It Takes A Village: Autism Support Group For Parents

10/23/2026

📣 **FREE PARENT EDUCATION WORKSHOP!** 💜💙

**When Behaviors Speak: Understanding the Why Behind Your Child’s Behavior**

Have you ever wondered what your child is trying to communicate through their behavior?

Join We Are Autism, in collaboration with UMass Amherst and Connect 2 Communicate**, for a FREE, in-person, two-part parent education series!

📅 **Session 1: October 27, 2026**
Understanding the Why

📅 **Session 2: November 3, 2026**
Turning Understanding Into Action

⏰ **Time:** 5:00 PM

📍 **Location:** Connect 2 Communicate
2 South Bridge Drive, Suite 1B
Agawam, MA 01001

Come learn how behavior can be a form of communication, recognize possible triggers, and explore practical strategies to support your child.

💜 Parents and caregivers are welcome!

🚨 SPACE IS LIMITED! REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED!

🔗 **Register here:** https://forms.gle/sV2xpN55a1YfXFWD8

Please help us spread the word by sharing this post with families who may benefit!

💛 Together, we can learn, connect, and better support our children.

10/20/2026

🍂☕ TAKE A BREATH BEFORE THE HOLIDAY RUSH! 💙

The holidays are meant to be joyful, but for families raising children on the autism spectrum, they can also bring changes in routine, sensory overload, new challenges, and extra stress for parents and caregivers.

Before the holiday rush begins, let's take a moment for ourselves, too. ❤️

Join us for an evening of connection, conversation, and community with our It Takes a VILLAGE Autism Parents Support Group!

✨ Meet other autism parents and caregivers
☕ Relax, socialize, and share a coffee or a bite
💬 Exchange ideas, experiences, and helpful tips for navigating the holidays
🤝 Build connections with people who understand the journey

This isn't a formal training or presentation. It's an opportunity to slow down, connect with others, share what's on your mind, and explore how we can better support one another and our families.

📅 Thursday, November 5th
⏰ 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
📍 Hispanic-American Library, Inc.
55 Frank B Murray St, Springfield, MA 01103

🌎 Bilingual gathering — ¡Hablamos español e inglés!

💙 YOUR CALL TO ACTION: If you've been looking for a space to connect with other parents and caregivers, this is your invitation! Please share this post to help us reach more families in our community!

You don't have to do everything alone. Let's build our village, one connection at a time. ❤️

10/07/2026

Boo!👻We're hosting Trunk or Treat at Tom's Long Hot Dogs this year! 🎃

📆1–3 p.m. on Sunday, October 11
📍Tom's Long Hot Dogs, 61 State Street, Whately, MA

Check out an awesome lineup of show cars, featuring the Westfield Cruisers, decorated trunks, and plenty of Halloween fun! This is a public event and all ages are welcome to join.

Costumes are encouraged, but nothing too scary please! All participating vehicles providing candy are asked to bring their own candy to distribute; supplemental candy will be available if needed. No candy containing peanuts may be distributed.

For more information: https://hubs.la/Q04zhX8t0

Email Vivian at [email protected] for any questions

09/23/2026

To every caregiver raising a child with autism... I see you. 💙

Not just the moms. The dads. The grandparents. The siblings helping shoulder the responsibility. The foster parents, guardians, and loved ones who show up every day and carry so much that others never see.

The appointments, therapies, advocacy, sleepless nights, worries about the future, emotional exhaustion, financial strain, and the constant balancing act of meeting everyone's needs while often putting your own aside. It can feel incredibly heavy.
Sometimes the world only sees the challenges our children face, but it doesn't always see what caregivers carry behind the scenes. The strength it takes. The sacrifices made. The love poured out every single day.

If you're feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, isolated, or simply seen in this video, please know this: you are not alone.

This journey can be difficult, but there is a community here that understands.
A place where you can celebrate victories, share struggles, ask for support, or simply be heard without judgment.

