http://nyautismcommunity.org
AFSS is run by and for people on the Autism spectrum because we feel that we are simply wired differently than most others and can talk on the same wavelength.
HOW TO DO THIS: AFSS FUNDRAISING GUIDE
The COVID-19 pandemic doesn’t just provide many stories of survival but, of triumph and building an international neurodiverse community.
Our membership was not only able to survive social isolation during the lockdown, but also to shine through with flying colors. The COVID-19 Pandemic provided the impetus to provide supports to our local community online, and for others from across the country and around the word to find us.
By hosting multiple Zoom meetings every month, AFSS has been able to provide a social outlet as well as other supports for people who, under the best of circumstances, have considerable difficulty finding opportunities to socialize. At the beginning of the lockdown, we were concerned because, in the past, our main goal was to encourage members to attend in-person events, as opposed to spending excessive time on social media, playing video games, or watching TV.
Slow and steady and, safety first really will win the race.
We plan to slowly restart in person activities with social distancing and masks for those who have not yet been vaccinated. On June 5, we enjoyed our first in-person event (annual picnic) and are now planning a beach outing. In August, we will also be reevaluating indoor events including support groups. We will have to determine which venues are open or available to us and may need to research new locations. We are also hoping to resume outings to indoor cultural activities, including visits to museums, the theater, and other attractions around the city.
Our mission is to improve socialization and cultural integration for autism-spectrum adults with the hope that our members will gain the social skills needed to be successful in all areas of life.
The interrelated benefits of our programs...
- Make it easier to get and keep a job
- Develop positive relationships
- Live richer and more meaningful lives
AFSS FUNDRAISING OBJECTIVE
This campaign will go towards some very important goals include...
- Support our international online community via social media and Zoom conferencing
Help pay the rent for future in-person support groups + form new LGBQIA
- Provide a member the opportunity to enjoy and benefit from a social event
- Help our members enjoy cultural events
- And much, much more!
We plan to slowly restart adding cultural events to our schedule in the fall including, attending the theatre, museums, tours and many other events in and around New York City, all structured around a meal discussion. We have been blessed with some free or discounted tickets but, many of these activities cost money and, with your help, we will do even more.
Congratulations to Mark Grein Jr. for being the top fundraiser three years in a row!
Please help Mark and others make important improvements to the programs and services that we provide to our members and this campaign even more successful than the last.
What are Asperger’s Syndrome, High Functioning Autism and ASD?
Asperger’s syndrome (also known as Asperger’s Disorder) is a neuro developmental disorder and was first described in the 1940s by Viennese pediatrician Hans Asperger, who observed autism-like behaviors and difficulties with social and communication skills in boys who had normal intelligence and language development. Many professionals felt Asperger’s syndrome was simply a milder form of autism and used the term “high-functioning autism” to describe these individuals. Uta Frith, a professor at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience of University College London and editor of Autism and Asperger Syndrome, describes individuals with Asperger’s as “having a dash of autism.
Asperger’s Disorder was added to the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) in 1994 as a separate disorder from autism. However, there are still many professionals who consider Asperger’s Disorder a less severe form of autism. In 2013, the DSM-5 replaced Autistic Disorder, Asperger’s Disorder and other pervasive developmental disorders with the umbrella diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.
Your tax deductible donation is essential to our programming efforts and will help us offer ongoing support and social groups, allow all participants access to great cultural events, and reach out to others who will benefit, among other AFSS goals.
HOW TO DO THIS: AFF FUNDRAISING GUIDE
Just bellow your “name’s” fundraising page (at the top of this page) is a link to the main "Friends and Family" fundraising which has additional information about the campaign which we encouraged you to share.
Aspies For Social Success (AFSS) is a fiscally sponsored project of the Center for Transformative Action (CTA).
CTA, a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization is legally and financially responsible for all of our program activities.
For more information on other ways to donate please go here: http://www.nyautismcommunity.org/donate
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