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Autism Facts Quick Start New visitor? Please check out "Understanding Autism, A Few Quick Notes." This Autism Quick-Start section is meant to provide a quick introduction to basic autism facts written in conversational language. Autism is a Developmental Disability Autism is considered a developmental disability and neurological [...]
Autism Serves Volunteerism Program Autism Empowerment introduces a positive and proactive program for our community and for our world. Our Autism Serves volunteerism program also known as Autism Serves Across the Lifespan was founded on the guiding belief that children and adults each have unique strengths, talents and gifts. Some [...]
Past Autism Empowerment Outreach Events Outreach events and activities that we participate in give youth, adults and families impacted by Autism and Asperger's to have an opportunity to connect with Autism Empowerment and to meet other members of the autism and autistic community. There are many opportunities throughout each [...]
What are Pervasive Developmental Disorders / PDD / PDD-NOS? The diagnostic category of pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) refers to a group of disorders characterized by delays in the development of socialization and communication skills. Parents may note symptoms as early as infancy, although the typical age of onset is [...]
What is Asperger syndrome? Asperger or Asperger's syndrome (AS) is a developmental autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The discovery of Asperger Syndrome (AS) dates back to 1944. Austrian pediatrician Hans Asperger described the syndrome when he was treating four boys with similar symptoms. His writings remained relatively unknown until 1981 [...]
Past Project Examples The first season of the Autism Serves Kids Care Club took place October 2015 through June 2016. Here are photos of some of the monthly projects and events that club members participated in. In 2025, the Autism Serves Kids Care Club evolved and relaunched under a [...]
Acronym and Initialism Directory An acronym is an abbreviation formed from the initial letters of other words and pronounced as a word. An initialism is an abbreviation consisting of initial letters pronounced separately (e.g., DDA or IEP) Alphabet soup is often used as a metaphor for an abundance of [...]
Core Values, Beliefs, and Goals At Autism Empowerment, our work is guided by four foundational pillars and values that shape everything we do: Accept, Enrich, Inspire, and Empower. These values are at the heart of our mission, our programs, and our community. They represent a commitment to honoring the [...]
Community Collaborations Autism Empowerment is physically based in Vancouver, Washington. We are considered part of Southwest Washington although we are also very close to the Oregon border and interact frequently with the Portland, OR metro community. We believe it is important to be actively involved in our community. Community [...]
Autism Empowerment is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization devoted to enriching and empowering the lives of youth, adults, and families within autistic and neurodivergent communities. We promote a culture of Autism Acceptance and believe that each one of us has gifts and talents to make the [...]
Our Four Foundational Pillars The four foundational pillars of Autism Empowerment are: Accept Enrich Inspire Empower These pillars are part of our organizational core values and are incorporated into our website, our programs, our support services and our community. Accept We promote the unconditional acceptance of autistic individuals for who they [...]
Cash Gifts and Donations to Autism Empowerment Welcome! Thank you for joining us in supporting youth, adults and families in Autism and Neurodivergent communities! Together with your generosity, Autism Empowerment uplifts and empowers youth, adults, and families across the autism spectrum. Your donation helps us provide inclusive programs, compassionate education, and [...]
Recognizing Autism Spectrum Symptoms, Signs and Characteristics Individuals on the autism spectrum will have symptoms from a very young age, beginning before the age of three. Some autistic children show hints of future challenges within the first few months of life. In others, symptoms may not appear until 24 [...]
In Language You Can Understand Autism is a spectrum disorder and neurological difference that includes a broad range of symptoms. For purposes of this page, we're using "autism" to represent all autism spectrum disorder / differences including Autism, Asperger Syndrome and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD/NOS). With autism, [...]
Getting an Autism Spectrum Diagnosis / The Diagnostic Process Autism varies widely in severity and as it is a spectrum disorder, it will present differently from one person to another and from male to female. Signs and symptoms may go unrecognized, especially if they initially appear as mild or [...]
Autism Facts and Myths Here are a few facts and myths about Autism: There is a lot of information available online about autism. Some of it is factual. Some of it is a myth. Some of it is true for some individuals but not for others. Some information may [...]
Autism Empowerment wants visitors to be able to access reference information, resources, and support through our website, through our programs, and support services. Having knowledge is empowering. We created this page to connect you with other not-for-profit organizations throughout the United States and worldwide that are also dedicated to providing [...]
Autism Empowerment Mission Autism Empowerment is devoted to promoting a culture of acceptance, enrichment, and empowerment in the lives of children, teens, adults and families in Autism, Autistic and neurodivergent communities. We offer innovative and inspiring programs, training, and services as well as opportunities for leadership and volunteerism for [...]
Welcome to Autism Empowerment - About Us Autism Empowerment is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization devoted to enriching and empowering the lives of youth, adults and families within Autism and Autistic communities. We promote a culture of Autism Acceptance and believe every one of us has strengths and gifts to [...]
Coexisting Conditions Individuals affected by autism are at an increased risk of experiencing additional cognitive, emotional, or behavioral disorders. It is very common for individuals on the autism spectrum to be dealing with other challenges and coexisting conditions. Sometimes these co-existing conditions are noticed and diagnosed before the diagnosis [...]