Shannon and Bob Hamer first learned about SARRC in 2021, after their 3-year-old son, Bryson, was diagnosed with autism.
Shortly after receiving the diagnosis, they enrolled in SARRC’s six-week JumpStart® program, which served as a comprehensive introduction to autism and immediately provided them with strategies to support their daily lives.
Additionally, the Hamers enrolled in SARRC’s Milestone program with their 12-month-old daughter, Sadie. This program provides valuable information, monitoring, and early intervention for new parents or those with an older child diagnosed with autism.
A few months later, they enrolled Bryson in SARRC’s Community School—a preschool program that provides early childhood education for students with and without autism in an inclusive setting.
“So much of acquiring social skills comes from observing your peers. We felt it was important for Bryson to have the opportunity to observe and interact with both neurodiverse and neurotypical classmates,” Shannon says.
Before Bryson joined the Community School, Shannon recalls that he primarily communicated through scripting. He frequently felt overwhelmed by his surroundings and changes in routine, showed minimal interest in his peers, and found it difficult to make friends. However, once he started the program, the Hamers noticed significant progress almost immediately.
“I remember the first time Bryson asked a question,” Shannon recalls. “You don’t realize how much acquiring a skill like that can transform someone’s ability to communicate – especially by improving his ability to request items and get his needs met. The first time he asked us a spontaneous question, we cried tears of joy.”
Their family later enrolled Sadie as a typically developing student within the Communtiy School. “The inclusive environment at Community school didn’t solely benefit Bryson, there was also a tremendous value for our daughter to interact with both neurotypical and neurodivergent peers.”
Through their positive experiences with SARRC, the Hamer family recently pledged their support to the Multiyear Visionary Partner (MVP) giving program, as they believe in SARRC’s mission, and they hope their gift will provide resources to more families starting their journey with autism.
“We have witnessed firsthand what an enormous impact early intervention can have on a child and their family,” Shannon says. “Bryson has made so much progress with the help of SARRC and their programs, we are forever grateful for the support we received. The therapists, teachers and staff at SARRC truly changed our lives.”
Shannon grew up in Phoenix and attended Arizona State University. She spent most of her career in commercial real estate, most recently working for Colliers. Bob moved to Arizona from Orange County to attend the University of Arizona and worked in various sales and leadership roles with sports teams, including the Phoenix Suns. He now works in sales leadership and consulting for tech startups.
