AUTISTIC RESILIENCE NETWORK
Applicants Selected for Support in 2024
Thank you for fully funding all 2024 Joy Program Recipients!
Read their thank-yours in our 2024 Impact Letter.
Applications for the 2025 program open September 1. In the meantime, donations will go towards our Emergency Fund to support those in need throughout the year.
Michael
A bully knocked out his front tooth.
Michael is a 23-year old autistic adult who is a delight to talk with. During our conversation his eyes are bright and he laughs easily, but he covers his mouth much of the time and I never see his smile.
He explains that he's embarrassed because he's missing a front tooth.
"Back when I was in school I got bullied a lot. A guy hit me in the face. They said he broke the socket and so my tooth had to fall out."
Michael lives in a group home, and he's eager to find a job. He would like to be a technician or a digital artist. Right now, though, he is open to any job opportunity. His mentor reached out, explaining he'd had seven interviews but no job offers. She writes: "despite the best haircuts and outfits I can help him wear to appear job ready, he isn't going to be able to get a job with a gaping hole in the front of his mouth. Living in 2024 is already hard enough being a Black, young autistic man...but once you see he's missing a front tooth many assumptions can be made which aren't beneficial for his self-esteem or his future."
Insurance has denied his request to have the tooth replaced five times, stating the missing tooth is a cosmetic issue only and thus not covered. He has no access to any other resources that would help replace his tooth.
Ask: Approximately $1,500 to replace his front tooth. His mentor is working on getting a finalized estimate from the dentist, and we will update his information with the exact amount as soon as it is available.
Alyx
Alyx is already giving back. Let's help them fulfill their dream of becoming a teacher and making a difference in the lives of high-school students.
Alyx is an autistic young adult who is in the process of completing their four year dual-degree and obtaining their teaching certification, with the goal of becoming a high-school teacher. They have been working as a substitute teacher for two years both to cover their living expenses and to gain real-experience to prepare them for their career. Alyx is deeply passionate about their own education as well as the education -- and lives -- of the students they teach. Students they have taught often seek them out, despite having only known them for a limited time as a substitute teacher, because Alyx is so empathetic and attuned to each students' individual needs.
Alyx's high level of empathy is a natural characteristic of their personality, which has been amplified by their own lived experience and awareness of how challenging life can be for students. They navigated many severe health issues as a child. Later, they were placed in foster care. Their childhood was characterized by pain, fear, and chronic stress.
They are now living independently while managing their autism, finishing their degree, and working. They have two dogs and a cat which provide them a critical level of emotional connection and support that help to keep them going despite long days, exhaustion, and constant financial stress.
Supporting Alyx through this process will not only help them, but will also benefit the many students they will teach in the future. Alyx's deep concern for their students combined with their own love of learning and the ability to persevere through very difficult circumstances will be a gift to every student they meet.
Ask:
-
Donations of food and other supplies for six months for their three animals. The first four items are on an Amazon wish list so you can easily order them to be delivered, or you can drop them off at our office at Autistic Resilience Network, 85 Washington Street in Reno, NV 89503.
-
Hills Science Diet Adult 1-6 Small Bites, Chicken and Barley
-
​Ollie Fresh Plan Turkey Recipe (Alyx made one trial order stretch for five months by mixing this in with their dogs' regular food. We've reached out to Ollie to see if we can get a direct link that people can donate to for this, and will update this list asap.)
-
$800 to be held in reserve by the Autistic Resilience Network to go towards regular vet care and any unexpected health issues that may arise for their animals in the future
Antonio
Let's give him more than a shared mattress on the floor.
Antonio is an autistic young man who is currently sharing a twin mattress on the floor of the room he shares with his two brothers. His service provider reached out to let us know she was concerned this was negatively impacting all three of the brothers, as none of them are able to get enough quality sleep to function well during the day.
Antonio writes:
“My name is Antonio, I am 18 years old and I live with my aunt, cousins, and two brothers. I am working on receiving my high school diploma currently. My favorite class is English because it is the most interesting and the easiest for me. I will be working at a dog shelter on Mondays and Fridays through my school to start saving money for the future. When I finish high school, I would like to go to college to study computer programming.
​
I really enjoy playing video games, my favorite game right now is Call of Duty that I like to play on the PlayStation 5. My favorite color is green. I enjoy watching movies, especially Spiderman: Across the Spiderverse.
Since I am still in school and not able to work a full-time job, having enough money for things I need and want is sometimes hard. I would really like posters and a new TV to decorate my bedroom. I would also enjoy having a dresser to put my clothes into and a new bed that I do not have to share. I sometimes stop breathing in my sleep so having a good bed where I can sleep in a proper position is very important.”
​
Ask: $1,400 for the following:
-
Bunk bed (twin bed over a full bed) that would allow all three young men a place to sleep (approx $600)
-
Twin mattress and a full mattress (approx $600)
-
Bedding consisting of two sets of sheets, two comforters, and four pillows (approx $200)
-
The priorities are the bed, mattresses and bedding. However, if you would like to help with any of the other things he mentioned, please let us know!
Antonio is excited to share before and after photos of the room he and his brothers share!
Ari
"It would be life changing to have a laptop to work on"
We are hoping the community can come together to provide Ari a working laptop. Their laptop broke three years ago, and they haven’t been able to afford to replace it.
