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Discover the ways you can partner with us to make a difference!
We are so grateful to our corporate partners for their resolute commitment to our work. Their fundraising campaigns, sponsored events and selfless volunteerism empower our mission.
“Every child deserves to have the opportunity to learn and develop through play. Toys “R” Us is proud to partner with Autism Speaks Canada and is thrilled to offer play packs that help with key developmental skills.”
-Shelley MacDonald, Associate Vice President of Merchandising.
"Samsung's ongoing commitment to the autism community is anchored in creating meaningful connections and greater communications through technology. We look forward to the new ways our technology will empower community connections across Canada, inviting Canadians to share their stories, resources and tools through the Autism Response Team platform."
-Jennifer Groh, Director, Corporate Citizenship and Communications, Samsung Canada
Toys “R” Us Canada contributions help deliver family services grants and increase access to programming across Canada. Developmental play packs developed in partnership with us, encourage cognitive development, fine and gross motor skills, social and emotional development, and language development through play.
Since 2010, Toys “R” Us Canada has contributed over $9M to Autism Speaks Canada.
“Every child deserves to have the opportunity to learn and develop through play. Toys “R” Us is proud to partner with Autism Speaks Canada and is thrilled to offer play packs that help with key developmental skills.”
-Shelley MacDonald, Associate Vice President of Merchandising.
Autism Speaks Canada is grateful for the longstanding support of Wise Family Foundation. Wise Family Foundation has made a $3.5M commitment to support Autism Speaks science program led by Dr. Steven Scherer at The Hospital of Sick Children (SickKids). This generous commitment specifically supports the $12M+ expansion of the MSSNG platform, PATH to Discovery. Since 2007, Steven Wise and Susan Zikman Wise have donated more than $8.6M to enhance lives and build a spectrum of solutions for autistic individuals and their families. Explore Wise Family Foundation’s transformational contribution to Autism Speaks, Autism Speaks Canada, SickKids and so many others by visiting their website: https://wisefamilyfoundation.org/
"The progress made in the research and treatment of Autism has been nothing less that outstanding. It is just the beginning of the work that continues to be necessary to enhance the lives of the many children and adults on the spectrum. The foundation has taken this mission on and will continue to support the scientific and family service work in autism. It is part of our masterplan to help make the world a better place for children and their families!"
-Steven Wise, Chairman, Wise Family Foundation
BMO Financial Group contributions continue to play a pivotal role in supporting Autism Speaks Canada Autism Response Team and Autism Response Team.
Since 2014, BMO Financial Group has contributed over $500,000 to Autism Speaks Canada.
Samsung Canada’s in-kind gifts and funds have been pivotal in the continued success of the tablet program. Over 5,000 tablets have been distributed to individuals, schools and service organizations who would otherwise not have access to these devices.
Since 2015, Samsung Canada has contributed nearly $1M in tablets and funds to Autism Speaks Canada.
"Samsung's ongoing commitment to the autism community is anchored in creating meaningful connections and greater communications through technology. We look forward to the new ways our technology will empower community connections across Canada, inviting Canadians to share their stories, resources and tools through the Autism Response Team platform."
-Jennifer Groh, Director, Corporate Citizenship and Communications, Samsung Canada
NFP Canada contributions are helping to develop a financial literacy initiative for the autism community.
Since 2017, NFP Canada has contributed over $250,000 to Autism Speaks Canada.
Contributions from dentalcorp are supporting Autism Speaks Canada’s top priorities.
Since 2018, dentalcorp has contributed over $250,000 to Autism Speaks Canada.
We are proud to make special mention of partners whose support has played a vital role in helping to change the lives of people affected by autism.
“We are proud to be supporting Autism Speaks Canada and their ongoing dedication to a disorder that impacts so many families.”
- Lourdes Seminario, Sr. Marketing Director at PepsiCo Canada.
No one organization can do it all. We are honoured to partner with organizations whose missions overlap with our own. Together, we can better meet the needs of the community.
