Walk for Autism seeks sponsors and volunteers for April 4 event

Autism Delaware will hold the Walk for Autism in southern Delaware Saturday, April 4, at Cape Henlopen State Park in Lewes.

The annual walk is the agency’s biggest community fundraiser of the year, and event coordinators aim to raise more than $215,000 for Autism Delaware’s programs and services.

Executive Director Brian Hall said, “It feels like a family reunion. Over the year, many things can happen, but this one day each year, folks who are all touched by autism in one way or another come together. Autism Delaware is happy to be able to facilitate this gathering and the opportunities for support that it provides to individuals and their families across the lifespan and throughout the state.”

The Kent County Community School team will lead the Lewes event as grand marshal. Serving children with autism and other disabilities, KCCS administers the Delaware Autism Program for the Capital School District.

A new feature this year is an autism services section, which features representatives of various Delaware state agencies that provide services to individuals with autism and their parents or guardians. Exclusively sponsored by the Office of the Treasurer, Colleen C. Davis, the autism services section will help families determine the various services and opportunities for their loved ones on the autism spectrum, such as Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income, guardianships, vocational rehabilitation and more. Davis is a longtime supporter of the Walk for Autism and readily accepted the invitation to become the exclusive sponsor of this special exhibit area on state programs for people in the autism community.

In picnic areas, walkers can get together and eat a delicious lunch purchased from one of several food trucks. Children can enjoy inflatables, midway games, face painting, crafts, Home Depot Kids Workshops, and more.

To make this statewide event reach its goals, Autism Delaware relies on the generosity of corporate sponsors which support the effort with much-needed funding. 

For more information, to register or to sponsor the Walk for Autism, go to www.AutismDelaware.org. To volunteer, call 302-224-6020 or email volunteers@delautism.org. Walk for Autism helps provide the income needed to make critical programs a reality. For more information on how to help, go to www.autismdelaware.org.