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"My mission is to transform conventional spaces into autism-friendly environments that are thoughtfully tailored to support the unique needs of individuals on the autism spectrum. It’s the creation of spaces that truly understand them. We envision a world where every child with autism thrives in an environment that celebrates individuality and fosters growth."
"One of the things that my parents imparted to me was a deep love for the community that I live in. I was always told that, whatever community you live in, or that you're a part of, you need to participate and raise the level of that community whenever you can. And that's kind of the way I feel here."
“One of the hardest things about stepping into any community is making sure we’re not forcing capital on them, but that they have projects that can absorb that capital. Fort Wayne has a rich philanthropic community, a very engaged city that understands that it won’t be just one avenue to success. Having a friendly city that is open to all types of different sourcing is really critical to the work.”
“Our entire country’s infrastructure was built with cars in mind, and we kind of left behind the needs of other users. The Complete Streets initiative is an approach to planning that encourages city leaders to take a step back and evaluate every part of a street—sidewalks, curbs, crosswalks, bike lanes, and more.”
MedWish Medworks turned an unused dental chair into inclusive dentistry for youth at Cuyahoga Juvenile Detention Center, providing critical care for long-neglected health needs.
“The opportunity is so endless with our collaboration with the community. They continue to amaze me every day with the opportunities they bring for our students."
“Whether it be those companies employing our people, or programs the Community Foundation offers, we’re showing we’ve created this, we want you, and we want to invest in you. We want to be known and are going to be known as the place that wants you here.”
Three Centers for Inclusive Dentistry in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio use specialized training, sensory-friendly tools, and tailored approaches to provide accessible dental care for all patients.
“There are so many former students in our community who are teaching art or are retired educators. Many former students are producing art or supporting the arts and there are many who chose other paths but who value the training they received at the Fort Wayne Art School.”
“Instead of being ultra serious about it, the goal is to have some levity with it saying, ‘Hey, you know what, I tried this thing. It looks terrible. Here's what I hate about it. Here's what I would do differently next time.' The irony is that often what the artist hates, a viewer loves.”
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