Autism Community Network - Empowering Families to Create Big Futures
Established in 2008 as a 501(c)(3), Autism Community Network (ACN) is South Texas's expert autism organization, providing innovative, evidence-based support centered on improving quality of life and self-actualization for neurodiverse children and the village supporting them. ACN “addresses the diagnostic, therapeutic, educational, and recreational needs of families impacted by autism living in South Texas.”
ACN is passionate about empowering families and caregivers to be the principal advocates and champions in their children’s lives by providing educational resources, support groups, and community events to children and families alike. The central mission is to ensure that those affected by autism get the assistance and resources they need to lead a successful life.
“At ACN, we recognize that families benefit from support at every stage of their journey. Alongside diagnostic and therapeutic services, we want families to know they have a community around them. Whether that’s through a camp, a caregiver group, Coffee & Connections, or simply meeting another family who understands their experience, we’re creating opportunities for families to feel connected, supported, and empowered as they build BIG futures together,” shared Casey Garza, ACN Community Engagement Coordinator.
The network offers many services to the San Antonio community. Their clinical services provide expert autism diagnostic medical assessments, backed by the latest research, for children up to age seven. All assessments are offered in English and Spanish and can be provided in-person or via telehealth.
Camp AUsome! and Fam Jams are two examples of the support services ACN offers to families and individuals living with autism.
Camp AUsome! is the umbrella for summer programming that gives autistic children opportunities to socialize, explore interests, build skills, and have fun in an environment designed with neurodivergent needs in mind. The program includes Camp We: Play, which incorporates sensory-based activities and structured play; Camp We: Code, which allows autistic students to explore computer science and coding; and Camp We: Go, for neurotypical siblings, giving them their own opportunity to connect and build relationships with other siblings who understand their experience.
Fam Jams are sensory-friendly, neurodiversity-affirming gatherings for the whole family. They’re intentionally designed to be a low-pressure way for families to get out, have fun, and connect with other families in the community. ACN provides the food, music, and activities, and families can come together and enjoy the experience.
ACN also offers Coffee & Connections, a weekly educational opportunity where families, caregivers, professionals, and community members can learn from presenters and connect around topics related to autism and neurodiversity. It’s a great example of how ACN combines education with community connection, rather than treating them as separate.
Community support is integral to ACN and helps achieve its mission of enabling families to create big futures. As a nonprofit, ACN accepts donations that help to extend support to families so they can thrive. You can support ACN through Legacy Giving, Volunteering, and Wishlist gifts.
Community donations directly help make these programs and services possible. Donations continue to provide resources, community programming, camps, caregiver education, and other support to families. They also keep creating opportunities that families may not otherwise have access to. For example, program support can help make camps, community events, educational programming, and other quality-of-life opportunities possible for the families served by ACN. Your support does much more than fund a single event or program.
“Donations support the larger ecosystem around a family—from early diagnosis and therapy to education, caregiver support, social opportunities, and community connection,” adds Garza.
The Resource Library at ACN provides a compilation of helpful resources to help parents and caregivers manage the world of autism in San Antonio. Here, you can find a variety of useful materials, including educational resources, support groups, and counseling services, as well as links to other relevant organizations, all designed for San Antonio's autism community.
Committed to neurodiversity-affirming care, ACN has recently formed the Neurodiversity-Affirming Practice Advisory Committee. They provide the board and staff with ongoing guidance and support, from lived experience, to ensure consistent alignment with strengths-based, neurodiversity-affirming practice. The goal is to help ensure that ACN’s work remains strengths-based, respectful, and aligned with neurodiversity-affirming practice. Garza says this is an important part of ACN’s continued growth because it “creates an intentional avenue for lived experience to shape how ACN serves our community.”
For more information about the services ACN offers, email info@acn-sa.org or call (210) 435-1000.
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