News

From a young age, Christine Peters felt there was something different about her son, Ryan. When Ryan was diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at age 2, Christine believed she had a helpful start to understanding Ryan’s behaviors.

She found strategies to best help Ryan. For example, she was a regular volunteer at Ryan’s school, where she helped manage his environment. 

Join SARRC for the Second Annual YES Day for Autism™ —a community event for all! The day will include an Autism Resource Fair, kid zone, entertainment, pumpkin patch and much more! People across Arizona who are driven by a desire to create more supportive, inclusive communities for individuals with autism are invited to attend.

Jonathan Sleiman, 22, was first connected to SARRC through a ‘modified day’ program facilitated through his high school. The opportunity allowed him to spend a portion of his week with our Teen and Adult Services team working to gain and finesse skills as he prepared for his post-high school journey. 

Highlights

Years before Katie Smith was pregnant with her first child, her father happened into a tour of the Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center’s (SARRC) Phoenix campus and came home inspired by the amazing resources and services this nonprofit in their own hometown provided for those with autism. Neither he, nor Katie, realized at the time what an important role that tour would play in their lives and that of Katie’s firstborn, Noah. 

Hello! My name is Anna Stocking, and I am currently an Associate Clinical Supervisor at the Phoenix Community School. I have been working with SARRC since August 2017 as a Behavior Therapist.

What drew you to SARRC? Why did you want to work here? 

Happy Pride Month! At SARRC, we strive to support the LGBTQ+ community by beginning with our community first. This includes spreading education and awareness about the LGBTQ+ and autism intersection, a highly overlooked and underserved community. 
 

Due to the pandemic, the past two years of SARRC’s Annual Community Breakfast were transformed into virtual events. However, for 2022, we finally were able to celebrate in person as a community! SARRC held its Annual Community Breakfast on Thursday, April 14, 2022, at the Arizona Biltmore Resort! The event was themed “Better Together” and featured personal stories from families, clients, and community leaders. 

The extra special program was a celebration of 25 years of dedicated service and impact:

Thanks to our supportive, inclusive community, we are creating a better world for individuals with autism and their families. As we recognize April as a time to raise acceptance and awareness, we thank you for making our progress possible this past 25 years.

On Friday, March 18, SARRC hosted its fourth Swirl, Sip and Savor event at the Royal Palms Resort & Spa to raise awareness and funds for Think Autism®, a program that aims to identify subtle social challenges in children, as well as other early intervention initiatives at SARRC.