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This Autism Acceptance Month, I want to challenge us, as a community, to take the steps necessary to go beyond acceptance and towards the true appreciation of autistic individuals.  

Just as awareness is seen differently from acceptance, so too, is acceptance from appreciation. The difference between acceptance and appreciation is not “just semantical”, but rather important, with crucial implications. We must begin to realize that acceptance is the bare minimum and that we can do better to support the autism community.

Awareness is acknowledging that bridges exist. Acceptance is tolerating these bridges’ existence. Appreciation is actively taking steps to strengthen and grow these bridges to better understand and support them.  

To contrast acceptance and appreciation:  

  • Acceptance is hiring because you must, while appreciation is hiring because you want. 
  • Acceptance is speaking on behalf of autistic people while appreciation is empowering autistics to live a life of self-determination. 
  • Acceptance is helping communities survive. Appreciation is helping communities thrive. 
  • Acceptance is the bare minimum given the research, testimonies, tools, technology, and knowledge at our disposal. Appreciation is going above and beyond to build and strengthen bridges with the autistic community. 

Some ways we can move beyond the mere acceptance of autism include: 

  1. Engaging with the autistic community. This can include listening to webinars, talks, podcasts, and panels featuring autistic speakers and following autistic voices and content creators on social media. 
  2. Checking out the resources on various autism-friendly websites.  
  3. Donating to autism-friendly charities and organizations (OAR, AANE, ASAN…) 
  4. Utilizing universal design in the workplace and strengths-based approaches to learning within the household, education, and employment. 
  5. Ensure your organization’s website is accessible; including alt-text for photos, closed captions for videos, compatible colors, and the like. 
  6. Listen to your autistic family members, friends, and colleagues.  
  7. Ask questions (rather than making assumptions). 
  8. Let autistic people lead the discussion and conversation around autism.  

This autism acceptance month, I challenge us, as a society, to move beyond mere acceptance and into the true appreciation of autistic individuals. To start building and strengthening these bridges! 


Ben VanHook is an AuDHD (autistic and ADHD) master’s student at George Mason University studying public policy and is currently employed at the Organization for Autism Research as the Community Support Coordinator.

 

 

 


This content was written by Ben VanHook in his personal capacity. The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely his as of the date of the publication and are subject to change. They do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Organization for Autism Research (OAR). 

Arlington, VA, April 5, 2024 The Organization for Autism Research (OAR) is excited to announce the recipients of its spring 2024 Peer Education Grant competition. This cycle, OAR is awarding eight grants totaling $28,258.50 to teach nearly 5,000 students about autism.

Since 2012, OAR has helped educate more than 194,000 students and peers about autism through the Kit for Kids peer education program. OAR continues its commitment to educating students by awarding grants ranging from $500 – $5,000 through this program. The successfully funded projects will be led by teachers, administrators, parents, youth group organizers, and autism professionals who plan to teach today’s youth about autism in school or other community-based settings.

Congratulations to the 10 grant recipients!

Kayla Andreazza and Kelly McEvoy

Empathy for the Spectrum

Copeland Middle School, Rockaway Township, New Jersey

The Empathy for the Spectrum initiative aims to show Copeland Middle School students the importance of embracing and celebrating neurodiversity rather than stigmatizing it. Andreazza and McEvoy have planned a program dedicated to fostering a more inclusive and empathetic learning environment for autistic students at the school while continuing educational and social experiences through OAR materials, as well as encouraging neurotypical students to create compassionate and meaningful connections with autistic peers.

Kristen Ashworth Sutton

SuperSTAR Friends

Chatham Elementary School, Chatham, Virginia

Sutton will lead the county-wide program to engage and educate neurotypical students about their autistic peers through the Kit for Kids materials and help raise awareness, acceptance, and kindness within their school community.

