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Exciting Announcement: A New Phase for the Autism Society of Texas – El Paso!
We’re excited to share an important update about the future of our El Paso chapter’s operations. In order to streamline processes and expand our reach, we’re transitioning to a new organizational structure that will better position us for success! We are thrilled to announce that we will be fully integrating El Paso’s organizational activities with those of the Autism Society of Texas. This transition not only brings enhanced resources, but also ensures the continuation of essential events and support groups for the El Paso Autism community. Our dedicated team of local volunteers, who are deeply committed to the El Paso Autism community, will continue to provide the support and guidance relied on by families and Autistic adults in the area. If you have any questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact us at elpaso@texasautismsociety.org. If you’ve reached out to us through a different email address and haven’t received a timely response, we apologize for the delay. Simply forward your email to us, and we’ll ensure you receive the support you need as soon as possible. While we work to hire a new team member for our El Paso office, our dedicated local volunteers and team at the Autism Society of Texas have made the decision to postpone our 17th Annual Autism Run/Walk to the fall. This will allow us to maximize the event’s impact and ensure we bring you the best experience possible. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to seeing you in the fall! Thank you for your continued support as we move forward together!
Understanding Education Savings Accounts or School Vouchers

School vouchers, also referred to as an Educational Savings Account (ESA), allow funds allocated for public education to be used for private school tuition and other education expenses. While vouchers may sound like a great option for families, there are several issues the Autism Society of Texas and many other disability rights organizations have about their effects on students with disabilities. Top concerns with school vouchers are:

  • Private schools are not required to accept students with disabilities, or if they do, may expel them and keep the tuition
  • Private schools are not required to provide disability services or accommodations as outlined under IDEA or 504
  • Vouchers may only cover a small fraction of the tuition
  • Private schools are not required to provide transportation for students.

Should an ESA bill be passed, we would like to see provisions added that would give protections for students with disabilities, as well as make clear the information regarding the rights of families and students. Additional provisions include:

  • Accommodations on norm-based assessments (any standardized test should make accommodations available to all who are eligible)
  • The addition of a legal notice to parents regarding loss of educational rights and other concerns that may impact students with disabilities
  • Larger sums available for students with disabilities to accommodate for higher costs in support services and tuition
  • Provisions that would allow parents of students with disabilities to choose funds to be used for other education-related services, including but not limited to speech, occupational therapy, applied behavior analysis therapy, physical therapy, tutoring, adaptive or assistive technology, or other individualized academic needs related to the student’s disability.
Connections Created: January 2025 Recap

We kicked off January with our CSEA education event, “Abogacía a Nivel Estatal: Lo Que Necesitas Saber Sobre la Próxima Legislación.”, which covered an introduction to legislative advocacy for Spanish speakers. We were joined by Yulissa Chavez from Coalition of Texans with Disabilities. This presentation can be viewed on our Facebook here!

Our Texas Autism Walk registration opened! This year, our event will be Saturday, April 26th at Lakeline Park in Cedar Park. To learn more and register, visit our walk page here. 

The 89th Texas Legislative Session started and we have been hard at work at the Capitol fighting for our community!

Our Texas Autism Advocacy Day registration opened as well! Texas Autism Advocacy Day at the Capitol will be on Monday, March 31st from 9AM-3:15PM. Hear from guest speaker discussions on legislative issues, learn to advocate for yourself and the Autism community, then meet with legislators in the afternoon. Registration is only $15 and includes a tee and lunch. This event is for both experienced advocates and beginners. To register for Texas Autism Advocacy Day, click here. 

Going the Distance for Autism : Austin Marathon 2025

Joby Sanchez and his wife, Stacy, have a heart for helping others.

One of the reasons they keep their family-owned business small is so they have time to volunteer for charities in their hometown of Midland. Joby and Stacy support a wide range of causes, but they have a personal connection to Autism – their 11-year-old son, Rhett. Joby began running on and off for fitness in 2023 but started taking it more seriously last year to set a healthy role model for Rhett and other children with Autism.

