Oklahoma Family Center For Autisminc

WE BRING HOPE AND EMPOWERMENT AS WE HELP OKLAHOMA BECOME MORE AUTISM- FRIENDLY AND AWARE BY 1. SUPPORTING FAMILIES WHO HAVE A LOVED ONE WITH AUTISM 2. SUPPORTING PERSONS WITH AUTISM WITH PROGRAMS THAT MEET SPECIFIC NEEDS 3. AUTISM AWARENESS OUTREACH TO OUR STATE AND COMMUNITY

HELP FAMILIES THRIVE WITH PARENT SUPPORT GROUPS PARENT SUPPORT GROUPS PROVIDE PEER MENTORING, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING, AND FAMILY SAFE EVENTS. HELPING FAMILIES THRIVE HAS BEEN THE BACKBONE OF AUTISM OKLAHOMA SINCE ITS FORMATION IN 2002. WE HAVE ADDED GEOGRAPHIES AND INVESTED IN THE PARENT SUPPORT GROUP LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE. WE ALSO IMPLEMENTED PIECE OF MIND, A PROGRAM FOR DISTRIBUTING GPS AND SAFETY EQUIPMENT TO FAMILIES WHO HAVE CHILDREN WITH A HIGH RISK OF RUNNING AWAY AS WELL AS A FINANCIAL NEED.

HELP INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM REACH THEIR POTENTIAL. AUTISM OKLAHOMA PROVIDES SOCIAL GROUPS, SUMMER EXPERIENCES AND PRE- EMPLOYMENT CLUBS TO ENGAGE CHILDREN, TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS IN SOCIAL AND PRE-EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES. SOME OF OUR SOCIAL GROUPS INCLUDE HEROES, THE AVENGERS OF AUTISM, TEEN 2 TEEN, BOWLING FOR DIFFERENTLY ABLED, AND CONNECTIONS. WE ALSO PROVIDED INNOVATIVE CAMPS TO ENCOURAGE COMMUNICATION AND INVOLVEMENT WHICH INCLUDES SWANKY ART. OUR PRE-EMPLOYMENT CLUBS, BEE'S KNEES AND INVISIBLE LAYERS PRODUCTIONS CREATE LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCES FOR YOUNG ADULTS WITH ASD. THESE CLUBS MEET MULTIPLE TIMES PER WEEK WITH A PROFESSIONAL MENTOR WHO ASSISTS WITH CREATING A TEAM ENVIRONMENT AS WELL AS TEACHING SKILLS. THESE CLUBS PRODUCE AMAZING RESULTS IN CONFIDENCE AND IN COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION. HELPING INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL IS A GOAL OF AUTISMOKLAHOMA. AUTISMOKLAHOMA PROVIDES INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS TO HELP INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM TO ENGAGE WITH OTHERS. WE CONTINUE TO MAKE INVESTMENTS BY OFFERING A PORTFOLIO OF PROGRAMS TARGETED TO INDIVIDUALS ON THE AUTSIM SPECTRUM.

PROVIDE AUTISM AWARENESS AND HIGHLIGHTED PROGRAMMING 2021 WAS A GREAT SUCCESS FOR US AS AN ORGANIZATION AND FOR THE THOUSANDS WE SERVE. A FEW HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: 1 THE PIECEWALK: THOUSANDS GATHERED IN OKC AND TULSA FOR A DASH THRU OZ. GRATEFUL TO HAVE IN-PERSON PIECEWALKS, FAMILIES CELEBRATED, FOUND RESOURCES AND FRIENDSHIP AS THEY WALKED TOGETHER ALONG THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD. 2 DUETS: BEGINNING ON WORLD AUTISM DAY, 34 NEURODIVERSE AND NEUROTYPICAL ARTISTS EXHIBITED 25 PIECES OF COLLABORATIVE ORIGINAL ART. MORE THAN 400 PEOPLE VISITED THE PASEO CREATIVITY CENTER THROUGHOUT APRIL. GENEROUS MEDIA COVERAGE INCLUDED FEATURES IN THE OKLAHOMAN AND "IS THIS A GREAT STATE OR WHAT?" 3 ACTION PACKED SUMMER PROGRAMMING: SWANKY ART CAMP THIS SUMMER INCLUDED YOUNGER PARTICIPANTS. COOKING CLASSES AND YOUNG ADULT HANGOUT EVENTS WERE PART OF THE FUN. 4 CODING CAMP: THIS VIRTUAL CLASS TAUGHT INDIVIDUALS COMPUTER CODING AS THEY WORKED COLLABORATIVELY TO BUILD AN APP. THE NEXT SESSION WILL HAVE A BEGINNER'S TRACT AND DELVE INT WORDPRESS. 5 LIFE.CHURCH: OUR SEVENTH YEAR OF PARTNERSHIP RESULTED IN MORE THAN 5,500 VOLUNTEER CONNECTIONS. FOR SIX MONTHS OF THE YEAR, OVER 200 VOLUNTEERS PER MONTH SERVED IN CREATIVE PROGRAMS SUCH AS BLAST PEN PALS, ONE & DONE, AND SPECIAL EVENTS. 6 FAMILY FUN EVENTS: FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY WAS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH FREE EVENTS AT PELICAN BAY, SAFARI JOE'S H2O, CITY OF BROKEN ARROW SENSORY EVENTS, AND A FAMILY CHRISTMAS WITH SANTA AND MRS. CLAUS. 7 PARTIES AT OUR 7725 STUDIO: WE UTILIZED THE LARGE AUDITORIUM SPACE FOR LARGE PARTIES FOR YOUNG ADULTS AND ADULTS, INCLUDING A KARAOKE AND PIZZA NIGHT AND A HALLOWEEN PARTY. 8 EXPANDED ADULT PROGRAMMING: DUE TO THE LARGE DEMAND, WE ADDED MORE EXTENSIVE AND INTEREST-BASED ADULT PROGRAMS. FLIPSIDE EVENTS FOR ADULTS ON THE SPECTRUM AND THEIR SUPPORT TEAM, AND INTEREST CLUBS INCLUDING JEWELRY MAKING AND NATURE IN OKC AND TULSA. 9 NEW PIECEWALK WEBSITE: MUCH OF THE YEAR SPENT DESIGNING THE BEST USER EXPERIENCE POSSIBLE. THE NEW SITE GIVES TEAM CAPTAINS MORE FLEXIBILITY IN THEIR USE OF THE SITE AND ENHANCED TEAM COMMUNICATIONS. 10 INVISIBLE LAYERS AND INVISIBLE INK: WHEN MEETING FOR INVISIBLE LAYERS WAS IMPOSSIBLE, INVISIBLE INK, A VIRTUAL CREATIVE WRITING PROGRAM, WAS CREATED. CHOOSING THE THEME COMMUNICATION, PARTICIPANTS USED THEIR PROSE TO EXPLORE IT.