Did You Know?
April 2 is World Autism Awareness Day, and April is National Autism Awareness Month! Since many of you are now aware of Autism Spectrum Disorder, let’s work together to increase autism acceptance in our communities! OAR is lending support in the form of information resources to promote peer acceptance, sibling support, safety, and more. Join us!
This year, our goals are to:
- Empower the autism community with informational resources.
- Educate youth about their autistic peers.
- Support adults in the autism community through OAR’s Hire Autism Initiative.
- Raise money for new research and resources.
- Fundraise for OAR’s mission in a new and exciting platform.
None of this is possible without people like you leading the way. Here are some suggestions on how you can get involved before, during, and after Autism Awareness/Acceptance Month!
OAR’s collection of guidebooks, manuals, curriculums, and online resources offer comprehensive, high-quality, research-based information for parents, teachers, healthcare providers, 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:
Goal 2:
Teach students in general education about autism using the Kit for Kids program
Autistic individuals are valued members of 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. Together, let’s reach an additional 15,000 students by the end of April.
How you can help:
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.
How you can help:
- Job seekers can work with a Hire Autism Navigator and receive free one-to-one mentorship on aspects of the job search, including the resume, cover letter, and interview prep.
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 April 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:
- 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 in a new and exciting platform: Stream for Autism
Stream for Autism gives gamers, streamers, and content creators a platform 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.
For more information on OAR’s Autism Awareness Month initiatives and activities, contact Sean Flynn.
Share Your Photos
We want to know how you are participating in National Autism Awareness Month. Email your stories and pictures to programs@researchautism.org or share them on OAR’s Facebook page. OAR is looking for both candid and posed photos of parents, self-advocates, children of all ages, siblings, grandparents, friends, and teachers. If it’s a photo you like and are willing to share, please send it in. Be sure to provide written permission for OAR’s use of the photos you submit.
