RAISING AWARENESS
Autism Expo is held in Saratoga Springs
SARATOGASPRINGS>> The sixth annual Autism Expo provided hundreds of families with resources, support and community. Held in the middle of Autism Awareness Month, the entirely free event took place Sunday afternoon at the Saratoga Springs City Center in downtown Saratoga Springs. It was hosted by the Autism Expo Consortium, along with Saratoga Bridges, the Upstate New York Autism Alliance and Skidmore College’s psychology department.
This year’s Autism Expo featured more than 80 organizations. Booths at the expo informed parents and individuals on everything from helpful smartphone applications to college programs, recreational opportunities and summer camps, care programs, clinicians and employment.
Furthermore, the Autism Expo is meant to be fun for the whole family, with a bounce house, arts and crafts activities, a sensory room, games and an art exhibit featuring works by people with disabilities.
Now in its sixth year, the expo has proven to be a valuable resource for many affected by autism.
“I wouldn’t miss this. I look so forward to this,” said second- time attendee Calle Donovan.
“To me, it’s amazing,” she continued. “I feel blessed. I’m thankful to be here.”
A Whitehall resident who has two adult sons with autism, Donovan came to the Autism Expo for her first time last spring. Because of the connections made at that event, her younger son will soon enter a new program by Saratoga Springs- based organization AIM Services, Inc.
Donovan loves how everyone at the expo truly cares, and believes events like this are the reason that dialogue is changing about autism in general.
“In the last 20 years there’s been a huge shift in people’s outlook toward autism,” added Donovan’s daughter Courtney Donovan.
The Autism Expo was originally started by a small group of parents with children on the autism spectrum.
The idea was to bring all area service providers to one place, once a year so that event- goers can talk to representatives face- to- face, then leave with a complete directory to continue their conversations.
The event i mmediately drew a large response and quickly grew out of its former venue at Skidmore College.
Last year, approximately 950 people attended and the expo hosted around 60 informational booths. For 2017, Autism Expo attendance was once again expected to grow.
While most event attendees are from the Capital Region, some people even travel in from Massachusetts, downstate, The Adirondacks and Western New York to be at the expo.
All expo- goers at Sunday’s event had the opportunity to network, learn and play in a supportive environment, building helpful relationships for the future.