About AAFS

AAFS provides respite care in a social and recreational environment for children, youth and adults on the spectrum of Autism; this includes, but is not limited to, Autism, Aspergers, Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Non-Verbal Learning Disorder.

AAFS is both dreamt-up and made a reality by the youth themselves. We envision and facilitate the implementation of programming where our youth can choose their own adventures and have a hand in every intricate detail of each activity regardless of how difficult it is to conceptualize or organize. We work with them, for them.

The AAFS Philosophy

We let our members be themselves while understanding and learning to accept their quirks and knowing that strength comes from uniqueness. This approach facilitates the development of social and life skills in the community. Our goal is to lead our members from having social skills to practicing social thinking. Our Social Experience Guides (SEGs) convey a message of respect for self and others, leading to a stronger self-image for every individual.

AAFS Cares

Community of friends and family

Acceptance of our members for who they are

Respect for oneself and others

Experience the world around us in your own way

Social Dynamics Happen!

OUR WHY

AAFS creates an environment so our members can develop and sustain friendships and relationships, gain and learn social skills and contribute and connect to a greater community.

We exist, so children, youth and adults living with autism have opportunities to be their best selves and create a better world for everyone. We see a world where we accept each other and have the chance to live fulfilling lives filled with friendship, love and play.

AAFS creates an environment so our members can develop and sustain friendships and relationships, gain and learn social skills and contribute and connect to a greater community.

We exist so that children, youth and adults living with autism have opportunities to be their best selves and create a better world for everyone. We see a world where we accept each other and have the opportunity to live a fulfilling life, filled with friendship, love and play.

Community Everyone deserves community in every sense of the word. We create community, we build community and we are community.
Acceptance: We recognize that acceptance needs to start with the self and we teach acceptance in all that we do. We want our members to be accepted in their communities and to come to a place of acceptance for themselves.
Relationships: A genuine relationship is a lasting relationship. This approach not only affects our members, but also keeps our staff and volunteers engaged in AAFS while they are with us and long after they move on. Our relationship-based approach makes us more than an organization, it makes us a family.
Adventure and Risk: Adventure is an integral part of life and often life’s most important lessons involve an element of risk. We provide a safe environment for our members to calculate risk and seek adventure.
Resiliency: Resiliency is proven to be linked to long-term success in almost every walk of life. We provide opportunities for our members to build resiliency. We do this by creating an environment in which they learn how to solve problems and bounce back from tough situations.
Play– Play is essential to development because it contributes to the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children, youth and adults. WE LOVE and LIVE TO PLAY!
Experience– We believe everyone has the right to experience the world in their own way and we don’t hold our expectations of ‘how’ certain environments should be experienced. Every member is encouraged to explore every environment and as many environments as possible.

WHAT WE BELIEVE

AAFS provides respite care in a social and recreational environment for all people regardless of where (or if) they align on the spectrum.

We believe everyone needs and deserves a community of people who accept them unconditionally.
We believe everyone should have the opportunity to experience the world in whatever way they choose. We do this by fostering a culture of respect and empowering our community to think for themselves and celebrate individuality. We just happen to make lifelong friends along the way.
We believe it is essential for youth with ASD to be provided with a welcoming space to learn social thinking and take social risks. Interpersonal, relationship and communication skills are a priority for everyone, no matter where they begin. Our children must be allowed to practice and develop these skills in a safe environment. It is vital to connect our youth with other community members to not only share experiences but also to strengthen them as individuals. Our youth have so much to share with the disability community and the world if we simply take the time to listen.
We Believe children of all ages must have the opportunity to experience as many activities, outings, and adventures as they can – and are guaranteed to learn valuable skills while doing so. While understanding a person’s limitations is essential, a far more critical appreciation is that of a child’s potential. There is a substantial difference between being out with a group of people and being a part of that group – being a friend amongst friends. Our children are a part of our group, and when they are here, they are amongst friends.