A Capital Campaign for the RECREATION COMPLEX

Expanding recreation activities available at The Els Center of Excellence® campus.

Recreation Complex
Latest News

The Big Easy™ Cafe by Ernie Els

September 27, 2023

The Big Easy™ Cafe by Ernie Els is another way the Els for Autism Foundation® is transforming the lives of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Located inside the Stoops Family Adult Services Building at The Els Center of Excellence®, our cafe offers homemade breakfast and lunch options for employees, students, clients, and guests on our campus under the direction of Jen and Brian Wilson.

The dynamic duo is well-known in the community for their succulent cuisine. They have developed the cafe’s menu to focus on a brain and gut-friendly diet by serving gluten-free, dairy-free, and low-sugar-style foods with other delicious selections.

However, the Big Easy Cafe is more than just a cafe; it is a vocational lab where adults with autism and related disabilities acquire essential skills for excelling in the food industry! Our cafe also provides specialized culinary workshops designed to cater to individuals with ASD and their families within our community, both live and online.

We are a closed campus; however, if you are on campus to drop off or pick up your child, we hope you will stop in to our cafe inside the Stoops Family Adult Services Building to enjoy some homemade happiness. Pre-order your items on Toast.



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Giving Tuesday

18 Days of Giving

Thank you to everyone who helped us reach our GivingTuesday Goal

As our team continues to change the culture of sports and recreation for individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities, we need your help! To expand our recreation offerings, we are fundraising to build a specialized autism-friendly recreation complex that will include a gymnasium, aquatic center, and splash pad. With these features, we will be able to offer a dedicated indoor space for activities during inclement weather and provide water safety and drowning prevention for our clients. Learn more about how you can help build our specialized autism-friendly recreation complex. Learn more about how you can help build our specialized autism-friendly recreation complex.


Current Progress $18,000
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