April is Autism Acceptance Month, and a Cape Coral-based organization dedicated to enriching the lives of families and children impacted by autism spectrum disorder is hosting events all month long to raise awareness.

Family Initiative, Inc., a 501(c)3 public charity, provides clinical, behavioral and educational programs to families and children on the spectrum in addition to state and local advocacy within the community and the child welfare system. Family Initiative applies innovative methods to traditional clinical practices through personalized approaches centered around the individual.

“For us, this month is everything,” said Family Initiative co-founder and President David Brown. “This is our opportunity to really push forward the conversation that we want to have with individuals across the region about the need for community-wide acceptance of individuals on the autism spectrum. And that means full inclusion in all of the activities and things that occur every day for kids and families across the region, to ensure that those opportunities are afforded to those on the autism spectrum as well.”

Having already hosted a cornhole event in Fort Myers last weekend, Family Initiative takes to the Fort Myers Music walk on April 15, and organized a social skills playgroup Easter egg hunt on April 16.

“We expect a really great turnout from ASD families across the community,” Brown said.

Tonight’s Music Walk will see Family Initiative invite individuals to continue celebrating Autism Acceptance Month in downtown Fort Myers from 6 to 10 p.m.

And on Saturday, their weekly playgroup will take part in an Easter egg hunt from 1 to 4 p.m. (spots have been filled for this event).

On Saturday, April 23, Family Initiative in partnership with the Lee County School District will host the fifth annual Family Fun Day for all children. The free event takes place from noon to 4 p.m. at Christ Community Church at 4050 Colonial Blvd. in Fort Myers. Children can enjoy a bounce house, ice cream, Kona Ice, and an endless list of fun activities.

“It’s a great event and a lot of fun,” Brown said. “It’s a really good opportunity for folks to connect and get access to resources.”

To cap off the end of Autism Acceptance Month, Family Initiative will host its second annual Autism Acceptance Gala Awards on April 30 at 6 p.m. at the Caloosa Sound Convention Center.

“We started this every really as a way to recognize other processionals and advocates across the community,” Brown said. “We have several different awards we hand out for people that are central to the mission that we believe in — educators, or legislatures, or parent advocates — just people who are really just pushing and elevating this issue across Southwest Florida. It’s a wonderful night for us to recognize those folks and tell their story, and I think they are an inspiration to all of us.”

The organization’s Family Initiative Lizbeth Benacquisto Autism Support Center opened in Cape Coral just over one year ago, and is working to help as many families in a growing Southwest Florida find the care they need. Family Initiative’s focus is on the growth and expansion of programs, clinicians and funding to provide more families and children with the highest quality of care in the community and beyond. The team of professionals at Family Initiative is dedicated to ensuring the children and families they serve are given the tools to thrive for the rest of their lives.

“It’s been great for us to host a number of community events, educational forums throughout April — and the engagement has been fantastic,” Brown said.

Brown said six years ago the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified that one in every 101 children in the United States was diagnosed as on the spectrum. Now, the CDC reports that one in 44 children will be diagnosed on the spectrum.

With the region’s population steadily growing (including many young families), the number of individuals seeking assistance continues to amplify.

“The need has just been exponential,” Brown said. “As quickly as we work to try and scale to demand and bring on more staff to meet the needs of the families, every day across our region, more kids are being diagnosed, families are coming into our area from out of state. The need is significant and our team is working really hard with other providers in the community to do the best we can to meet that need. This month is central to that vision, and the generosity of the businesses and individuals across Southwest Florida has been critical for us to have the level of success that we’ve attained.”

The Family Initiative Lizbeth Benacquisto Autism Support Center is at 730 S.W. 4th St. Visit www.fi-florida.org for more information on Autism Acceptance Month events, as well as tickets to the awards gala.

–Connect with this reporter on Twitter: @haddad_cj