One of the hardest struggles of autism is finding a community that supports its intricacies. Life with autism can be a tough one, often leaving many families on their toes. We all know that amidst the rising numbers of autism cases across the globe, there are still communities out there who chose to turn a cold cheek on families who needed their support and understanding the most.
I am, however, lucky to have found a compassionate and supportive community of like-minded people whose core values revolved around uplifting families, parents, and siblings battling not just autism but a plethora of neurological disorders. The Community Autism Centre Inc. or CACI is a community-based non-profit centre offering support for families, parents, and siblings such as resource information, music programs, educational programs, social skills group, training and advocacy, workshops and mini-workshops, and (yes!) consultation for adult support.
I was hosted by CACI one night and had tremendously enjoyed the time spent with them talking about my family’s journey and my own journey with autism. I presented my book (Living Autism Day.by.Day) to them, too, and the overwhelming support from these people truly tugged at my heartstrings. Like me, they also undergo the same rollercoaster ride with autism and hearing them share their experiences was enlightening and inspiring. It made me feel like having an extended family to reach out to, to hold on to when the going gets tough, and to laugh with on certain encounters that bring tears of joy to the eyes.
Feel free to check out their Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/groups/cacisaintjohn/ – for more information, and on November 29th at 7pm at the Buccaneers Pub on 24 Main St. West, CACI will be holding its Steak N Stein dinner and live auction extravaganza. Tickets are at $25 with the proceeds going directly to the CACI community of support. Mark your calendar, folks!
