49% of individuals with autism have a tendency to wander or bolt from safe settings
“Our son Oran, who is now 10 and lives with autism spectrum disorder, went through an exploration phase in the summer of 2017. He was sound asleep early one morning, but when I got out of the shower he was nowhere to be found.
I called for Jason (my husband) and began searching the neighborhood. As I jogged frantically down the street, it occurred to me that we had to check the neighborhood pond. This was terrifying because I knew the statistics around drowning and autism, but I was left without a choice."
Drowning is a leading cause of death for individuals with autism"Thankfully, Oran had not gone for the pond. A worker at the business across the street saw him walking alone, fully dressed at 6 am (just minutes before we went to search for him), and kindly stayed with him until the police arrived."
A better chance at survival
"Oran has always loved the water, which increased his risk of drowning, but he never found the coordination required to swim safely. The Autism Society of Greater Akron's Swimming with Autism program helped him develop that coordination, by meeting Oran at his level and appreciating his interests. He went from being anxious about entering the pool to being able to swim in the deep end in just 10 weeks!
Thanks to ASGA and their Swimming with Autism program, we now know that Oran not only has a better chance of survival around water, but has also found a hobby that gives him sensory input, exercise, and an outlet for his beautifully boundless energy."
$500 puts an individual with autism through the Swimming with Autism program, keeping them safe around water
More than just swim lessons...
"Beyond Swimming with Autism, ASGA has improved our quality of life as a family. We attend all of their inclusive family events, such as Adapted Polar Express Train Ride and Caring Santa. Oran always has a blast at these events, and they make our family feel more included and connected to our community."32% of autism parents report a "close call" with a possible drowning. Without your help, ASGA cannot help keep individuals like Oran safe.
We depend on your support to continue offering our Swimming with Autism program in the Greater Akron area.
We depend on your support to continue offering our Swimming with Autism program in the Greater Akron area.
"I’ll tell you that when you contribute to ASGA, you provide so many families like my own the priceless gift of inclusion and support. For anything you are able to give in support of these programs, Oran and our family thank you!”
Jason and Molly Schenker
Jason and Molly Schenker
Parents of Oran Schenker
