Commonwealth Autism VA

10/23/2026

Rain or shine, you showed up! Thank you for braving the elements to support our 3rd Annual Harvest for All Festival at Good Foods Grocery, a day of fall fun, connection, and inclusion that brought our whole community together.

🍂 🎃 🛒 🍎 🍁 🌦️ 🍅 🍪 🚂 🎉 💸 🪾 🎻 🍂

This year's festival raised $8,095, exceeding our goal! Every dollar goes directly to the programs that support autistic and neurodivergent people. Thank you to our community--and especially our sponsors Richmond Coffee Company, Rogers & Company and Norfolk Festevents--for being part of this success.

A special shout-out to our new coffee cart program Brewing Opportunities, which brought in $150+ plus some great tips.

10/20/2026

Are you a leader in retail? hospitality? human services? transportation? No matter your industry, our Autism and Neuroinclusivity in the Workplace training offers communication strategies that benefit the entire team.

Register for one of the upcoming Autism and Neuroinclusivity in the Workplace In-person training sessions: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1992565694631?aff=oddtdtcreator

10/19/2026

“I’m saving for a trip to Normandy!”

When Kelvin Weeks of Atlantic Union Bank asked our CR&E class what some of their “wants” are that they’re saving for, John had a pretty incredible answer!

Kelvin recently led his second financial literacy class for Commonwealth Autism, this time focusing on basic budgeting skills with our Career Readiness & Employment (CR&E) class. Our clients were engaged, asking questions and thinking about how budgeting can help them plan for the things they want in life.

Because financial literacy is about more than knowing how to make a budget. It’s about having the skills to manage your income, make informed choices, save for your goals, and build the future you want.

Our clients have big dreams—meaningful employment, competitive income, travel, independence, and so much more.

And sometimes, that dream is a trip to Normandy. What a goal!

Thank you, Kelvin and Atlantic Union Bank, for helping our clients build the skills to make those dreams possible.

10/16/2026

Check out these amazing pictures of the store, our clients and our staff! Thanks Style Weekly!

10/16/2026

A big thank you to Style Weekly for this in-depth story on Good Foods Grocery and the mission that means so much to all of us.

It's wonderful to see our store, our team, and the community behind it get this kind of thoughtful attention.

Read "The Good Stuff" here: https://www.styleweekly.com/the-good-stuff-2/

Then find out for yourself at the Harvest For All event at Good Foods Grocery on Saturday! A chance to have fun and support autistic Virginians joining the workforce. We'd love to see you there!

Independent grocer Good Foods Grocery has been serving Richmond for four decades.

10/16/2026

A big thank you to HCA Virginia Health System and Gwyneth's Gift Foundation for donating an AED to Commonwealth Autism and providing our team with training in Bystander CPR and AED use.

The AED is now located in the training room of our All Abilities Innovation Center, a busy space where our clients, community members, partners, and staff come together throughout the year.

Gwyneth’s Gift was created with a mission to help build communities that are educated, confident, and empowered to save lives when cardiac arrest occurs. We’re grateful to be part of that mission and to have a team that is now better prepared to respond when every second matters.

Thank you for helping make our community a safer place!

10/13/2026

You won't want to miss our Harvest for All event this Saturday the 17th at Good Foods Grocery! Please register to join us--and to show your support for Autistic Virginians!

10/09/2026

Confidence grows when you have the opportunity to practice.

Last week, our Cohort 9 Career Readiness & Employment (CR&E) class participated in a Speed Interviewing event with two wonderful employer partners: Atlantic Union Bank, who joined us again, and TowneBank, who participated for the first time!

Speed Interviewing gives our clients a chance to practice sharing their experiences, answering questions, thinking on their feet, and learning about different employment opportunities. Sometimes, a conversation can even spark curiosity about a career or role they hadn't considered before.

We are so thankful to both Atlantic Union Bank and TowneBank for giving their time and expertise to support our clients. Their involvement helps build confidence and prepares our clients to enter the workforce with greater awareness of their strengths and possibilities.

Thank you for being part of their journey!

10/08/2026

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month! This year's theme, "Celebrating Value and Talent," is something we experience every day.
We're so proud to share that two graduates from our latest Career Readiness & Employment cohort have already landed jobs at Good Foods Grocery and Pet Supplies Plus!
A huge thank-you to our 46 (and growing!) Employer Partners, who aren't just talking about inclusion but are living it.