Massia Bailey

“We All Belong”

Pasadena Lakes Elementary, Pembroke Pines, Florida

Bailey and the teachers at Pasadena Lake Elementary intend to make Pasadena Lakes’ “We All Belong” statement of inclusion a reality for the whole school community. They will foster a supportive and inclusive environment so that autistic students feel valued, understood, and empowered, using the Kit for Kids program. By exposing the general education and faculty population to the characteristics and needs of autistic students, the team strives to promote equity and empathy, celebrate diversity, and enhance the sense of belonging for all students despite differences.

Tara Benitez

ASD Horizon Program: Autism Awareness Month Celebration

P.S. 307 Daniel Hale Williams School, Brooklyn, New York

P.S. 307 faculty will host a community autism run/walk, coordinated by Benitez. A few weeks later, they will use OAR materials to educate students about autism. The goal of these events is to educate the whole community and the school’s neurotypical students about autism and encourage acceptance and inclusion.

Kathy Collins

Celebrating Neurodiversity, Building Bonds with our Friends

Vincennes Community School Corporation, Vincennes, Indiana

Collins will use the Kit for Kids materials in schools across the district to celebrate neurodiversity during National Autism Acceptance Month. Students will be encouraged to engage with their autistic peers in healthier ways while also developing genuine friendships with one another.

Stephanie Nordin

Happiness Unveiled: Fostering Autism Awareness and Acceptance in Collier County Communities

Autism Collier, Naples, Florida

Led by Nordin, the Autism Collier team will teach children about autism to foster a more accepting and supportive society for autistic individuals and their families. Nordin, a mother of autistic kids, offers invaluable insight into the challenges faced by individuals with autism and the importance of fostering understanding and inclusion from a young age.

Tallie Paz

Autism – What’s Your Superpower?

Valley View Elementary School, Wadsworth, Ohio

Paz will use OAR resources for a “More Alike Than Different” day. On that day, students will rotate through classrooms to learn about disabilities through activities. Teachers will use the lesson plan, among other Kit for Kids materials, for their stations on autism. Given the material, Paz and the teachers aim to foster compassion and acceptance in their students.

Donna Rizzo

Autism – What’s Your Superpower?

P.S 249 The Caton School, Brooklyn, New York

Rizzo and the teachers at P.S 249 plan to hold an Autism Awareness Week that includes an assembly of students and a guest speaker who is an expert in autism and can share real-life events and experiences to promote knowledge and understanding.

Brandon Scarborough

Dreams Academy/Queens Academy

Dreams Academy, Akron, Ohio

Scarborough will lead educational sessions for students to explain what autism and other neurodiversities are, raise awareness, and foster acceptance and compassion. Invited facilitators and speakers will discuss related topics and lead activities to engage students.

Vicky Vu

B.R.A.I.N. Big and Little Buddy Program

Weaver Elementary School, Los Alamitos, California

Vu will use the Kit for Kids materials to support and expand the B.R.A.I.N after-school program at Weaver Elementary. With the help of faculty, this initiative will continue building respect for autism inclusivity, teaching neurotypical students strategies to effectively and compassionately engage with their autistic peers.

For inquiries regarding the Peer Education Grant program or for more information on the next grant cycle, please visit the website or contact OAR at 571-977-5391; e-mail programs@researchautism.org.


About OAR: The Organization for Autism Research (OAR) is a national non-profit organization formed and led by relatives of children and adults with autism. OAR is dedicated to promoting research that can be applied to help families, educators, caregivers, and individuals with autism find much-needed answers to their immediate and urgent questions. Learn more at www.researchautism.org.  

Thank you to all the talented artists who participated in OAR’s 2024 Youth Art Contest. With entries from 125 artists across 24 states and five countries, the response was truly inspiring. Every submission beautifully captured the theme of “growth” in unique and heartfelt ways. What an amazing turnout for our fourth annual contest!
OAR-Youth-Art-Contest-Logo

Grand Prize Winner:

  • “February’s Flower” by Nicholas C. 

Autistic Youth Category: 

  • 8 years old and under: “Monarch” by Charles W. 
  • Ages 9-13: “Blossoming” by Justus K. 
  • 14 years old and older: “Amelia – A Self Love Portrait” by Layla C. 

