We were lucky to catch up with Lisa Pugliese-LaCroix recently and have shared our conversation below.

Lisa, appreciate you joining us today. Getting that first client is always an exciting milestone. Can you talk to us about how you got your first customer who wasn’t a friend, family, or acquaintance?

In January 2017, I was working as a speech therapist at the Palm Beach School for Autism. I also opened the first Love Serving Autism nonprofit tennis organization’s first after-school tennis program at the same school. The families at the school learned about the tennis program and begin to contact me for program questions. One mom told me her son plays video games every day after school and the doctors are concerned about his health and lifestyle. I encouraged the mom to register her son and he began to play tennis with our group once a week after-school. In 1 year, the student lost 28 pounds and attended our special tennis class at the 2019 US Open professional tournament in NY. In my experience, the impact of the program means so much more to be than program revenue because it is changing lives both on and off the tennis court.

Lisa, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I started Love Serving Autism in 2016 by combining my career passions, Speech-Language Pathology and teaching tennis. Love Serving Autism’s mission is to expand life skills, especially functional communication, through multidisciplinary specialized therapeutic tennis instruction to increase community inclusion and independence of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Developmental Challenges. The goal is for the participants to apply their newly learned skills throughout the community, including school, workplace, social/recreational gatherings, and home settings. We provide education and training to coaches and tennis professionals for an adaptive tennis specialization in the industry.
Our vision is to better serve individuals with ASD and Developmental Challenges to promote self-love and functional independence within the community as well as to promote inclusive opportunities for children and adults with special needs.
In December 2022, 1 in 44 children in the US is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and 1 in 6 children is diagnosed with a Developmental Delay.
There is a big need for therapeutic recreational programming for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities due to the many benefits.
Physical activity programs for youth with autism produce moderate to large benefits in a variety of important areas. These include improving motor skills, skill-related fitness, social functioning and muscular strength and endurance.
Exercise not only helps autistic children better engage in the environment, but it also helps promote weight loss and leads to better overall health. Full-body exercises are best for autistic kids to increase coordination, strength, endurance, and body awareness.
Being active is good for most everyone, and new studies now show it can help kids with autism manage common behavioral issues.
Among autistic children, those with severe autism traits — based on parent reports — are more than three times as likely to be obese as those with milder traits. This subset of children may be at increased risk of obesity because they tend to be less active and have more restricted diets than other autistic children.
“Research shows that exercise can increase focus, improve academic performance, reduce stereotypical behaviors and build confidence.”

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

One of Love Serving Autism’s (LSA) goals is to design an indoor therapeutic tennis and recreation center. LSA applied for state funding in 2022 for the INTERACT facility. The project was approved by both the Florida House of Representatives and Senate members, and the state Governor vetoed the project bill. Love Serving Autism reapplied for the state funding in July 2022 and continues to advocate for the importance and need for the inclusive therapeutic center for children and adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

In 2016, I decided to start a nonprofit on my own because, having volunteered for other nonprofits, I recognized the need for therapeutic programing serving individuals with special needs.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://loveservingautism.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loveservingautism/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loveservingautism
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loveservingautism/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/LSAAutismTennis
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChCbBSSTmL1vEjlyplBFI2g

Image Credits
Love Serving Autism, Inc.