Building Community for Autism Families

At the Freddie Ford Family Foundation, we believe every child deserves a chance to shine, every family deserves a place to belong, and every voice deserves to be heard. For too long, children and families impacted by autism have been left without opportunities to connect, play, and celebrate in safe, welcoming spaces. That’s why we exist—to change that story.

Through programs like play dates, teen outings, and parent support groups, we create moments where families feel seen, supported, and understood. Our community education efforts spread awareness and foster acceptance of autism, building bridges of inclusion where barriers once stood.

But it’s in the joy-filled events that our mission comes alive:

🌸 At our Ausome Easter Egg Hunt, children light up with excitement as they explore at their own pace in a sensory-friendly environment.

☀️ At Camp Ausome, kids make new friends while families gain the comfort of knowing their children are safe and celebrated. Camp allows every child the chance to be included and enjoy camp.

🎃 At our Trunk or Treat and 🎄 Winter Holiday Party, families gather to enjoy traditions free from judgment—spaces designed with their unique needs in mind, where laughter replaces stress and belonging replaces isolation.

Our social skills building gaming group allows for youths with autism to play with peers in a safe manner that is comfortable for them.

We offer parent support meetings to encourage parents as rhey navigate their autism journey. Parents and caregivers are free to share experiences and challenges of autism in a safe setting free from judgment.

These moments may look like simple fun, but for families impacted by autism, they mean everything. They mean inclusion. They mean relief. They mean a reminder that they are not alone.

Freddie Ford Family Foundation was founded by a mother who navigated her own child's autism journey with strong support — a caring pediatrician, an involved school district, and a parent-as-teacher educator. That experience opened her eyes to how many families face the same journey completely alone, left to research autism on their own and figure out what to do next with little guidance.

That's the gap we exist to fill. We're not a therapy provider or a resource-navigation service — we're the community. Our events give children with autism the chance to enjoy the same holidays, camp experiences, and social opportunities every child deserves — sensory-friendly, self-paced, and completely free of judgment. As a small, founder-led organization, we keep our programs donation-based or no-to-low-cost, because we never want cost to be the reason a family misses out on connection. Your gift helps us keep that promise

When you donate, you have the power to be part of this story. Your gift directly supports these programs and events, helping us continue to create a world where families impacted by autism are not overlooked but celebrated.

Together, we can build a community where acceptance is the norm, inclusion is the standard, and every child with autism is given the chance to thrive.

✨ Join us in making a difference. Support the Freddie Ford Family Foundation this Give 828 Day—and help us spread awareness, acceptance, and joy.