Autism Youth Allies Category: 

  • 10 years old and under: “Angels of Growth” by Ishee J. 
  • Ages 11-18: “The Track to Growth” by Hailey K. 

Congratulations to all the winners of the 2024 Youth Art Contest! To view the winning artworks or sign up for announcements about the 2025 Art Contest, visit our Youth Art Contest page. Throughout Autism Acceptance Month, you can also send donation e-cards featuring the winning artworks to celebrate these young artists and support autism acceptance. 

OAR extends heartfelt gratitude to the judges for their dedication and insight. These six amazing autistic artists had the challenging task of selecting winners from an incredible pool of talent: 

  • Tom Coomber is a British artist known for his vivid acrylic landscape paintings of rural, urban, and coastal areas. 
  • Caitlin Cropp is a Chicago-area artist whose paintings reflect her deep love for nature, tea, moss, clouds, and cats. 
  • Kenny Davis is a self-taught artist whose paintings serve as a unique expression of his thoughts and feelings. 
  • Giselle Pritzlaff is an illustrator who uses her digital art to stimulate her creativity and showcase her ideas to the world. 
  • D.J. Svoboda is a motivational speaker, author, artist, and creator of imagifriends. 
  • John Williams is an artist who creates meticulously crafted portrait and landscapes cut-paper collages. 

OAR thanks all the artists, their families, friends, and our dedicated judges for making this year’s contest a resounding success. We can’t wait to see what next year’s contest holds. If you have any suggestions for next year’s theme or are interested in becoming a judge for the 2025 Youth Art Contest, please contact Rachel Luizza. 

In March, the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) released its 2019-2020 IACC Autism Research Portfolio Analysis Report. The report analyzes research funding activities across the United States to track autism research funding of federal agencies and private research organizations across the United States. 

The report provides comprehensive information about U.S. autism research funding to help the IACC in its efforts to monitor autism research progress and trends. This information is also used by advocacy organizations, government agencies, private funders, and the broader autism community to understand the autism research funding landscape. In addition to the full report, a new At-a-Glance summary provides an overview of the key findings of the report. 

U.S. autism research was funded at the highest ever levels in 2019 and 2020, totaling $424.2 million and spanning 1,604 projects in 2019 and totaling $418.9 million and spanning 1,573 projects in 2020. Federal agencies accounted for approximately 82% of total funding and private organizations for almost 18% of total funding. Fourteen federal agencies and 16 private organizations provided funding data for the report. 

Overall funding for autism research increased by $30 million (7.6%) from 2018 to 2019. From 2019 to 2020, total autism funding decreased by $5.3 million (1.2%). Similar to previous years, federal agencies funded approximately 80% of autism research while private organizations contributed nearly 20% of funding. 

Funding fluctuations, such as the decrease between 2019 and 2020, occur for a number of reasons, including the pattern of project/initiative start and end dates, changes in organization budgets and priorities, changes in government appropriations, and the effects of using certain funding mechanisms. The 2020 decrease also coincided with the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected research across many scientific disciplines. Future reports analyzing research funding in the 2021 and 2022 cycles will illuminate variations in funding levels and the overall trajectory of autism research growth in recent years. 

As in previous years, research on the biology of autism continued to be the largest area funded (45% of total funding in 2019 and 2020), followed by: 

Lifespan, services and supports, and screening and diagnosis maintained funding levels or increased from 2019 to 2020. The areas with the most growth from 2019 to 2020 were screening and diagnosis and services and supports.

Detailed federal and private organization project data are available in the Autism Research Database

This report represents the twelfth and thirteenth years of data collected and the ninth comprehensive report of U.S. autism research funding across both federal and private sectors. 


Sherri Alms is the freelance editor of The OARacle, a role she took on in 2007. She has been a freelance writer and editor for more than 20 years.

