Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Swank.
Hi Emily, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’m the mother of two autistic children and the founder of Autism Assistant. Many people don’t realize that when a child is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, the doctors will give you a list of the recommended therapies and services they need, but pretty much no other guidance beyond that. So many parents are just dropped into a whole new world they know nothing about and have no idea where to start. Our experience with trying to navigate this new world was the catalyst for creating Autism Assistant.
Autism Assistant is a search engine and database where parents can go to find any autism resource they may need. We have several kinds of therapists, preschool and K-12 programs, camps, extracurricular activities, advocates, parent training, autism-friendly businesses and products, etc. We work with local providers and businesses to connect them with local parents who are looking for their services.
We recently launched a pro bono program we are getting off the ground called “Assistance for All”, that helps to place underserved families with a provider in their area who has agreed to help that family at no cost. This program is a large undertaking and we are always looking for providers who would like to donate a little time and corporate sponsors who would be interested in sponsoring the program for their local community.
We also have a program called “Outings for All” that works with local businesses to plan group outings in a sensory friendly environment. This allows for families with autistic children to share in the same experiences as all other families that they may have had to previously miss out on due to overstimulation.
Our latest addition is our clothing line created to spread acceptance and inclusion of the autistic community. The line is called “The Autism No Apologies Tour” and we want to promote the stance that acceptance and inclusion is all people really need.
There are several other programs in the works that we hope to launch and grow as the business scales. Our goal is to be the one-stop-shop for families looking for anything autism-related.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
As with any new business, there are always struggles. We launched in January 2020 and when covid hit we found ourselves needing to make some changes to adapt to the new way of doing business.
We have gotten so much positive feedback from within the autism community about the need for a platform like this. There really isn’t anything like it to help families find the resources they need. That has been a driving factor to stay the course on the days when running a startup is a struggle.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Autism Assistant is a platform to connect any type of business that works with the autistic population to the families looking for those services or resources.
We are currently really the only service out there within the autism industry that is dedicated simply to helping parents find resources. While many websites have a list of resources on their site, it’s not their primary purpose and they don’t typically update their lists often. We update our database daily and our mission is to provide parents with as many options as possible.
I am so proud of the feedback we get about the families we are helping. I set out to make life a little easier for families within the autism community and the autistic individuals themselves. To know that we are accomplishing what we set out to do is an amazing feeling.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
When I was in college, I was a certified Heely’s Instructor (shoes with wheels). I taught kids how to ride the shoes with wheels in the back and would help convince their parents that they absolutely needed the shoes. To this day, I will bust out a pair of Heely’s and ride them around for fun.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://autismassistant.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/autismassistant/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/autismassistant/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYk2tBGhBNph2Ny7uzXG3vg
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@autismassistant?
