ABC of Southwest Texas invites participants and community partners from New Braunfels and surrounding communities to gather for the free, family-friendly event on Saturday, April 5 at Canyon High School from 8 a.m. to noon. The New Braunfels Walk for Autism is designed to raise money and provide services and support for families raising individuals on the spectrum, in recognition of National Autism Awareness Month.
New Braunfels had its first Walk for Autism in 2019, founded in large part by ABC clients and New Braunfels residents Sharon Carlson and her son Kyngston.
"We had been participants with our team “Kyngston’s Knights” for many years in ABC’s San Antonio Walk for Autism; it became such a big part of our lives,” said Carlson. “It's such a beautiful display of support for the autism community. I knew I wanted to bring that experience here and make it uniquely New Braunfels."
Through her incredible efforts, and that of New Braunfels ISD, Comal ISD and other community partners, the event has grown to become a critical part of increasing services provided to families raising children with autism in the area. All proceeds from the walk stay local to fund the critical, one-of-a-kind programs ABC offers to New Braunfels.
Activities are friendly for everyone. These include:
- Resource Fair: The resource fair brings multiple different autism, family and healthcare resources from a variety of organizations, businesses and service providers.
- Kinder Korner: This children's activity area provides adapted fitness, safety demonstrations and activities where children of all abilities can participate and have fun.
- Food Truck Park: Stop by the Food Truck Park for quick delicious bites!
- Sensory Friendly Zone: Area available for families with children with sensory sensitivities. The area is slightly outside of the Walk for Autism footprint (less traffic and quieter).
“For the families we serve in Comal and the surrounding counties in South Texas, ABC remains the only agency in the region to offer critical access to care and comprehensive services to families who have a child with any medical diagnosis, including a chronic illness, disability, developmental delay or health risk regardless of income,” ABC of Southwest Texas CEO Jenny Hixon said. “This is more than just a Walk, we are an entire community, coming together to support one another for a shared purpose.”
Autism, or autism spectrum disorder, refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication. Because autism is a spectrum disorder, each person with autism has a distinct set of strengths and challenges. The ways in which people with autism learn, think and problem-solve can range from highly skilled to severely challenged. Some people with ASD may require significant support in their daily lives, while others may need less support and, in some cases, live entirely independently.
Raising a child with special healthcare needs is difficult. Finding help shouldn’t be. ABC services are provided at no cost to families who have a childbirth through 17 years of age with ANY medical diagnosis, including a chronic illness, disability, developmental delay, or health risk.