Long-time OAR staff member Rachel Luizza was recently promoted to director of development and marketing. When asked about her new job, she said that she is “excited to continue supporting the growth of OAR by building a stronger brand and community of supporters. By doing this, OAR will be able to reach more people within the autism community and broaden our impact.” 

In this role, Luizza is responsible for the strategic planning and development of marketing and communication for OAR. This includes things like working across programs to develop communication/marketing strategies, developing donor and other partner communication strategies, and managing organization-wide annual fundraising appeals. 

Luizza came to OAR in 2017 as a RUN FOR AUTISM coordinator and was promoted to senior coordinator in 2019. In 2020, she helped to create a new position, manager of development and marketing, which she had for three years.  

She notes that OAR’s work takes a community to succeed. “Community involvement is crucial in helping OAR broaden its impact and help more people in the autism community. My role will be to strengthen and grow that community and I hope that all OAR supporters will help by spreading the word about OAR, sharing their stories, and continuing to actively engage with the OAR community.” 

Fifty-nine RUN athletes have raised over $56,000 this spring, dedicating their Chevron Houston Marathon and United Airlines NYC Half Marathon miles to autism research. 

In January, 20 runners participated in Chevron Houston Marathon events from the 5k to the marathon. Many team members, including Houston runner Cecilia Jones, were inspired by a personal connection to autism. Jones runs for her son on the spectrum, so parents like herself have more resources to “figure out how to learn and grow in helping those on the spectrum succeed in this big world.” In her first race since 2015, she nearly set a new personal record and Boston qualifying time. “Seeing my husband and my son who inspired me to run for this organization at the finish line was so rewarding,” she said. 

Interested in taking on a Houston Marathon event next year? You can register here for the January 19, 2025 race.  

In mid-March, 39 runners ran the United Airlines NYC Half Marathon. Longtime RUN athlete Susanna Iuliano took on the race carrying an “I love someone with autism” banner. “I am proud to say my son has autism,” she said. “He has been my greatest teacher. He lives his life as his authentic self and even though he struggles to communicate, our family knows he loves us very much. I run for autism because it gives me a platform to show my pride as a parent and to bring awareness to the OAR mission. It was very touching at the NYC Half Marathon that there were other runners who recognized and thanked me for running for autism.” 

Registration for the 2025 United Airlines NYC Half will open this fall. Fill out the interest list if you are interested in running this race with RUN FOR AUTISM next spring. 

If you’re looking for ways to get involved with RUN during Autism Acceptance Month, check out the upcoming events calendar. 

Hire Autism recently added two new resources to its website to support autistic adults in finding meaningful employment.

Job Scam Resource

Unfortunately, job scams pose a real risk to job seekers searching for their next employment opportunity. With this in mind, Hire Autism wrote Job Scams: What to Look for and Common Red Flags to help job seekers identify and navigate scams during their job search.

This resource defines a job scam, shares common red flags, and provides tips on how to avoid them and ways individuals can protect themselves after engaging with a job scam. The content within this resource is general information on job scams and is not intended as legal advice.

Hire Autism Featured Articles

Each month, Hire Autism sends a newsletter to registered job seekers with information on various employment topics and resources. If you are a job seeker, create an account to receive the newsletter and make use of all of Hire Autism’s resources. This year, Hire Autism is excited to expand the information shared within these newsletters by adding stand-alone articles to the Hire Autism website.

Read the newest featured article, “Decoding Job Descriptions: Support for Autistic Job Seekers,” for information about the components of job descriptions, common barriers, inaccessible language, and tips for navigating job descriptions.

With the addition of these articles, Hire Autism is seeking more community input and would like to invite contributors for future employment-related articles. Some of the topics planned for 2024 include tailoring job search documents, career fairs, working with recruiters, applying for jobs, Schedule A, interviews, addressing employment gaps, and more.

If you want to share advice or tips with our job seekers on an employment-related topic, the Hire Autism team would love to connect with you! Please contact the Hire Autism team at mail@hireautism.org.

