Autism Society of Maryland

?? Exciting News from AUSOM! ?? After 12 years of planning and anticipation, today marks the groundbreaking of Patuxent Commons—a truly special project that will bring inclusive, affordable housing to our community! ?? This development represents a huge step forward in creating a space where individuals of all abilities and backgrounds can thrive together. Thank you to everyone who has worked tirelessly to make this vision a reality. We can't wait to see Patuxent Commons come to life and make a positive impact on Howard County! READ MORE on the history of this project: https://lnkd.in/e7TGxpYU Would you like to get involved? Consider a donation: https://lnkd.in/eXCdfACg #PatuxentCommons #HowardCounty #AffordableHousing #InclusiveCommunity #CommunityDevelopment

We are thrilled to announce that AUSOM Board Member Matthew Plantz has been selected as the 2024 David Joyce Self-Advocate of the Year by the Autism Society of America! This annual national recognition is a tribute to Autistic individuals who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to enhancing the well-being of others within the Autism community. Shown below are photos from the virtual presentation on November 13th by the Joyce Family and ASA President Chris Banks. Joining in the celebration were Matt's friends and family. Matthew continues to forge ahead and live his life to the utmost. For all his own challenges, no one is more concerned and empathetic about someone else's struggles than Matt. His capacity to make the world a better place for others knows no bounds. Please join us in congratulating Matthew on this outstanding achievement!

STATEMENT ON HATE SPEECH MADE DURING HOWARD COUNTY SECAC MEETING The Autism Society of Maryland vigorously condemns the hate speech made during the Howard County Special Education Citizens Advisory Council Meeting on November 12, 2024. This was a cowardly attack on the volunteer leaders of SECAC, who have put themselves forward to support the needs of parents of students with autism and other disabilities. This event is especially painful for AUSOM because of our strong and ongoing partnership with SECAC. We call on all leaders in Howard County to join us in speaking out against hate speech and bigotry that have been spreading across the nation and sadly now have reached Howard County.

We hope to see you Sunday! Join Us at the Road to Independence – MOCO Resource Fair! Looking for support on your journey to greater independence? Don't miss the FREE MOCO Resource Fair – Road to Independence on Sunday, November 10, 2024, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM in Rockville, MD! ? Who Should Attend? Youth and adults with disabilities seeking guidance and resources for employment, education, housing, social and recreational activities, and financial independence. ?? Event Details ?? Location: College Living Experience (CLE) 401 N. Washington Street, Rockville, MD ?? Free parking is available and easily accessible by the Rockville Metro! Connect with local organizations, learn about valuable resources, and start building your path to independence. Spread the word and bring a friend! #MontgomeryCounty #DisabilitySupport #CommunityResources

?? Exciting Announcement! ?? Congratulations to AUSOM Board President Don Barrick from the BAF Group on his nomination for the Corporate Community Impact Award by Leadership Howard County! This recognition celebrates Don’s dedication and impactful work in our community. ???? The award recipient will be announced on November 13th at 5:30 PM during LHC’s Night of Illuminating Leadership at Howard Community College. ? Join us in cheering on Don! Tickets are available for this inspiring event here: https://lnkd.in/esx4brTN #AUSOM #LeadershipHowardCounty #AutismAdvocacy

The Autism Society of Maryland was able to pay a visit to Amy Lownes and her team at Hope Love Shine this week. Amy owns and runs an online retail jewelry store business with a dynamic team which includes prior Autism Hiring Program graduates. Amy shared new product information that would be launching soon and paused?with her team to celebrate the Proclamations that were awarded in honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month at a recent?Howard County Commission on Disabilities event.?Hope Love Shine was recognized for valuing diversity and for promoting equal opportunities for people with disabilities. Their products can be found online through and Amazon.?We value the partnership with this local business just as they value the contributions from?all?their team members! Etsy?https://lnkd.in/eyCwvQAb Thank you Amy and Hope Love Shine team and?Congratulations?on your well-deserved recognitions! ?

AUSOM Events for this week! We encourage you to check out all our events and register for those that you or your family members are interested in. Please visit the events calendar on our website: https://buff.ly/3uuRPUs

.?? Join Us at the Road to Independence – MOCO Resource Fair! Looking for support on your journey to greater independence? Don't miss the FREE MOCO Resource Fair – Road to Independence on Sunday, November 10, 2024, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM in Rockville, MD! ? Who Should Attend? Youth and adults with disabilities seeking guidance and resources for employment, education, housing, social and recreational activities, and financial independence. ?? Event Details ?? Location: College Living Experience (CLE) 401 N. Washington Street, Rockville, MD ?? Free parking is available and easily accessible by the Rockville Metro! Connect with local organizations, learn about valuable resources, and start building your path to independence. Spread the word and bring a friend! #MontgomeryCounty #DisabilitySupport #CommunityResources

The Autism Hiring Program was honored to attend the Neurodiversity at Work Conference presented by Kennedy Krieger Institute this week! Taking the stage for presentations were our team of Executive Director Melissa Rosenberg, AHP Employer Chinmay Vyas from CV Inc, AHP Graduate Abraham and AHP-Towson Director Kimberly Hubscher along with AHP Manager-MD Linda Hoyt. Our partners at Towson University presented the day before on the unique evaluation they are creating for the program. We were excited to celebrate and congratulate AHP employment partner Pete Pappas and Sons who was recognized with an Excellence in Neurodiversity Award for efforts in their workplace. Accepting the award was Paul Pappas. Thank you to Stacy Herman and her team at KKI who presented an amazing space to share new ideas and foster collaboration!

On 10/29 we'll be attending Kennedy Krieger Institute's Neurodiversity at Work Conference in Washington, DC on October 27-29 to present on our Autism Hiring Program! Panelists will include AHP graduate Abraham Sanchez, AHP employer Chinmay Vyas from CV Inc., AUSOM Executive Director Melissa Rosenberg, and Doug DeHaan from the Hussman Center for Adults with Autism at Towson U, our latest AHP site! The title is a great opener to the story of?the AHP journey. It's not too late to register for the KKI NDW Conference at the link below and hear about all the great work going on out there in the world to seamlessly weave neurodiversity into all aspects of the workplace! ?REGISTER at https://lnkd.in/eVwcX9aW