Autism Doesn't Have One Face - It's a Spectrum. Celebrating the Diversity of Neurodiversity

Every April, Autism Acceptance Month is nationally recognized, and St. Coletta of Wisconsin is dedicated to educating the community about the importance of acceptance and an understanding of all individuals. As a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving those with disabilities, 24% being on the autism spectrum, St. Coletta is taking this opportunity to raise awareness and acceptance within our community.

Jim Meier, a client at St. Coletta for over 55 years, shares his journey as someone living on the spectrum. “We've come a long way in regards in today's society in understanding autism, but we still have a long way to go. Our advocacy, at St. Coletta, in working for people with this disability is not over by a long shot! We need to reach out to more people to educate and advocate. I know too well in dealing with a person that has Autism, or those on the spectrum, requires a tremendous amount of commitment and lots and lots of patience and understanding.”

Jim is one of many who enjoys sharing and informing people about how he has faced his diagnosis and how to respect individuals with autism. Autism varies from person to person, and you truly don’t know if someone is diagnosed until they are willing to share their story. It is important we treat everyone with compassion, dignity, and respect.

Together, we embrace others and recognize strengths of our autistic individuals in our community. For more information about our programs and offerings, please visit www.stcolettawi.org.