OARacle Newsletter

April Autism Acceptance Month is just around the corner. You can play a big part in helping us reach our goals for promoting autism awareness and acceptance across the country! 

Goal 1: Provide informational resources to the autism community.

OAR is proud to offer a wide range of free informational resources for the autism community. On our website, you’ll find resources for parents, self-advocates, siblings, educators, health professionals, and more.  

By the end of April, OAR aims to distribute 50,000 informational resources to the autism community.  

How you can help: OAR is a national organization, but you’re an expert in your local community.  

• Please spread the word about these educational resources to people in your network. Help us connect with local support groups, families, schools, organizations, community centers, or others who work directly with members of the autism community. 

• Explore our resources. Our expansive library of resources covers topics such as safety, health and wellness, sibling support, college and employment, sex education, professional development, and so much more.  

Your efforts will help families learn more about autism and be better advocates for autism in their communities. Check out our free resources today! 

 Goal 2: Increase autism acceptance and education through our Libby library.

OAR’s Libby library has over 250 e-books and audiobooks about autism that users can access for free on their personal devices for leisure or educational reading. The library includes popular novels, autobiographies, guidebooks, clinical texts, kids’ books, and more, covering a wide range of topics of interest to the autism community. Readers can also access OAR’s published works through the library.  

By the end of April, our goal is to engage 350 readers through our Libby library, including 300 new readers, and generate a total of 700 checkouts. 

How you can help: 

• Create your free Libby account today. Follow the instructions on our website to set up your account and start exploring OAR’s library.  

• Share this resource.  

• If you are an autistic individual or parent of an autistic child looking to start a book group, start with our library.  

• If you work with autistic individuals and their families, our library has practical guides and clinical texts to help professionals serve their autistic clients. 

• If you are a teacher, our library has children’s books that celebrate autism.  

• If you aren’t in the list above, take a look…more than likely you will find something that you want to read right now!  

For questions, comments, and partnership inquiries, contact programs@researchautism.org. Happy reading! 

 Goal 3: Support autistic job seekers through OAR’s Hire Autism program.

OAR’s Hire Autism program offers free resources for job seekers, employers, and those who might be supporting a friend, student, or loved one with their job search. These resources include, but are not limited to, one-on-one virtual job search mentorship, unlimited posting, access to our job board, our employment resource center with information on job searching, resume writing, interviewing, and more! 

By the end of April, OAR aims to recruit 15 new Hire Autism navigators and support more than 15 autistic job seekers in securing employment. 

How you can help:  

Job seekers 

• If you are looking for your next work opportunity, create a job seeker account on the Hire Autism website and explore our autism-friendly employers and their job opportunities on the Hire Autism job board. 

• To connect with a mentor and receive free one-on-one virtual job search assistance, sign up to work with a Hire Autism navigator directly from your account. 

Community members 

• Support autistic adults in achieving their job search goals by applying to be a Hire Autism navigator.  

• Spread the word about the Hire Autism website and free resources to people in your network. Help us connect with new job seekers, form partnerships with companies looking to hire, and inform others who share our mission to improve employment opportunities for autistic individuals. 

Employers 

• Recruit autistic talent by creating an employer account and posting your open job listings on our job board. 

• Learn more about how to best support autistic employees through training opportunities and resources on the Hire Autism Resource Center. 

For questions, comments, and partnership inquiries, contact us at mail@hireautism.org. 

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 $1,200,000 through 1,100 athletes dedicating their 2026 miles to autism research. 

RUN’s goal 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: 

• Join us for the eighth annual Active for Autism 5k and Kids Dash on Sunday, April 19 in Alexandria, Va., for a fun, family-friendly event. 

• If you can’t make it in person, join us virtually for the Active for Autism 5k and Kids Dash between April 1 and April 18. 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.