By Merrick Egber 2020 has been quite a year for us all at the Els for Autism Foundation, especially with the COVID-19 crisis, but we’ve been able to show that our model of success is through positive messaging and adaptations. Here is our 2020 at a glance. Our experience with digital conferencing platforms pre-pandemic allowed […]

By Merrick Egber   When I was younger, I used to be a proactive participant in the realm of theater. Usually, my roles were father figures (“Our Town” and “Anything Goes”) but wherever the staff wanted me to be, I could do it, and I did it well. Theater gave me the feeling of being […]

We all are too aware of the challenges of 2020. At Els for Autism, our team is intimately familiar with the struggles families of those with autism have faced. From virtual schooling to lapses in therapies, to job loss–all have added to the stress and uncertainty of 2020. At one point our team did consider […]

The Els for Autism Foundation will host the Autism Innovations and Global Impact Conference “Building a Neurodiverse Workforce” on March 12-13, 2021. The conference will provide tools and best practices for businesses or individuals interested in hiring employees with autism spectrum disorder, initiating a neurodiverse workforce program, or expanding an existing program. The day-and-a-half virtual […]

In celebration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Els for Autism Foundation is pleased to announce they will be hosting the Autism Innovations and Global Impact Conference: Building a Neurodiverse Workforce conference on March 12 & 13, 2021. The objective of the conference is to provide tools and best practices for businesses or individuals interested […]

By Merrick Egber Dr. Temple Grandin is one of the most notable of names among autistic self-advocates and one of the earliest examples of somebody explaining their own autism to others in such an eloquent manner. She has written books on the subject, teaches at Colorado University and has done the lecture circuit, from TED […]

Howard Thomas has been defying odds since birth. As a newborn, he contracted a rare and life-threatening form of spinal meningitis, which put him in a coma and led doctors to a devastating prognosis, telling his mother that he would be “a vegetable.” Miraculously, Howard not only survived the ordeal but thrived. After graduating with […]

Many of us wonder what the future holds for our friends and relatives with autism spectrum disorder. Will they stay at home with family? Live independently? Or will they need supports while living elsewhere? While these questions can be stressful to contemplate, there are a growing number of housing options that provide the right environment, […]

Ever since I first started working with the Foundation, one of the rewarding experiences has been working with Mrs. Shelly Hedge, who may have been the first person I talked to who shared about having an adult son on the spectrum. While her son, Collin, is not a talkative individual, through all of the time […]

From Rain Man and Temple Grandin, to Atypical and The Good Doctor, Hollywood’s portrayal of a person with autism is often someone who communicates their wants and needs verbally. However, anyone with a familiarity with autism knows that there is an often-misunderstood population of autistic individuals who cannot communicate verbally or communicate effectively on their own. For many years, it was assumed […]