“CASDA is proud to have Autism Speaks Canada as a member of our alliance. Over many years, they have been a collaborative partner, united with all our other members in the singular goal of advancing a National Autism Strategy and guiding the federal government's work to align evidence, policy and practice through national initiatives.”
Jonathan Lai, Director of Strategy and Operations
Canadian Autism Spectrum Disorder Alliance (CASDA)
“Partnering with Autism Speaks Canada on the Worktopia Project enabled our Calgary-based organization to receive federal government funding in 2015, which facilitated a collaboration with 11 disability service agencies from across Canada in the design, delivery and evaluation of autism-focused employment readiness programs. These programs have served over 1,100 autistic job seekers and enabled partnerships with over 350 employers to date. In 2019, we invited other stakeholders with a shared goal to change the odds of employment success for autistic Canadians to join us in co-designing and sustaining a national employment network, which now has more than thirty organizations and community champions building community capacity and informing policy.”
Tanya McLeod, President, The Sinneave Family Foundation
“Our work with Autism Speaks Canada is a great example of what can be achieved when academia and community collaborate to improve the lives of autistic Canadians and their families”.
Stelios Georgiades, Co-Director, McMaster Autism Research Team
As a member of the Autism Alliance of Canada (formely known as Canadian Autism Spectrum Disorder Alliance), we are aligned with a coalition of like-minded organizations and individuals committed to a national shared leadership movement. We work together to create a greater voice for the autism community.
We partnered with the Autism Alliance of Canada and the McMaster Autism Research Team (MacART), on a survey to capture the unique impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the autism community. Read the full report.
A collaboration with Sinneave Family Foundation, autistic adults and other stakeholders, Worktopia seeks to improve the odds of employment success through collecting and sharing data and networking. Evolving from a national project funded in part by the Government of Canada, this network is committed to sharing their perspectives, time and talents to improve the working lives of autistic Canadians.
Through funding from the Government of Canada, Autism Speaks Canada also collaborated with the Sinneave Family Foundation to initiate the Employment Works program. Assisting autistic individuals build employable skills and create more inclusive workplaces, this program is offered through 10 participating agencies, reaching over 500 participants and 300 employers since its inception in 2014. Designed for individuals who want to enter or return to the workforce, it provides employment preparedness training and support, combined with job sampling and hands-on experience to adults with autism and other disabilities.
We chair the McMaster Autism Research Team (MacART), which aims to bridge the research-to-practice gap in autism. MacART is designed to foster collaboration among autism families, researchers, clinicians, educators, and policymakers. It is a partnership between McMaster Children’s Hospital, Hamilton Health Sciences, and McMaster University.
We collaborate with the POND group, who provide participant-centred input. The committee is also an important partner in public and community engagement, as well as ensuring research and activities are communicated effectively to individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders, their families, and other individuals who can apply this knowledge to improve care and long-term outcomes.
We partner with the Toronto Police Service and are part of their Disability Advisory Committee. Together we build trust, promote understanding, sharing of knowledge and practice effective community mobilization to maintain safety and security in our communities.
With funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), we partnered with McGill University on the Caregivers Skills Training Program which included training for five rural and remote service organizations from our Canadian Rural and Remote Network. In 2017, Caregiver Skills Training debuted in the United States, with a Master Trainer workshop to train specialists who will pilot the program. Based on the results and refinements of this and other pilot studies around the world, Autism Speaks Canada partnered with McGill University on the Caregiver Skills Training Program to empower parents and caregivers with evidence-based skills training in Quebec, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and the Yukon for children with autism.
Autism Speaks Canada collaborates with Substance Cares to host Spectrum Works job fairs to match individuals with autism with potential employers in Montreal, Vancouver and Toronto. Continuing to break the stigmas associated with people living with autism, these job fairs reinforce that they are able to be contributing members in the workforce. Taking a proactive approach in pairing employers with employees is a significant step in improving adulthood experiences for people living with autism.
Our collaboration with the The Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work (CCRW) helps to develop tools and resources for Canadian financial sector and focus on accessible workplaces as they relate to the Accessible Canada Act.
