In the ten counties of south central and south western Wisconsin, nearly 17,000 kids and adults are autistic. This means that even the smallest county may have 280 people with autism and that the largest county could have over 9,000. In your school, church and grocery store there is probably a family facing the challenges of autism! Chances are great you know them.

Autism is a developmental disability that can impact a person’s social skills, communication, relationships, and self-regulation. According to the CDC, people with autism may “communicate, interact, behave, and learn in w...