Autism

John D’Eri co-founded the Rising Tide Car Wash in Parkland, Florida with his son, Thomas, in 2013. Following the success of the business, the pair expanded to Margate in 2017, and are now poised to open a location in Coral Springs later this year.

What sets Rising Tide apart from other car washes is its team: the majority of its staff are on the Autism spectrum.

D’Eri told the South Florida Sun Sentinel, “My son Andrew is on the spectrum. There were no opportunities for him whatsoever. I have always been a serial entrepreneur so I decided that the best thing I could do was try to give him empowerment through employment versus some form of institutionalization like a group home.”

At Rising Tide, Andrew found work along with many others. The family has a bold vision for the new Coral Springs location: Within two years, they aim to have the car wash “100% staffed with diversity, meaning employees on the spectrum.” Those employees would include team leaders, D’Eri said and would set Rising Tide apart from other social enterprises focused on inclusion within the Autistic community.

To learn more about the Rising Tide Car Wash, check out the company website or read the full article in the Sun Sentinel.

When traveling, people with Autism face a unique series of challenges and obstacles that other disabled travelers may not need to consider. When developing travel products and programs, businesses and destinations should be mindful of the unique needs of autistic travelers to ensure accessibility for all.

Verywell Health recently published an article which provides a thorough guideline for families preparing to travel with their autistic children, or for autistic adults planning to travel independently. The resource is equally valuable for businesses within the travel industry, as they begin thinking about how to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for disabled visitors.

Travel training is an important step in preparing to travel with autism, or with autistic children. One popular way this familiarization can be achieved is through social stories, which are used by an increasing number of businesses – including Alaska Airlines – to help travelers with autism better understand what they’ll face while traveling.

To learn more about how autistic travelers prepare to travel, and how your business or destination can better meet their accessibility needs, read the full article that appeared in Verywell Health.

Data collected by the Center for Disease Control’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network shows an increase in autism diagnoses among children. According to the CDC report, 1 in 54 children have the developmental disorder, an increase from the rate of 1 in 59 reported just two years ago.

Alison Singer, president of the Autism Science Foundation, told Disability Scoop that the higher rates of diagnosis are actually positive, because fewer children are falling through the cracks. “We know that the earlier children are diagnosed and the earlier they start intervention, the better their prognosis,” she said.

OUR TAKE: As the number of children diagnosed with autism increases, demand for accessible, sensory-friendly spaces is likely to increase. Businesses can get ahead of the curve by investing in these resources now, making it easier for families touched by autism to participate and take part in activities outside the home.

To read the full story, click here.