Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Hope Smith. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hope, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.
There are nonprofits aplenty serving autistic children, but few – if any – that uplift the voice of autistic adults. That gap led me to create Ausome Abilities, a breakthrough, grassroots organization informed and inspired by 10 years of supporting Autumn, my grade-school daughter who will soon enough become an adult. It’s only the rarest organization that acknowledges how autistic children mature. They do not stay frozen in time; they grow up like everyone else.
Nonprofits arise to address missing pieces in society. What I’ve done is identify missing pieces to assist caregivers who already struggle each day to find services, financial assistance and support. Many problems for autistic individuals can worsen in adulthood. This truth often falls on deaf ears.
Autistic adults have tried to educate people on their own, but many do not seem to listen.
Ausome Abilities exists for children and their facilities, autistic adults, and those who are self-diagnosed and seeking proper diagnosis.
We currently offer IEP and BIP advocacy, interview coaching, resume building, and financial assistance for therapeutic support, childcare, and personal finances during times of need. Ausome Abilities’ social media presence exists to uplift the voice of autistic creators and educate the community on Autism-related topics.
Ausome Abilities understands the value of going to the source for information and asking the public what supports they need.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I have a 9-year-old daughter diagnosed with Autism and comorbid mental health disorders. When she was in kindergarten, I was drowning as a parent. I was out of work due to my daughter’s modified day at school. She attended only four hours of school a day and I could not find employment accepting of my hours. There were IEP and BIP meetings to attend, multiple therapeutic services, a psychiatrist, a sleep specialist, and an orthopedist for ankle pain from toe walking. In addition, during her kindergarten year, my daughter received nine out of school suspensions. The offer of ABA therapy during this stressful time simply fell flat. ABA therapy was not going to be of any help at all if we were homeless.
I would have given anything to find the type of support that Ausome Abilities offers. I created the organization to provide what we needed during our times of crisis. It is important to remember that although the organization is created on the backbone of our experience, there are so many other stories to hear. This is why Ausome Abilities showcases Autistic voices and continues to spread many stories, not just our own.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
I have relied heavily on the adult Autistic community to help educate me on the struggles they faced as children and what they are currently facing. One easy way of doing this is following Autistic creators on social media. I would like to take this opportunity to showcase some of my favorite creators who you should follow to get more insight into the world of Autism.
On Instagram:
Autistic.thought
“My name is Jennifer and I have a master’s degree in social epidemiology from UCL, so inequities and injustices are an interest of mine.
I’m also interested in music, poetry, painting, climbing, and science. I most value love, beauty, self-expression, curiosity, kindness, love of learning, and community.
I grew up with a lot of adversity that masked my traits. At 29, I was officially diagnosed with ASD and realized I wasn’t too much or a problem to be solved. It’s important to me for people to realize autism truly does not have a single look and for the people who’ve spent their lives feeling different- you are not alone.”
Thespecialinterestpod
“As two women who received late autism diagnoses, we are passionate about educating, celebrating and highlighting autistic identities. We want to provide a platform where others can share the joy of their special interests. Our podcast aims to represent diverse autistic identities through an inclusive community, where autistic voices are valued, validated, and seen. ”
carle_emery
“We are the Edwards Family. We are Autism Advocates. Our daughter, Carle Emery, was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder at 21 months old. We credit early diagnosis & early intervention with changing the trajectory of our daughter’s life. We want the same for others, so we have decided to be transparent about our journey. Our goal is to raise awareness, reduce stigma, & provide hope to families experiencing challenges similar to ours. We want to support & be a resource for other families impacted by Autism. We especially want to reach those who are noticing signs in their children & need additional support as they navigate how to best help their child. We want to reach and give hope to as many families as possible. We simply want to visible to those searching for answers within the autism community. Through our social media sites, we share how our family has been impacted by autism & what we do a daily basis to ensure that our daughter is not defeated by this diagnosis.”
Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?
Ausome Abilities was started with spare change- literally. The night that I decided to begin the nonprofit organization, I went out on my patio and took a hammer to a glass bottle that I had been saving my change in for years. This is where “be a part of the change using only your change” came from. No donation amount is too small to make a difference. Additional funding for Ausome Abilities comes from the generous donations of individuals who believe in our cause.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ausomeabilities.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/ausomeabilities
Image Credits
Truman Clemons Photography