We Change The World, NOT The Person!
About Us
For more than 30 years, Advocates For Autism has been a community built by parents, caregivers and neighbors who understand the lifelong impact of an autism diagnosis. Across those decades, we've heard one of the most profound fears a parent can express, "I hope I live one more day longer than my child."
That fear leads to the question every family eventually faces, Who will care for my child when I am gone?
When we first formed 31 years as the Autism Society of America, autism was considered rare with a prevalence of 1 in every 2,500. Today it is every 1 out of 29! The needs of families and caregivers have grown and so have our commitment to those aging caregivers. We continue to stand beside families as they navigate systems, build support networks, and plan for a safe, stable future for their loved ones and caregivers.
Our Mission
We exist to solve the hardest part of autism adulthood by integrating entitlement‑based benefit systems into practical, actionable plans and by building the social infrastructure youth and adults living with autism and their caregiver's need for friendships, networks, and lifelong supportive relationships. As the only peer‑led, New York–specific organization with lived expertise navigating these systems, we deliver clarity, connection, and long‑term stability with a level of precision and trust no other autism organization can match.
Our Vision
Our vision is a future where adults living with autism and their caregivers are supported by coordinated, accessible benefit systems and strong community networks that eliminate isolation and create lifelong belonging. We envision a New York where families and caregivers easily navigate financial, legal, health, and government systems with confidence, and where every adult living with autism has the relationships, stability, and opportunities needed to thrive.
All-Abilities Academy:
Community classes open to everyone, 18 and up
Love to learn something new? All-Abilities Academy offers hands-on classes in everyday subjects like cooking, personal finance, digital tools and online safety. Classes are open to anyone 18 and older, with or without a disability, and are taught in small groups by instructors who know their subject well. Everyone learns the same lesson together, and everyone pays the same tuition.
Building on the welcoming community of our All-Abilities Club Nites and Bingo, the Academy is AFA's community class program. Every class does double duty: you learn something new, and your tuition helps keep our Be A Friend, Make A Friend events free for the whole community.
At a glance
- Open to the public, ages 18+
- One subject per class, taught by a qualified instructor
- Small groups of up to 6
- Same tuition for every student
- Reasonable accommodations available on request
Check our Events tab for upcoming class dates starting late 2026!
CONNECT & BELONG:
Be A Friend, Make A Friend!: We create welcoming SAFE spaces where autistic and neurodiverse individuals can connect, build friendships, and enjoy community life. Our events are designed to reduce isolation, strengthen belonging, and offer fun, judgment‑free experiences for everyone. We make the promise that our Safe Spaces will reduce social isolation by providing peer-led, supportive, culturally responsive, non- judgmental environments for youth and young adults through the promotion of positive peer relationships and non-clinical activities. We enhance youth understanding of wellness and empower them to advocate and access community resources by facilitating linkages to mental wellness resources, both non-clinical and clinical. We increase community capacity for youth mental wellness activities by facilitating peer-led trainings and providing support to adult allies and community members when seeking support for young people. We provide opportunities for young people to empower themselves to advocate for better youth services and supports in our community by teaching/coaching in advocacy and other skills to promote better services and supports for themselves, their peers, and their communities. Some of our events include:
All‑Abilities Club Nite, Spectrum Connections Social Group, All-Abilities Bingo!, Autism at the Hockey Game and Autism at the Ballpark,
To receive notifications, go to our
Contact Us page and sign up; or go to our Events Page and look at the Calendar! Be sure to Like or Follow us On Facebook and Instagram
Spectrum-Smart!
Planning for tomorrow, one step at a time
Worried about what the future holds for your child? You're not alone, and you don't have to figure it out by yourself. SpectrumSmart helps families of children of all ages make sense of money, health and benefits questions, from "where do we even start?" to "what happens when we're gone?" We'll walk through your options together, in plain language, so you can feel confident and prepared for every stage of life. Financial and Legal Making complex systems
We don’t simply “check the boxes.” We provide real, authentic guidance grounded in the lived experience of parents and individuals. We break information down clearly, respectfully, and in a culturally competent way so you can make confident decisions without feeling overwhelmed.
Look to our Calendar for upcoming virtual info‑sessions and download our Menu of Services available on a 1:1 basis; can be payable through Self-Direction too! .
Let’s Talk
Do you want you and your family to do more, be more, accomplish more, but don't know where to begin? We're here to help you get started.
Having a plan and having an ACTION Plan are not the same! We can do it!
