The Autism Society of the Quad Cities (ASQC) will host an in-person walk to celebrate Autism acceptance on Saturday, April 29, at Augustana College’s PepsiCo Center, 1025 30th St., Rock Island.
The free event will run 9-11 a.m., and the walk will begin at 9:30 a.m.
April is Autism Acceptance Month, and the ASQC partners with the Autism Society of America this month and year-round to recognize and support the multitude of experiences within the Autism community, a news release said. The ASQC believes the world should recognize and accept the infinite ways the Autism community experiences and improves life in the Quad Cities.
“Our mission is to create connections, empowering everyone in the Autism community with the resources needed to live fully, and the connection is you,” Barrett Essman, ASQC board president, said in the release.
According to the CDC, one in 36 children are diagnosed with Autism spectrum disorder, and more than 7 million people in the United States are on the Autism spectrum. Recognizing this increase in prevalence, the ASQC continues to see a need to provide education, support and advocacy in the QC area to maximize the potential of people with Autism.
Founded in 2004, the ASQC is a nonprofit charitable corporation that is part of the Autism Society of America. In 1972, the Autism Society launched the first annual National Autistic Children’s Week, which evolved into Autism Acceptance Month.