OAR’s commitment to providing free resources to information for the autism community has just expanded with our new online lending library through Libby, by OverDrive. The library contains a wide range of autism-related titles for autistic individuals, parents, and professionals. You can also access many of OAR’s titles, including A Guide to Safety, A Guide for Transition to Adulthood, A Parent’s Guide to Research, and connect them directly to your e-reader.

In our library, you’ll discover carefully curated lists of 80+ titles on important autism-related topics and for different members of the autism community. Whether you’re looking to learn more about autism, start a book club with others in the autism community, or looking for your next great read, this online lending library is for you.

Get Started

The Libby app allows you to borrow eBooks and audiobooks for free from our online collection. You can even send and read your borrowed eBooks on your Kindle e-reader (U.S. only). The system is easy to use. The first step is to set up an account: 

  1. Access OAR’s Libby Library via OAR’s website or by downloading the Libby app. 
  2. To access the library, you must have an OAR account. If you don’t already have one, it’s easy to create an account. Use the same email address that is connected to your OAR account to log in to OAR’s lending library. 
  3. You may see the login instructions asking you for your library card. In this case, your library card is your email.

You can borrow up to 3 books and place a hold on up to 5 books at any given time. The default checkout period is 14 days, but you can adjust the checkout period to 7 or 21 days as desired. If you are nearing the end of the checkout period but wish to have more time to finish your book, you may choose to extend your loan if no one else is waiting for it. 

Thank you to OAR staff and community members for submitting requests for titles. We’ve taken your suggestions into consideration while curating our initial library collection and plan to add more titles in the future.  You can use the Notify Me feature in the Libby app to be notified when a title you’re interested in has been added to our library. 

This spring, OAR awarded $28,258 to support 10 peer education grants through its Peer Education Grant Program. With these grants, OAR has helped educate more than 193,000 children through the Kit for Kids since 2012. The grant program seeks to support projects that have the goal of promoting autism awareness and acceptance among K-12 public schools, nonprofits, communities, and libraries using OAR’s Kit for Kids peer education resources. 

Congratulations to these newest grant recipients!

Kayla Andreazza and Kelly McEvoy 
Empathy for the Spectrum 
Copeland Middle School, Rockaway Township, New Jersey 

The Empathy for the Spectrum initiative aims to show Copeland Middle School students the importance of embracing and celebrating neurodiversity rather than stigmatizing it. Andreazza and McEvoy have planned a program dedicated to fostering a more inclusive and empathetic learning environment for autistic students at the school while continuing educational and social experiences through OAR materials, as well as encouraging neurotypical students to create compassionate and meaningful connections with autistic peers.

Kristen Ashworth Sutton 
SuperSTAR Friends 
Chatham Elementary School, Chatham, Virginia 

Sutton will lead the county-wide program to engage and educate neurotypical students about their autistic peers through the Kit for Kids materials and help raise awareness, acceptance, and kindness within their school community. 

Massia Bailey 
“We All Belong” 
Pasadena Lakes Elementary, Pembroke Pines, Florida 

Bailey and the teachers at Pasadena Lake Elementary intend to make Pasadena Lakes’ “We All Belong” statement of inclusion a reality for the whole school community. They will foster a supportive and inclusive environment so that autistic students feel valued, understood, and empowered, using the Kit for Kids program. By exposing the general education and faculty population to the characteristics and needs of autistic students, the team strives to promote equity and empathy, celebrate diversity, and enhance the sense of belonging for all students despite differences. 

Tara Benitez 
ASD Horizon Program: Autism Awareness Month Celebration 
P.S. 307 Daniel Hale Williams School, Brooklyn, New York 

P.S. 307 faculty will host a community autism run/walk, coordinated by Benitez. A few weeks later, they will use OAR materials to educate students about autism. The goal of these events is to educate the whole community and the school’s neurotypical students about autism and encourage acceptance and inclusion.

