Wondering what community resources help families impacted by Autism? ACIL Staff had the opportunity to find answers to that question outside of our organization at an Autism walk held on April 1st.
The Autism walk was held in conjunction with a resource fair at the Wright Care Child Development Center. The walk and resource fair were put on by the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) available to families affiliated with Wright Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB).
“At Wright Patterson, we have a large population of families with family members who have an autism diagnosis. The EFMP is designed to support military family members experiencing an on-going medical or educational need in ways including, but not limited to, support groups and informational and referral on and off the base. The EFMP Autism Walk and Information Fair was held to bring attention to Autism Awareness Month and meet a variety of needs that families experience,” said Melinda Jessup, Public Relations and Family Support Coordinator for the EFMP.
30 local agencies were at The EFMP Autism Walk and Information Fair offering support varying from behavioral therapy to ABLE accounts to children and families. While some were WPAFB specific, there were many that were not. ACIL staff found that, even though we were already aware of most of the organizations present, some of them offer services geared toward those with Autism that we were unaware of. For example, the Miamisburg Branch of Dayton Metro Library will hold Sensory Storytime featuring stories, rhymes, songs, and interactive play for people of all abilities on multiple Fridays and Saturdays over the spring and summer. For more information, visit https://dayton.bibliocommons.com/events/6564f7cebf3fd82800d1b70f. The Woodbourne Branch of the Washington-Centerville Public Library will hold a similar program one Saturday each month for the next few months. While preschool-age material will be featured, people of all ages and abilities are welcome. For more information, visit https://events.wclibrary.info/event/12150128. Oftentimes, older adults with intellectual disabilities will be excluded from programs like these but the programs being held at the libraries are unique in that both are inclusive regardless of biological age.
One of the more unique organizations present was Good Works Farm. Good Works Farm is a community, farm-based vocational and residential program. The organization was founded by a family impacted by the lack of support of their aging son with Autism. The experiential, outcome-oriented, person-centered farm offers adult day support, community respite, vocational services, and non-medical transportation. Good Works Farm strives to help as many people as possible. With that in mind, the organization became a Medicaid Waiver provider in 2020. Furthermore, all services provided by Good Works are neuroinclusive meaning anyone and everyone can enjoy the benefits of the farm. To find out more about Good Works Farm, visit https://www.goodworksfarm.org/
Dayton Autism Society (DAS) was one of the Autism-specific organizations at the walk. DAS is a non-profit organization that strives to support families and individuals dealing with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). DAS provides connections to other local organizations that assist families raising an individual diagnosed with ASD. The organization also puts on an annual 5K Walk/Run and resource fair to help families learn about the multitude of resources available in the community that help support the needs of our individuals diagnosed with ASD. DAS also hosts a variety of sensory-friendly events movie nights, including bowling, swimming, a holiday party, and many other events. Additionally, families connected to DAS are eligible to apply for a grant of up to $250 to help cover the expense of therapies, equipment, medical devices, and services. To find more about DAS, visit https://autismsocietyofdayton.org/
Hopefully, this snapshot of resources and information ACIL staff found at The EFMP Autism Walk and Information Fair gives an idea of resources and activities geared toward families impacted by Autism. For more Autism resources and activities available in Dayton, visit https://daytonparentmagazine.com/sensory-friendly-programs-activities-and-places-in-dayton/
