“It Really Is Disneyland”: The Benefits of Sleepaway Camp for Autistic Children and Adults

• By: Emily Blumberg Freelance Writer
• April 3rd, 2026
• autism summer camps, camper inclusion, community building, family engagement, individualized support, recreational activities, social skills development, Spring 2026 Issue, staff training
• 220    0

After 32 years as the Director of Family Support Services at Citizen Options Unlimited, Savita Sharma still begins a countdown to the organization’s Camp Loyaltown in Hunter, NY each January. “Parents tell me: ‘Bags are packed, it’s only January. [Our child] knows camp is coming,’”...

Amid Increasingly Extreme Weather, Autistic Individuals Left Particularly Vulnerable to Climate Change Effects

• By: Emily Blumberg Freelance Writer
• October 4th, 2024
• community, emergency preparedness, Fall 2024 Issue, first responders, inclusion, integration, natural disaster response, policy, safety, self-advocacy, sensory issues
• 2665    0

Sherman Gillums Jr., the Federal Emergency Management Agency Director of Disability Integration and Coordination, remembers the event that made him realize emergency responses during natural disasters needed to be more autism-inclusive. In the throes of Hurricane Ian — the fifth strongest storm...