Kathy Collins
Celebrating Neurodiversity, Building Bonds with our Friends
Vincennes Community School Corporation, Vincennes, Indiana 

Collins will use the Kit for Kids materials in schools across the district to celebrate neurodiversity during National Autism Acceptance Month. Students will be encouraged to engage with their autistic peers in healthier ways while also developing genuine friendships with one another. 

Stephanie Nordin 
Happiness Unveiled: Fostering Autism Awareness and Acceptance in Collier County Communities 
Autism Collier, Naples, Florida 

Led by Nordin, the Autism Collier team will teach children about autism to foster a more accepting and supportive society for autistic individuals and their families. Nordin, a mother of autistic kids, offers invaluable insight into the challenges faced by individuals with autism and the importance of fostering understanding and inclusion from a young age.

Brandon Scarborough 
Dreams Academy/Queens Academy 
Dreams Academy, Akron, Ohio 

Scarborough will lead educational sessions for students to explain what autism and other neurodiversities are, raise awareness, and foster acceptance and compassion. Invited facilitators and speakers will discuss related topics and lead activities to engage students. 

Tallie Paz
Autism – What’s Your Superpower?
Valley View Elementary School, Wadsworth, Ohio

Paz will use OAR resources for a “More Alike Than Different” day. On that day, students will rotate through classrooms to learn about disabilities through activities. Teachers will use the lesson plan, among other Kit for Kids materials, for their stations on autism. Given the material, Paz and the teachers aim to foster compassion and acceptance in their students. 

Donna Rizzo
Autism – What’s Your Superpower?
P.S 249 The Caton School, Brooklyn, New York 

Rizzo and the teachers at P.S 249 plan to hold an Autism Awareness Week that includes an assembly of students and a guest speaker who is an expert in autism and can share real-life events and experiences to promote knowledge and understanding. 

Vicky Vu
B.R.A.I.N. Big and Little Buddy Program
Weaver Elementary School, Los Alamitos, California 

Vu will use the Kit for Kids materials to support and expand the B.R.A.I.N after-school program at Weaver Elementary. With the help of faculty, this initiative will continue building respect for autism inclusivity, teaching neurotypical students strategies to effectively and compassionately engage with their autistic peers.

Submit an Application

Youth group organizers, parents, autism professionals, teachers, and administrators are eligible to apply for a grant ranging from $500 to $5,000, while school district-wide initiatives are eligible to apply for a grant up to $10,000. The next application period begins on April 15, 2024, for projects starting as early as September 1, 2024. Applications are due on June 24, 2024.

OAR supports projects that use the Kit for Kids materials and the Autism Tuned In program to increase autism awareness and acceptance. Example projects include awareness campaigns, workshops, and presentations. Eligible expenses include but are not limited to OAR’s peer education materials, print costs, honorariums and travel expenses for guest speakers, venue rental, and refreshments.

For questions or comments, contact OAR at programs @ researchautism.org

OAR supports local communities with valuable resources, assists autistic individuals preparing for employment, and raises funds to support autism research studies. You can join our mission and help make a difference. Here’s how you can help. 

Goal 1: Support the autism community with information (autistics, families, educators, professionals). 

OAR’s collection of guidebooks, manuals, curricula, and online resources offer comprehensive, high-quality, research-based information for parents, teachers, and autistic individuals. These resources cover essential topics such as the transition to adulthood, education, and safety.  

By the end of April, OAR hopes to distribute 40,000 information resources to families, individuals, schools, community organizations, police and fire stations, and libraries.

How you can help: OAR is a national organization, but you are an expert on your local community. Please spread the word about these informative resources to people in your community. Reach out to local support groups, families, schools, organizations, community centers, or first responders who might benefit from these resources. Or, if you wish to actively distribute many resources in your local community, sign up as an autism materials distributor and tell us your community impact plan to get started. 

Your efforts will help others learn more about autism and be better community members for autistic adults and children around them. Download or order paperback copies of our resources in our online store

Goal 2: Teach students in general education about autism using the Kit for Kids program.

