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Dear Readers,
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SPRING NEWSLETTER
The autism spectrum covers many areas and is not linear - like all visible spectrums such as rainbows in the sky or those that spread out on the surface of bubbles - the spectrum stretches in many directions. This means we must stretch ourselves on a daily basis in response to about 250 help requestors each month.
The spectrum of "askers" over the past two days has included: judges, parents, autistic adults, teachers, an incarcerated person, a rural Chamber of Commerce member, employers, a theater director, entrepreneurs, and therapists - this list gives you an idea about how much we need to know or learn to be that lifeline of support we strive to be.
No matter where you fall on any spectrum, your needs, wants, curiosities, and desire to help are key to us meeting our mission. We hope answering peoples' questions and directing them to resources helps improve individual situations and systems issues, yet sometimes we cannot make the big changes people need. In those cases, we can provide emotional support and try to provide guidance if possible. We recognize that many different people with infinite kinds of experience want or need things, and it's our daily job to push ourselves to learn how to best help you in your autism journey, no matter who you are or what you need.
I'm happy to report we received funding for children and young adults this month, connected with the Latino Community Center to learn how we may assist, met with the Allegheny County Autism in the Courts group to make the Courts more autism-informed, met some awesome runners at Marathon, and linked up with Locally Served and also Autism Urban Connections to continue building those vital relationships. We will train first responders in Lock Haven, PA, and create video to teach people what to expect and do during traffic stops this month as well.
We are glad to be this busy - it means things are changing - we hope you also see growth and some hope these days. Call or write with us if that's not the case - we are here to listen, learn, and make the best autism connections possible for you.