We see you. We support you. And we're here to walk this path together. 💙

09/08/2026

💙 Building Our Village, One Resource at a Time

While we continue working to bring programs like this to our community through the Hispanic-American Library, we wanted to share this opportunity now so families can access the resources currently available. (This series will be in Spanish.)

Although our support group focuses on autism, FCSN serves families of children with all disabilities and special healthcare needs. They provide parent training, advocacy support, workshops, resources, and leadership opportunities that help families become informed, empowered advocates for their children.

Our goal is not only to build a village, but to educate, empower, and support one another along the way. ❤️

💙 Construyendo Nuestra Aldea, Un Recurso a la Vez

Mientras seguimos trabajando para traer programas como este a nuestra comunidad a través de Hispanic-American Library, queremos compartir esta oportunidad para que las familias puedan acceder a los recursos que ya están disponibles. (Esta serie será en español.)

Aunque nuestro grupo de apoyo se enfoca en el autismo, FCSN apoya a familias de niños con todo tipo de discapacidades y necesidades especiales de salud. Ofrecen capacitación para padres, apoyo en defensa de derechos, talleres, recursos y oportunidades de liderazgo que ayudan a las familias a convertirse en defensores informados y empoderados de sus hijos.

Nuestra meta no es solo construir una aldea, sino también educarnos, empoderarnos y apoyarnos mutuamente en el camino. ❤️

📍 Learn more / Más información: https://fcsn.org

08/11/2026

Week 8: Real-Life Challenges & Community Support (recording)

💙 WEEK 8 RECORDING IS NOW AVAILABLE!

Care Circle family, Week 8 of our Parent Education & Empowerment Program is now available to watch!

This week's conversation focuses on Caregiver Burnout & Emotional Well-Being , an important reminder that while we spend so much time caring, advocating, planning, and showing up for our children, caregivers need care too.

A special thank you to Abby Care for joining us and sharing valuable information and support with our families, and to the Hispanic-American Library for helping us create a space where families can learn, connect, and feel supported. 💙

🎥 Watch Week 8 here:
https://youtu.be/CF1Ozb0wijI

🌐 Missed a session?
All 8 weeks of our Parent Education & Empowerment Program are available on our website:
www.we-are-autism.org

Join The We Are Autism Fam on WhatsApp:
https://chat.whatsapp.com/JMPWhed7ceY9mHcllLr6E3

Please feel free to watch, share, and pass this along to another parent or caregiver who may need it.

You matter too. You are not alone on this journey. 💙

08/05/2026

Yesterday, we had the pleasure of being featured on local radio to talk about our 8-week Parent Education & Empowerment Series, It Takes a Village, We Are Autism, Hispanic-American Library and all of our upcoming events.

We are grateful for the opportunity to share what we’re doing, why we’re doing it, and our commitment to supporting families in our community.

A special thank you to the Hispanic-American Library for providing a safe, welcoming space where parents and caregivers can come together to learn, connect, and support one another.

And thank you to Marco from Wtcc 90.7 Fm Springfield Technical Community College for using his platform to help us spread the word and amplify the important work being done for families and individuals affected by autism.

Together, we are building stronger communities through education, empowerment, and connection. 💙

07/31/2026

Week 7: Caregiver Burnout & Emotional Well-Being (recording)

💙 Week 7 Recording Is Now Available!

If you missed this week's session or would like to watch it again, the recording of Week 7: Caregiver Burnout & Emotional Well-Being, presented by Azul LLC, is now available.

This powerful session is a reminder that while we spend so much time caring for our children and loved ones, it's just as important to care for ourselves. 💙

🎥 Watch on YouTube:
https://youtube.com/live/TML05RWf6Jk

🌐 Watch on our website:
https://www.we-are-autism.org/building-bridges

Whether you're a parent, caregiver, family member, or professional, I encourage you to take a few moments to watch this important conversation and share it with someone who may benefit.

A heartfelt thank you to Azul LLC for sharing your expertise and supporting our autism community. We truly appreciate your partnership and look forward to continuing to work together to support families.

💙 Because no one should walk the autism journey alone.