The biggest immediate need for an autism family after a hurricane is clean clothes. Families might have suspected that, but an organization that works with autism families, called Family Initiative, knows it for sure.
Organization co-founder and president David Brown said they recently conducted a survey of local autism families:
“Access to clean laundry was the No. 1 thing. Fifty-seven percent of the families said that to us, that that would be their No. 1 priority,” said Brown. “And the No. 2 thing, which I'm sure is not a surprise to anybody, was access to Wi-Fi.”
Autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, affects 1 in 36 children in the U.S., according to advocacy group Autism Speaks.
By raising awareness of the needs, Family Initiative hopes to lower the strain for ASD families.
Amber Zollinger, a parent and Family Initiative board member, described some of the added stress that comes up after a storm when the power is out.
“You’re trying to regulate yourself, so that you can regulate your child, and everyone’s miserable,” she said.
The survey did produce benefits. Brown said that in coming months, Family Initiative will help to train staff at all Lee County hurricane shelters to better accommodate people with autism.
“So every single staff person that would potentially man a shelter in Lee County will go through basic training about autism and have an awareness about that, which, you know, I think to the families we serve is just like a phenomenal outcome,” he said.
Familiy Initiative provides family-centered support, programs and evidence-based therapies to children, teens and young adults affected by ASD in Southwest Florida.
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