Awareness for Autism is an autism awareness non-profit organization bringing support and funding to parents, caregivers, and their children with ASD in Toronto and GTA
noah
outreach coordinator
lauren
creative brand director
rhita
founder + international director
morris
program coordinator
lauren
creative brand director
morris
program coordinator
noah
outreach coordinator
rhita
founder + International director
morris
program coordinator
rhita
founder + international director
lauren
creative brand director
noah
outreach coordinator
our VISION
Autism isn’t what a child has. Autism is who a child is. And it means that that child sees, understands, and communicates with the world differently.
We’re working toward creating a world where neurodiversity is celebrated and accepted by everyone! And we’re doing that through raising awareness and creating support and understanding.
our values
Centred Around Community
Individualized Services Are the Gold-Standard Support
Embracing Our Differences
We love that there are autism awareness non-profit organizations that support ASD research because we know there is so much we don’t know about the autism spectrum.
But children need individualized services now because every child’s needs are so unique. And parents and caregivers need support now. That’s why Awareness for Autism’s main focus is providing support and funding for parents to help cover tuition for ASD centres in Toronto and the surrounding areas and to walk the ASD journey with them!
our APPROACH
Adonis' Story
Awareness for Autism started with Adonis. He’s my eldest son, and I am the founder and executive director of the autism awareness non-profit organization.
At 12 months, he started banging his head. By 15 months, he regressed and lost the few words he had. Then, after researching the signs of autism, I realized he was exhibiting other behaviours like lining up his cars, tippy-toeing, and flapping his wings. That combined with limited eye contact, wanting to play independently, and a lack of social interactions with family and friends rounded off the list of signs he was showing. That’s when I knew something was off. At 18 months, we visited our pediatrician who agreed that neurological assessments needed to be done.
At 20 months, Adonis had his diagnosis - autism and global developmental delay. By then, he spent all of his time alone in a corner. He wanted to play by himself instead of playing with anyone else. He didn’t speak - he was completely non-verbal.
And throughout the next several months, I wondered and worried about the future for him. Where was he going to land 5, 10, or 18 years down the road? What would his future look like? Would he be able to go to school? Find someone he loved? Lead an independent life?
6 months after his diagnosis, Adonis was enrolled in The Village BITO - a centre for autism in Vaughan. Since then, he’s made incredible progress because of the ASD-focused therapies the centre provides, such as Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) therapy. They use the most current therapeutic and evidence-based practices. For Adonis’s age when he was first enrolled, the therapy he focused on was play-based learning following the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM).
And I'm asking for your help to support more parents and their children with ASD so they can receive those same services.
Here’s how you can help more children with autism, like Adonis, receive services to see amazing growth and success in creating an empowered, independent life!
The very same boy who used to prefer to spend time in the corner is now thought of as the “welcoming ambassador” for new students at the centre. The boy who used to be non-verbal now carries on lively conversations with anyone who walks through the door!
And I attribute all of that success to both Adonis who has worked very hard at the centre, and to the specialists that work with him! I have seen with my own eyes how children with ASD can benefit from the services and therapies ASD centres can provide.
MEET TANYA D'ANGELA
My eldest son, Adonis, first started showing signs and behaviours of autism when he was 12 months old. While so many parents said, “Oh, that’s normal for a boy!” I knew that just wasn’t the case for him.
It wasn’t long after that my husband and I took him to see his pediatrician. And he agreed – we should do some assessments. Our doctor walked us through the entire assessment process - but once we received the diagnosis? It felt like all support dropped off. Instead, they simply told us to fill out long-winded applications for government support.
Two years later, we have not received any financial support from the Ontario government. We are on a huge waitlist that makes us feel like it will never be our turn. So we took it into our own hands to get the services that Adonis needed to thrive.
That’s when I realized there isn’t much support at all for parents and caregivers once they receive their child’s diagnosis. That was the biggest driving factor behind establishing Awareness for Autism. Parents and caregivers deserve support and a community network as they experience their ASD journey - just like their kids deserve individualized services to create a more independent, fulfilling life!
The Founder and Executive Director of Awareness for Autism
AUTISM FACTS
You can help support parents, caregivers, and their children with autism in Toronto and GTA!
1in44
children, regardless of racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic groups, are diagnosed with autism.
90%
of children with ASD who receive ABA therapy create a better, more independent life!
~$67K per year
is the average cost of caring for someone with autism in Canada throughout their childhood years.
More than anything,
Awareness for Autism believes…
We believe that every child is unique. Therefore, their autism journey is also unique. What one child responds to, another may not. And what doesn’t work for one child, may be the perfect solution for another.
We wholeheartedly believe there is no one-size-fits-all solution for anyone walking through their ASD journey. But, what always stays constant is the fact that each child deserves the opportunity to live their best life with the support they need to thrive. Each child should be treated fairly and equally. And each child deserves to live life while embracing what makes them beautifully different, instead of needing to “change” or conform to societal expectations.
That’s exactly why we’re working to build awareness, support, resources, and funding so children can live their best lives as their authentic selves!
The 1 in 44 children with autism in Toronto and their families need your help!
Your gift to Awareness for Autism makes sure we can continue helping parents cover the cost of tuition to ASD centres. And by doing so, their child receives the services they deserve to lead an empowered life!
CLICK HERE FOR DONATION LINK
Are you a parent or caregiver of a child with autism and looking for support?
We deliver email newsletters straight to your inbox each quarter. You’ll find a lot of free resources, from navigating the first steps after receiving your child’s diagnosis, to understanding different options available to you.
Leave us your email below, and we’ll send you free resources!
Are you looking for ways to support Awareness for Autism so we can give families with children with ASD in the Toronto area the support they need?
Are you looking for ways to support Awareness for Autism so we can give families with children with ASD in the Toronto area the support they need?
Leave us your email, and we’ll add you to our list!