For the past 6 months, Joby has been training to race in the half marathon at the Austin Marathon on February 16 th as a member of the Autism Society of Texas’ #TeamAutism. “I have never raced before,” Joby says, “but the run community has a lot of eyes on it right now and I believe this is the best way to start.” And, this is just the start for Joby. He already has two other progressively challenging runs on his calendar this year, the 3-day Texas Triple and a 50-mile ultra marathon – all with the goal of increasing awareness, creating acceptance, and raising money for Autism. “There needs to be more awareness about how to help and relate to people with Autism,” says Joby. “I believe running can help bring communities and people together and I want to do that around Autism.”

Click here to learn how you can run, volunteer, or donate to support Joby and #TeamAutism through the Austin Marathon.

Run, Volunteer or Donate with #TeamAutism at the Austin Marathon!

Join #TeamAutism at the 2025 Ascension Seton Austin Marathon!

On Sunday, February 16, 2025, run, volunteer, or donate to support the Autism Society of Texas at the Ascension Seton Austin Marathon, Half Marathon, and 5K! As an official charity team, we’re raising funds to support Autistic individuals and their families—and thanks to the generosity of The Moody Foundation and the Hart Family, all donations are matched up to $12,500!

Run for #TeamAutism!

Sign up to run the 5K, Half Marathon, or Full Marathon, and create a fundraising page to support AST. Your run makes a difference!

Step 1: Register to run here

Step 2: After registration, create your fundraising page on GivenGain to raise support for the Autism Society of Texas.

Volunteer With Us!

Help keep runners hydrated and energized by volunteering at Aid Station Mile 19 at Garza High School 1600 Chicon St. Austin, TX. This fun and rewarding opportunity is best suited for ages 12 and up (a parent or caregiver must accompany minors).

Step 1: Sign up for your AST volunteer shift here
Step 2: Register on the Austin Marathon website to complete the required waiver and select your free volunteer t-shirt. Each person must register individually.

We’ll send out location and parking details the week before the event.

Double Your Impact—Donate Today!

Not running or volunteering? You can still support #TeamAutism by donating—every dollar is doubled up to $12,500 thanks to matching gifts from The Moody Foundation and the Hart Family!

Donate here.

For questions, contact info@texasautismsociety.org. Thank you for supporting the Autism community—let’s make this our best marathon yet.

Connections Created: December 2024 Recap

This December was very busy at Autism Society of Texas and we have so many reasons to be grateful!

We had Holiday Parties for families with kiddos in Austin and Houston, as well as a holiday party for Autistic adults as well as their families in Austin. Thank you so much to our longtime supporters ASPIRE, who were the lead sponsor for our Austin Holiday Party in December and helped provide support for kiddos taking photos with our Autism-friendly Santa! ASPIRE offers a wide range of services tailored to meet the educational and behavioral needs of individuals with Autism of all ages. Using the principles of ABA, their expert team crafts customized programs designed to empower clients wherever they need it most—whether in the clinic, at home, or in community settings. Thank you, ASPIRE!

We also want to thank our Houston Holiday Party partners, ACES ABA, Beautiful Minds ABA, BrightPath BehaviorSpark For Autism, and our venue partner – We Rock The Spectrum Memorial!

Our Season of Giving campaign began, and we have raised over $4,000 towards our $10K goal! To support our mission, you can make your donation now here. We are beyond grateful to have two donation matches – a $10K donation match thanks to the Moody Foundation via the Austin Marathon & a $2.5K donation match thanks to the Hart Family Challenge!That means your gift will have double the impact!

Connections Created: November 2024 Recap

This November was exceptionally busy at AST!

We had our annual board retreat, where the AST board as well as staff came together to work on important organizational structural items including our strategic plan. Thank you so much to all of our board members for spending a weekend doing this very important work!

Spark Learning’s Putt Fore Autism was a HUGE SUCCESS! Thank you so much to Spark Learning, as well as all of the sponsors and participants who raised a whopping $20,614.33 for Autism Society of Texas.

We also were a selected recipient of the Slaughter Invest Golf Tournament! Thank you so much to the entire Slaughter & Associates team for supporting community organizations like Autism Society of Texas.