“I'm a writer, editor, and visual artist who sells self-published work, writes articles, and does painting commissions, and it would be life changing to have a laptop to work on. I have just been using physical notebooks and my phone's notes app. I'm hoping to someday transition to writing and painting full time to quit the customer service job that I struggle with.”
Their History
Ari has struggled since early childhood. “I couldn’t make my mouth make the sounds happen, and I would format my sentences the wrong way. I was in and out of speech therapy. When I was five, my Kindergarten teacher wanted to hold me back or put me in special ed placement. She literally used the “r” word to describe me.”
As a teen, Ari had trouble connecting with their peers. Like so many autistic people, they rarely had friends; the people they thought were their friends would make fun of them. When they came out as queer, their family rejected them.
For the last several years they have been working at minimum wage customer service jobs that leave them constantly on the edge financially. They share a two-bedroom apartment with three other people.
What Brings Them Joy and Meaning?
“...visual art, sculpting, painting, writing and editing. I’m an avid reader. My personal library is incredible and so I made a diy bookshelf that spans the entirety of a wall. Also really into movies and philosophy. I read a lot of technical writers. Genres I really like are poetry, and I really like sci-fi and horror and surrealism. I read a lot of surrealist authors.”
How Would Life Change with a Replacement Laptop?
​
Ari writes:
“I would use it everyday. I would bring it nearly everywhere. I’m currently trying to compile all of my writing into two or three themes, and potentially going to self-publish a book with all the writing I’ve done and a novella. Having a laptop would make trying to do that a whole lot easier and get it done faster, as well as improve my creative outlet as well. My mind doesn’t work well with my phone as the only way to write poetry.
My hope is that if I am able to better work on my writing, and ideally if I can run art programs, that would be fantastic. If I could do both of those things consistently, I’m hoping I would be able to step away a little from doing customer service jobs. This would ease my workload and stress.
A laptop would also be helpful with returning to school and having access to my documentation for school in one place.”
​
Ask: $1,000 to buy a laptop that can run Windows 11 and Photoshop or a similar program to perform digital art commissions. They’re about to go back to school, so the laptop needs to be a reasonable quality that will last several years.
Widge
"keeping my job and having my car fixed - that would be life-changing"
Update - Widge's needs have been fully funded and distributed! Here is a thank-you note from Widge:
I just wanted to say a huge thank you for all the help you’ve given me with getting my car registration, tolls, tickets, and insurance paid for. I can’t even put into words how much of a difference this has made for me. You’ve been so patient and understanding throughout this whole process, even with all the back-and-forth and unexpected hurdles. It’s such a relief to have reliable transportation again, and I truly couldn’t have done it without your support. If not for this funding, I would likely have lost my job. To the donors who made this possible, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your generosity really matters, it’s made a big impact on my life, and I’m so grateful.
​
Thanks again for everything you do. You’ve been amazing!
​
Widge
Widge hit a rough patch that included two scooter accidents, two broken bones, two surgeries, losing their job, and finally finding a new job only to have it flooded by sewage. Over this time period everything got behind - parking tickets began to accumulate because their apartment didn't have parking, and the only street parking was paid. Their car started having mechanical issues. The unpaid parking tickets and fines for being late added up. They ended up with some fines for unpaid tolls, too. When their registration expired, they couldn't afford to pay all the old parking tickets and toll fees and the registration fee, so found themselves anxiously driving their semi-functional car with expired tabs.
Because the store they worked at flooded, Widge's only job option with the company was to work a rotating position at three different stores. Their daily commute is 80 miles. There's no viable public transit.
Widge has been able to pull together enough funds to handle the worst of the mechanical issues, but there are still a lot of repairs that are pretty urgent. They simply don't have the funds to pay the back fees and renew their registration.
Widge's "biggest relief would be keeping my job and having my car fixed - that would be life-changing."
Ask: $874 to register, handle outstanding tickets and fees, and insure Widge's car so they can commute to and from work while continuing to put their funds towards handling necessary maintenance on the car.
JC
School "gives me a sense of purpose. I hope to land a job that helps me to help the community and make an impact."
JC is a junior in college. A medical provider recommended he be formally evaluated for autism, but a full assessment costs $2,500. He can't afford this and his medical insurance doesn't cover it.
He does well in school. His degree focuses on both engineering and the law. He shared: "I like it, I really do. It gives me a sense of purpose. I hope to land a job that helps me to help the community and make an impact. Even if I don’t land a job within engineering, there are still careers I’m wanting to land: being a 911 dispatcher, or an EMT. I’ve been getting all A’s and B’s."
He reached out for help after he lost his job. His first supervisor had been very supportive and understanding, and he found his job exciting and reported that he loved it. His first supervisor was promoted, and the replacement supervisor "made life really miserable. But my other coworkers kind of liked me. After I got fired my coworkers did invite me to go out to lunch. They invited me to pay for my meal. Still, I feel I don’t know how to communicate well with people. I feel I am alone."
While he's already found a new job, he does need the autism assessment to help him access services, request accommodations, and understand better what skills he needs to build to move forward in his career after graduation.
​
Ask: $2,500 to pay for a neuropsychological evaluation to assess for autism.