March 19, 2020
First, I want to share my sincere hope that you and your loved ones are staying safe and healthy. As we continue to monitor the evolving situation related to COVID-19, our top priority remains the health and safety of our constituents, community, employees, volunteers and donors. While we’re adapting to new ways of working during this challenging moment, our team is fully operational and committed to working together to support the autism community and fulfill our mission.
The autism community needs this commitment to our mission now, perhaps more than ever. Many people with autism and their families are being directly impacted, seeing disruptions in services and coping with the uncertainty of what comes next. We have created a centralized hub for resources to weather this storm together:
- Visit our website for reliable information: COVID-19 Information and Resources. This page will be updated regularly as new content is developed. You will also find information about rescheduled Autism Speaks Canada events here.
- Follow us on social media: We are working on a series of tips, tools and resources to help families work through common challenges. These will be posted on our social channels as they’re available. We encourage you to find @autismspeakscanada on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and @autismspeakscan on Twitter for regular updates
- Reach out to our Autism Response Team: As always, Autism Speaks Canada is here to help and support the autism community. Please call our Autism Response Team at 1-888-362-6227 or email [email protected] for questions and access to tools, resources and supports.
- The Public Health Agency of Canada is a reliable source of information, as are provincial and territorial public health authorities.
We care deeply about the well-being of our community, and we urge everyone to follow best practices to stay safe and healthy during this time. We’ll continue to update you as new resources are made available, and we welcome your feedback on what would be most helpful to you and your families. Please reach out to us at [email protected] at any time.
Finally, just over a month ago, we launched our campaign to create a kinder world, not knowing what challenges were ahead of us. As we work through this difficult moment together, this message feels as relevant as ever. We look forward to promoting our message of kindness and inclusivity as we go into April, a globally recognized World Autism Month. Please continue to help and support us as we gear towards launching our World Autism Month campaign to help increase understanding and acceptance of people with autism.
I hope that amidst the stress and uncertainty of these times, we can all find ways to show kindness and compassion to one another. Please know we are sending you our best wishes for your health and safety.
With kindness, gratitude and hope,
Jill Farber
Executive Director, Autism Speaks Canada