We took part in Hope Fest, the largest community resource event in Austin, where we provided sensory kits as well as sensory sensitive vaccinations and support to children as well as their families!

Connections Created: October 2024 Recap

This October was very busy for the AST Team and community!

Our Bike to the Beach team members knocked it out of the park! Thank you so much to Rany Thommen, Dr. Jennifer Hamrick, and Marc & Willem Van Bree for all of your hard work riding and raising funds on behalf of Autism Society of Texas!

We connected with families and individuals at multiple events across the state this month to provide resources as well as sensory friendly vaccines, including UT’s LEND Fair and the Flu-a-Palooza! We also had the opportunity to meet with individuals from IBM and share about AST programs and supports at their Resource Event for their staff.

We also worked hard at the Capitol, calling for action on Robert Roberson’s wrongful conviction case.

Community Connections: Cycling For A Cause – 36 Miles for 1 in 36

Rany Thommen Moser, M.Ed., BCBA, LBA, has been an active volunteer, professional advisor, or sponsor of the Autism Society of Texas (AST) for as long as she can remember and is currently serving as President of the AST board.  “As both a professional that has served the Autism community for years and also as a board member now serving the organization, I have seen firsthand the tireless work that AST puts into helping families, “ she says.  “The support groups, training, referral line, and advocacy work done by AST create meaningful change in the lives of Texans with Autism.”

 

Rany has run in the annual Austin Marathon four times to raise funds for AST’s programs.  This year, Rany will be supporting AST by riding during the Texas Bike to the Beach event on October 26th.  Despite the event name, organizers canceled the beach ride, and our riders are participating in their own communities! Rany will be cycling 36 miles at Terry Hershey Park in Houston to represent the 1 in 36 children with Autism.  “I am not a professional rider,” Rany shares.  “I have never completed a long ride on a bike aside from a few miles during travel adventures.  This will be the longest ride I’ve ever done, but I am happy to do it for such an important cause!”

 

We are so grateful to Rany and all the 2024 Texas Bike to the Beach riders and donors.  Their support means that more individuals with Autism will receive the information and connection to resources they need to thrive.  As Rany says, “Riding for Bike to the Beach is such a fun way to support AST and bring awareness about ways the organization helps the Autism community and to educate people on ways to get involved.”

To show support for Rany and help her raise money that directly benefits individuals with Autism throughout Texas, visit https://biketothebeach.org/b2b-houston-ride/support/#rany



Community Connections: Cycling for Onion Rings and Autism Society of Texas

Dr. Jennifer Hamrick has come up with a fun and unique way to get others engaged in her Texas Bike to the Beach ride to raise money for the Autism Society of Texas.  She is hosting an “Onion Ring Tour” in Lubbock on Sunday, October 20th where friends can follow along on her ride by car, bike, or Lime scooter, stopping for onion ring tastings at restaurants along the way to see who has the best.   This will be Jennifer’s second year to participate in Bike to the Beach and serve as the AST Team Captain.

 

Jennifer is the Director at the Burkhart Center for Autism Education & Research and an Assistant Professor at Texas Tech University. She joined the AST Board of Directors in 2022 and quickly hit the ground running, providing support to our staff and individuals in the Autism community.  “I have worked in public education for over 20 years,” says Jennifer.  “As an educator, AST has always been an organization I have shared with families looking for resources and needing help navigating services in Texas.  When asked to be part of the board, I jumped on the chance to be more involved and to better understand how we can help.

 

Jennifer has already logged almost 400 miles of her 500 mile goal for the Bike to the Beach fundraiser. Anyone in the Lubbock area on October 20th is invited to join Jennifer’s ride or just come to cheer her on at any of the four restaurants along the way. 

• 1:20 pm – approximate arrival at Spanky’s, 811 University Ave.

• 1:50 pm – approximate arrival at Whataburger (across from Spanky’s)

• 2:40 pm – approximate arrival at Jazz a Louisiana Kitchen, 3702 19th St.

• 3:30 pm – approximate arrival at Caprock Café, 3405 34th St.

Participants are asked to donate $10 to help Jennifer raise funds for the Autism Society of Texas, donations can be made here!