Road to Acceptance

Our stories connect us.

Community Connections

Our stories connect us – to our loved ones, strangers, and the world around us. Explore these moments of acceptance, diverse challenges, and how the Autism community creates connections everyday.

2024 Road to Acceptance Project

The 2024 Road to Acceptance project was part of the Autism Society’s greater efforts for Autism Acceptance Month, and was made possible by Goodnites®, the #1 nighttime underwear*. Our project aimed to shed light on the diverse experiences and perspectives within the Autism community, fostering greater awareness, understanding, and inclusion. By asking questions about health, safety, employment, and other key topics, we amplified the voices of individuals with Autism and their families, to create a more inclusive society.

The Autism Society will hit the road with our branded Chrysler Pacifica vehicles, outfitted with a mobile video studio, to capture community stories. The car cabin was designed to create a sensory-friendly, comforting space for our community to share their experiences.

*Youth Pant Category Share Data

Visit us on the road!

date city location link
March 25, 2024 Boston City Hall Plaza Open Event
March 27, 2024 NYC Times Square Open Event
March 28, 2024 Austin Texas Open Event
March 29, 2024 Austin Texas Open Event
April 10, 2024 DC Virginia Register

Autism
Acceptance Month

This April, the Autism Society of America is proud to launch our Autism Is campaign as part of the Autism Society’s 60th Anniversary celebration! For six decades, we’ve connected the Autism community with essential resources, supports, and advocacy for meaningful change. This year, we are amplifying those voices to showcase the strength in diversity, fight for essential services and drive progress forward.

Your gift makes a difference.

With support for the Road to Acceptance Initiative, we can shed light on the diverse experiences and perspectives within the Autism community, fostering greater awareness, understanding, and inclusion.

Whether you donate $5 or $500, every amount helps. If you can’t donate at this time, we ask that you click the share button to spread the word.

Partners

Goodnites®, the #1 nighttime underwear*, is committed to supporting the Autism community by combating the bedwetting stigma and giving parents and children the comfort that they are not alone. Through an ongoing partnership with the Autism Society of America, the two organizations will support the community through educational resources, national and local community events, and advocacy. Goodnites has gone above and beyond to support our efforts in 2024, with a donation of $200,000 that supports our programming and helps promote the voices of our community as we explore what acceptance means to you!

*Youth Pant Category Share Data

In 2023, the Autism Society of America and Chrysler announced a long-term partnership that supports the driving needs of individuals with Autism and their loved ones. The partnership includes advising product development considerations for the Autism community, inclusion training to build better experiences at Chrysler dealerships, and the creation of the calm cabin package to provide accommodation support for Chrysler vehicles.
This year, the Autism Society will be utilizing its loaned Chrysler Pacifica vehicles for our Road to Acceptance project, as we collect diverse lived experiences from our community to advocate for a more inclusive world.

Supporting Sponsors

Autism Society’s Work & Impact

Health Equity

1 in 3 adults with disabilities ages 18-44 do not have a primary care provider. 

Through the Vaccine Education Initiative, the Autism Society is closing the health equity gap of Autistic individuals and those with disabilities by expanding access to vaccine clinics and trained healthcare professionals.

Safety on the Spectrum: First Responder Program

Approximately 1 in 5 young adults with Autism will interact with a police officer before the age of 21.

To bridge the communication gap and build trust between the Autism community and law enforcement, the Autism Society is developing a gold-standard first responder and criminal justice curriculum, training, and certification program.

Safety on the Spectrum: Water Safety & Wandering

Accidental drowning has accounted for up to 91% of total US deaths reported in Autistic children under the age of 14. 

Focusing on water and wandering, the Autism Society provides water safety education, aquatics training, and drowning prevention, to decrease the tragic loss of life caused by water and wandering-related accidents.

Employment Program

The unemployment rate for people with disabilities who are ready and willing to work is typically twice that of the general non-disabled working population.

To address the high unemployment rate of Autistic individuals, the Autism Society’s Employment initiative creates connections – between Autistic individuals, caregivers, and employers to advance access to resources, training, and opportunities for meaningful work experiences.

National Helpline

It is estimated that 2% of the US population of people over 18 or about 5.4 million people, are estimated to have Autism. 

To help Autistic individuals and those in the Autism community navigate life, the Autism Society National Helpline provides information and referral services to connect the Autism community to the resources they need. 

Autism Justice Center

By age 21, approximately 20% of youth with Autism had been stopped and questioned by police, and nearly 5% had been arrested.

Through the Autism Justice Center, the Autism Society aspires to be a pioneering force for the Autistic community addressing challenges like securing affordable housing, workplace accommodations, and the troubling frequency of negative law enforcement encounters.