauren Marder, and Jip Woudstra! These volunteers work as special education assistant, senior recruiter, technical recruiter, accounting firm partner, neurodivergence coach/talent management consultant, and behavior support specialist, with a wide…
This January, nearly 100 RUN FOR AUTISM team members will take on a race at the 2026 Walt Disney World ® Marathon Weekend presented by State Farm in Orlando, Florida. This marathon weekend is the 2026 RUN FOR AUTISM featured event, with staff presence to cheer on our amazing team of runners. The weekend features four races, ranging from a 5K to a marathon,…
The 2026 OAR Scholarship Program opens for applications on Friday, December 5, 2025, and remains open until Monday, April 20, 2026. Applicants may apply to only one of OAR’s postsecondary scholarships, which include the Schwallie Family Scholarship, the Lisa Higgins Hussman Scholarship, and the Synchrony Scholarship for Autistic Students of Color. Each program offers $3,000 scholarships to students diagnosed with autism spectrum…
