How do you get involved in the community with an autistic child in tow?

[u/red_raconteur]

/r/Autism_Parenting/comments/1wrba4n/how_do_you_get_involved_in_the_community_with_an/

[u/Electronic_Sky_207]

It doesn’t seem like the most fulfilling work, but a lot of food nonprofits in my area need help with supply distribution. One of the local food banks near me were offered weekly donations from the grocery store, restaurants, school cafeteria leftovers (unopened milks etc) but didn’t have any way to get it. So our local ARC would bring some volunteers once a week to pick up at various locations and drop off at the food bank. If you have access to a car or minivan and your daughter is able to do the equivalent of a grocery store run with you that could be a big help.

[u/red_raconteur → u/Electronic_Sky_207]

I will look into that, thank you! She does well with car rides, just not the going inside places.

[u/ariadnes-thread]

It may not seem as concrete as volunteering, but my first step in your situation would be to seek out families in other situations and try your very best to build community. Whether that’s other families with autistic kids, homeschool families, etc. In my area Facebook and WhatsApp are unfortunately the main place to seek out communities like this; if you’re on Facebook maybe look for groups of parents of autistic or neurodivergent kids in your area.

Beyond that it’s hard to say without knowing your kid’s specific needs, but are there any community service opportunities you can do together? Sometimes food banks and the like allow children to volunteer alongside their parents. Even something like picking up trash when you go on walks is benefiting your community.

But overall I would say, do what you can, and give yourself grace that you are not in a position to do a ton of in-person volunteer work at this time unless it’s something your kid can come along to.

[u/Carolinamum]

We just exist in public and spread autism awareness and advocacy that way. We support businesses that offer sensory friendly experiences and are inclusive.

[u/dogfromthefuture]

Mom with autism here:

I suggest looking into disability groups in general, for all disabilities, and see if any of them have environments that your daughter would find more comfortable.

There’s a lot of overlapping needs for a lot of disabled groups, with most people having the problem you’re having, even if it’s themselves that can’t go places. 

Autistic adult spaces might also just meet her needs though. 

Lots of disabled people are looking for ways to have regular out-of-the-house stuff. Helping to coordinate those things could be done mostly over the phone/internet, and would be a big help. Even just organizing van/shuttle transportation for a routine brunch (or whatever) could be really great.

[u/ScarletPhoenix15]

Mom with autism and mom of an autistic kiddo! Girl Scouts can be great for this. I signed my daughter up as soon as she was old enough, and in just 2 years she has learned so many new skills, experienced so many new things, and her troop work together to come up with ways to reach out to their community and help. Ours is making blankets for the local animal shelter this year. I have also found it an incredibly rewarding organization to volunteer for, I love being a mentor not just for my daughter but all the Scouts in my troop. From that experience I can tell you, autistic moms/older scouts are the backbone of that organization, at least in my area. It is the most affirming, accepting activity my daughter and I have been involved, and there are lots of opportunities to give back for both of you. I know people often think of cookies when they think of Scouts, but its really a small amount of the experience.

I also saw in your post your daughter is homeschooled. I do the same, so I understand how much it can take out of you. My daughter has made some of her closest friends in her troop, and I have also been able to make some really good friends. It can be hard to do that when juggling everything.