News

Thanks to the Gila River Indian Community, we are offering full scholarship opportunities (up to $2,250) for some of our most popular parent training programs! This opportunity is offered to parents and caregivers with a child (up to 12 years old) who has been diagnosed with autism and lives in remote or rural areas of Arizona.

When Jennifer Smith had concerns about her 6-year-old son Langston’s development, contacting Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center was an easy decision, as, throughout the span of 18 years, SARRC has continued to be part of her life professionally and personally. 

When Jennifer was a senior in high school, she first heard about SARRC while working at a local family-owned business.

On Sunday, Oct. 23, Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC) celebrated its second annual YES Day for Autism™ — a fundraising and awareness campaign, topped with a community event and celebration at Tempe Beach Park!

SARRC welcomed more than 130 team participants, 36 event sponsors, and over 3,500 attendees who participated in the event to say “yes” to create more supportive and inclusive communities. Collectively, participants and sponsors alike helped SARRC exceed its $400,000 goal by nearly $25,000. 

Leading into his first birthday, Linden McDaniel had achieved all the same milestones as his twin brother, Declan. 

“He did all the same things Declan did. He rolled over, sat up, crawled and walked. He said ‘mama,’ ‘dada,’ ‘nana’ and ‘papa.’ He would coo and become excited when he encountered new people or saw something on TV,” the mother of 4, Amber McDaniel says.

Our second YES Day for Autism event is right around the corner! We are so grateful to all the teams that have been eagerly fundraising and getting everyone excited for the big day!
 
To help add to the excitement, we wanted to share one team’s story, who has not only found support through SARRC’s Community School’s program but YES Day for Autism as well. Read more for heartwarming inspiration!
 

23-year-old CG5, Charlie Green, a prolific singer/songwriter and music producer from Arizona, will perform at SARRC’s second annual YES Day for Autism event on Sunday, Oct. 23 at Tempe Beach Park.

Hello! My name is Maggie Wade, and I’m a Senior Behavior Therapist in SARRC’s Family and Community Services department. I originally started my journey in the Community School but made the switch about a year ago.
 
Can you tell us a little about your job as a Senior Behavior Therapist?

September 15, 2022, marked the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month and underscores an anniversary of independence for many Latin American countries, such as Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. It is also a significant day in history for Hispanic Americans, which also makes it a fitting day to begin a month of celebration. Established in 1968, Hispanic Heritage Month continues to be a time dedicated to celebrating Hispanic culture and paying tribute to Hispanic Americans who have made an impact in our society.

When Jennifer and John Bonner received an autism diagnosis for their son John Michael in 2016, the family immediately enrolled in SARRC’s Free Family Orientation where they received critical information and support on how to best navigate this new journey.