April is World Autism Awareness Month! World Autism Awareness Month was initially implemented in 2007 by the United Nations to help educate society about Autism and how this global health issue is rising over time. Each year, the HDS Companies joins thousands of individuals worldwide to stand together and support the Autism community. This year, we are commemorating Autism Awareness Month by hosting a “Shine a Light on Autism” digital celebration on April 2nd, World Autism Awareness Day. This celebration is followed by a company-wide participation in community events and campaigns throughout the month.
Campaigns like our “Shine a Light on Autism” help spread information across the globe of the outcomes of Autism. They also help distribute appropriate information regarding matters such as early diagnosis, therapies, transitions, post-secondary education, employment, and the journey to independent living. About 1 in 54 children have been identified with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) according to estimates from the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) Autism and the Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network.
Today, our Autism Awareness banner went up outside of our new office building in the Town of Miami Lakes, and we lit up the exterior of our building blue. Our HDS team members, the HDS Contenders, proudly wore blue shirts along with their HDS Autism Awareness Ribbon and got their selfies on.
Wondering how you can help Shine a Light? Here’s how! Share your stories and show your support of inclusion by swapping out your standard (front) outdoor light bulb(s) with a blue colored light bulb(s) and keep them lit for the entire month of April! Make sure to tag us, @HDSFoundation, on your posts for a chance to show up on our social media feed.
How can you Shine a Light on Autism and help the HDS Foundation? It’s easy! If you are a frequent Amazon shopper, sign in through AmazonSmile.com and select the HDS Foundation as your charity of choice. From there, any purchases made through AmazonSmile will donate a small proceed to our nonprofit. For more information about how the HDS Foundation celebrates Autism Awareness, follow our social media pages @HDSFoundation!