Northwest Iowa — April is Autism Awareness Month. Normally there would be activities marking the awareness month in northwest Iowa and around the country.
We talked to the Northwest Iowa Autism Network founders, Greg and Theresa Rasch. They tell us that their network covers the four northwest Iowa counties, plus 10 more counties. They say they started much smaller, but the group grew from families and sponsors reaching back out to them.
The Rasches tell us that their annual Autism Walk was canceled this year, due to COVID-19, but their sponsors still gave money, which will go to their scholarship program.
(As said:)”Families can apply for something that is not covered. It could be an iPad. It could be weighted blankets or sensory items — something that the child or the adult with autism needs but is not covered by any other funding. Our scholarships are 250 dollars. Hopefully in the future that can be raised and hopefully in the future, we can reach out to more counties. Our goal is for the dollars that are donated to Northwest Iowa Autism Network to stay in northwest Iowa and serve families in our area.”
Theresa Rasch says the message that they really want to get out to autism families is one of support.
(As said:)”We want families to know that they’re not alone because autism can be isolating just because of behaviors and things like that — but to know that they’re not doing it by themselves.”
As far as the message that they’d like to bring to others about autism, it’s about being comfortable around those with autism and respecting everyone.
(As said:)”That other community people and neighbors throughout the community can be comfortable around people with autism and just understand that the different behavioral traits are sometimes hard to understand or maybe just difficult to know how to be… (Theresa:) When they ask, how can I support somebody with autism my biggest thought is to be kind when you see them in a grocery store just say hello like you would to everyone else and if you see that Mom or Dad or somebody having a hard time, you know, with that child or an adult — it’s okay to say, you know, ‘is there anything that I can do?’ But kindness is the biggest thing — treat them just like you would treat you know, your friend or neighbor.”
Greg Rasch tells us that they’d also like to remind people that everyone is different.
(As said:)”It’s important that we become more aware of autism and just how broad it is. You know, there’s an adage that says, ‘When you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.’ …that it’s many different things and it can look like the more you educate yourself and you’re more aware of it, the more you become — the more you realize — that it looks like so many different things.”
The Rasches invite you to reach out to them, especially if you care for someone with autism. They say you can find then through the Northwest Iowa Autism Network on Facebook, and if you’d like to reach out, just message them there. They also remind us that there are other helpful groups too like the Spencer Autism Facebook page and the Siouxland Autism Group. Again, you’re invited to reach out to the Rasches and the others in the group through Facebook.