Autistic individuals are essential to our communities, so teaching children about their peers on the spectrum is vitally important. Our Kit for Kids peer education program helps educators, parents, friends, and classmates teach K-8 students about autism. Thanks to Nick, the autistic character featured in the Kit, neurotypical children learn that autistic students are just like them, even if they may think differently or need some accommodations. Since 2014, more than 190,000 students have learned about autism through the Kit for Kids. Let’s reach an additional 15,000 students by the end of April. 

How you can help: Use the Kit for Kids materials at your local schools to help start class discussions, enhance school campaign efforts, and build friendships among classmates through a greater understanding of autism.  

In addition to telling the “What’s Up with Nick?” story, you can also use:  

For questions, comments, or bulk orders, please contact the Programs team at programs @ researchautism.org

Goal 3: Support autistic young adults through OAR’s Hire Autism initiative.

Hire Autism, OAR’s employment initiative, supports autistic adults in finding meaningful employment. To achieve this, Hire Autism welcomes autism-friendly employers to post their active job listings free of charge on the Hire Autism job board.

In support of our mission this year, Hire Autism aims to provide job search mentorship to 220 job seekers to help them find employment and recruit 90 national employer partners of varying scopes and sizes

hire autism logoHow you can help:

Job seekers  

  • Work with a Hire Autism navigator for free one-on-one virtual assistance with the job search, including resumes, cover letters, and interview prep.  
  • Explore current job opportunities with our autism-friendly employers on the Hire Autism job board, and set job alerts to get notified when new positions are posted. 
  • Apply for the Synchrony Tech Scholarship, which supports autistic adults interested in obtaining technology-related certifications to pursue or advance their careers.  
  • Download free employment-related resources such as A Guide to Job Searching, A Guide to Resume Writing, and more on Hire Autism’s Resource Center.

Employers 

  • Diversify your talent pipeline by creating an employer account and setting up a time to meet with Hire Autism staff. 
  • Actively post job listings to our job board, considering candidates for a wide range of positions. 
  • Pursue training opportunities and explore resources on how to best support autistic employees.

Community members

To learn more about how you can get involved or contribute to Hire Autism’s mission, contact the Hire Autism team.

Goal 4: Raise money for OAR’s programs, resources, and new research.  

RUN FOR AUTISM is OAR’s signature fundraising program. This year, RUN aims to raise $1,000,000 through 1,000 athletes dedicating their 2024 miles to autism research.

RUN’s goal for April is to raise $80,000 by the end of month through the Active for Autism 5k and Kids Dash, enough to fund a new OAR research study and support OAR’s mission to apply research to the challenges of autism. 

How you can help:  

  • Join us for the sixth annual Active for Autism 5k and Kids Dash on April 13 in Alexandria, Va., for a fun, family-friendly event.  
  • Join us virtually for the Active for Autism 5k and Kids Dash between April 1 and April 12. Run, walk, cycle, or swim at your own pace from wherever you are.  
  • Sign up and be part of the RUN FOR AUTISM team at one of our signature events or join our DIY program to raise money for autism research at any race.  
  • Share these opportunities with someone you know who wants to dedicate their miles to autism research. 

For more information, email the RUN staff at run@researchautism.org.

Goal 5: Fundraise for OAR’s mission with a new and exciting initiative: Stream for Autism.

Stream for Autism gives gamers, streamers, and content creators an opportunity to support the autism community by raising awareness and funds for OAR. Our goals for April are to: 

  • Raise $50,000 to support the distribution of informational resources, educational programs, and OAR’s mission to apply research to the challenges of autism through the Stream for Autism program.  
  • Sign up 100 new content creators and streamers to fundraise for OAR and spread autism awareness in April.

How you can help: 

  • Join this exciting initiative. Sign up to create your own charity stream and start fundraising today. Whether you’re a seasoned gamer or new to streaming, your efforts will contribute to a more inclusive and supportive environment for individuals with autism.  
  • Share these opportunities with your online communities or someone you know who is a content creator or streamer. 

For more information on OAR’s Autism Awareness Month initiatives and activities, email outreach@researchautism.org