Autism Serves – Helping Hands

Past Events with Autism Serves Helping Hands

Welcome! We are a neurodivergent-led volunteerism program from Autism Empowerment that brings teens, young adults, older adults, families, and community supporters together to serve others, build friendships, and make a positive difference.

Logos for Autism Serves Helping Hands and Autism Empowerment

Empowering Neurodivergent Teens & Young Adults Through Volunteerism

Autism Serves – Helping Hands grew out of Autism Empowerment’s nationally award-winning Autism Serves Kids Care Club. After the pandemic, the original club paused. Then one of our founding youth leaders, Sumi Dyment, returned with a vision to create something new: an inclusive, neurodivergent-led volunteerism program for teens and young adults that focuses on kindness, leadership, service, and community connection.

Here is a picture from our Caring Cards event in partnership with the Fort Vancouver Public Library.

Kindness cards

What kind of projects do we participate in?

Our neurodivergent-led group participates in a variety of fun and meaningful community service projects throughout the Vancouver, WA area. We partner with a wide range of Southwest Washington nonprofits using our gifts and talents to support their missions and values. We want to include our group members in the decision-making and brainstorming for what kind of projects are of interest to us and of need in our community. Some of the areas we will be looking at include: Animal Welfare, Disability Advocacy, Environment, Homelessness, Hunger, Kindness, Seniors, Social Justice, and Veterans. Together, we can create meaningful change and grow stronger as a community.

Every act of kindness can make a difference.Examples of past and possible upcoming projects include:

  • Packaging resource bags for community partners
  • Environmental clean-ups and beautification projects
  • Food and donation drives
  • Projects that support disability inclusion and accessibility
  • Kindness cards and outreach for local community members
  • Wellness kit assembly for veterans and seniors.
  • Seasonal caroling at Stephen’s Place and other holiday service opportunities

Here is a photo from when we created Holiday Happiness bags at Stephen’s Place for adults with disabilities.

Holiday Happiness Bags

Additional highlights of Past Events

(This is a new section under construction, more events from our first service year will be added soon)

Volunteer Celebration

Helping Hands Volunteer Celebration

Date: Saturday, June 20th, 2026
Time: 10:30 am – 12:30 pm 
Location: Three Creeks Community Library, 800 NE Tenney Rd, Vancouver, WA 98685

We celebrated all of our volunteers from the past year with a Helping Hands Volunteer Celebration. Volunteers and families enjoyed pizza and cupcakes, and helped  assemble kits and cutting Pokémon ears for GO Fest this summer!  Teens 13+ and adults of all abilities were welcome to participate. We provided all food and materials! 

Would you like to join Autism Serves – Helping Hands? 

SumiMtnPeaksThanks to generous donors, there is currently no cost to register for our program. Your registration includes one free club t-shirt for you, and one for up to two parents or caregivers (if applicable, while supplies last). 

Registration form: https://bit.ly/helpinghandsreg

In addition to this one-time registration form, we will also have quick sign-up forms for each Autism Serves Helping Hands event or activity. These will be emailed to everyone who has filled out this main registration form and will also be posted on our website and in our Facebook group.

We strive to find volunteer activities that are inclusive, accessible, and suitable for all ability levels. You are welcome to join us if you live anywhere in the Portland metro or Southwest Washington, however please note that our events will be taking place at various locations in Vancouver and the Clark County area. 

Questions? Please contact our teen leader and founder, Sumi Dyment.

For general Autism Empowerment questions, please contact John Krejcha at info@autismempowerment.org.

You are also invited to join our Facebook group: Autism Serves Helping Hands

Watch Our Kickoff Meeting

Want to get a feel for the heart behind the group? Watch our kickoff Zoom meeting and learn more about how Autism Serves – Helping Hands began.

 

Volunteerism matters. Service changes lives.

Support Autism Serves – Helping Hands with a donation and help us create a kinder, more inclusive world through the power of service, leadership, and community connection.

Donate Now – Help us grow our vision

Last updated July 17th, 2026