The Autism Society of Minnesota

The Autism Society of Minnesota AuSM is the local organization serving individuals with autism and those who care for them.
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It's been a State Fair to remember for us because of you!Thank you so much to everyone who stopped by our booth in the e...
09/01/2026

It's been a State Fair to remember for us because of you!

Thank you so much to everyone who stopped by our booth in the education building at the Minnesota State Fair so far to come say hi to us over the last couple of days. We have been so honored to be able to speak to so many of you, to hear your stories, and to provide resources you need to help you and your loved ones.

Didn't get a chance to see us today? Here's our remaining schedule:

Wednesday, September 2 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Friday, September 4 from 5-9 p.m.

We can't wait to see so many more of you, to being able to connect with you, and to being able to hear your stories at the Great Minnesota Get Together.

Our next workshop is for the educators, and it's one you won't want to miss!With more students struggling in general edu...
08/31/2026

Our next workshop is for the educators, and it's one you won't want to miss!

With more students struggling in general education today means that more educators are struggling with the lack of systemic support they are receiving. Due to that loss of systemic support, the overwhelm then snowballs: managing day to day, lesson planning, teaching content, then soon enough your overall ability to emotionally regulate starts to become much more difficult and your prep hour feels like 15 minutes. The worst part, when educators struggle, so do students. Is there a way to lesson plan and respond to varying needs AND feel less overwhelmed? YES, and our October workshop is here to teach you how!

Making Gen Ed Work for More Kids with IEPs was designed with you in mind; a workshop brought to you by someone who has both been in the shoes of a struggling student with disabilities whose teachers did not know how to support them, and now as a disabled educator who has served more than 1000 students with IEPs because they identified gaps in their own learning as they earned their Masters in Teaching. In this workshop, you will learn from one of the very best special educators in the country, Mash Makhlyagina, how to:

1. Identify common barriers to effective inclusion within general education settings and how these challenges impact both students and educators.

2. Apply planning strategies that reduce overwhelm and increase flexibility when responding to diverse learning needs.

3. Develop a sustainable mindset for inclusion that balances student support with educator capacity and well-being.

And more!

A steady and equitable worklife balance is waiting for you! Join our October workshop by clicking the link below: https://ausm.org/education/workshops/ausm-workshop-making-gen-ed-work-for-more-kids-with-ieps/

Come visit us at the Minnesota State Fair starting today at 9am in the Education Building alongside these incredible org...
08/27/2026

Come visit us at the Minnesota State Fair starting today at 9am in the Education Building alongside these incredible organizations as we work together towards MCD’s theme: Disability Forward: Access, Inclusion, and Collaboration. We can’t wait to see you!

🏕️We're so grateful for all the memories!Last week we wrapped up our last session of camp and we couldn't be more thankf...
08/26/2026

🏕️We're so grateful for all the memories!

Last week we wrapped up our last session of camp and we couldn't be more thankful for the laughs, the good times, and the many stories we have from this year. There are too many to count!

To all of our campers: we are so grateful to put this camp together for you. Each year, we are excited to make it the best one yet, and because of you, it always is.

To our staff: campers would not have the experiences they do without you! All of the hard work that goes in to making our camps possible are a labor of love, and we know how hard you work to make that labor of love possible. Thank you for all you do!

To our families: thank you for trusting AuSM to care for your autistic loved one while they are attending our camps. We honor and cherish that trust so much, and it motivates us to give your loved one the best camping experience possible.

Lastly, to our donors: camps would not be possible without you! Without your monetary gifts to our programming, we would not be able to provide or do what we do for our campers. We would not be able to provide them one-to-one care they need to make camp accessible for them, to provide them different types of sensory experiences such as a variety of water activities (tubing, swimming up north at our camp lake, spraying a water hose from the local fire department's fire truck, etc, playing on the slip n' slide, etc.), horseback riding, and sitting around the campfire; and lastly, we would not be able to provide a unique autistic-centered camp experience that families trust and staff feel empowered to continue to come back for. Our Camp Scholarship campaign is still running through the end of August, please consider making a gift of any amount to keep our camps accessible: https://givebutter.com/summer-camp-fund

Meaningful employment matters, especially for disabled people. When you have systemic barriers in place that prevent you...
08/26/2026

Meaningful employment matters, especially for disabled people. When you have systemic barriers in place that prevent you from gaining and/or maintaining said meaningful employment such as struggles to request and receive reasonable accommodations, struggling with transportation to and from work, or for some of the disability community, struggles with making more than the minimum wage; it can feel incredibly overwhelming.

Our September workshop is here to have an honest conversation not only about these barriers, but to offer you real supports you can use right away! Whether you're an autistic adult who is struggling to request and receive accommodations, a caretaker who wants to provide better support for an autistic family member, or an educator and/or a professional who wants to be better equipped with the knowledge and best practices to help autistic adults meaningful gain and maintain employment, this workshop is for you!

Our workshop is only a few short weeks away on Thursday, September 10. Join the conversation using the link below: https://ausm.org/education/workshops/ausm-workshop-a-realists-guide-to-employment-supports/

We're hosting Minnesota's largest autism-centered conference, and we want YOU to come speak for us!We're continuing to t...
08/25/2026

We're hosting Minnesota's largest autism-centered conference, and we want YOU to come speak for us!

We're continuing to take applications for our 2027 Minnesota Autism Conference for speakers, and we believe you're someone out there who has something meaningful to contribute to the conversation. Whether you're an autistic adult, a caretaker, an educator, a professional in the field who works with autistic people, you're all of the above, you're somewhere in between and you speak about your lived experiences, etc. we want to hear from you! We're looking for a variety of topics so don't feel limited to the topics listed, all are welcome. Applications are due Friday, November 6th.

Bring your knowledge. Share your perspective. Help shape the conversation:

https://ausm.org/events/minnesota-autism-conference/apply-to-present-at-2027-minnesota-autism-conference/

Our four-person division is officially SOLD OUT!All the pieces are in place for our four-person division. Thank you to e...
08/22/2026

Our four-person division is officially SOLD OUT!

All the pieces are in place for our four-person division. Thank you to everyone who signed up. We are excited to bring you an exciting, fast paced, and fun puzzling event no matter if you are a beginner or an advanced competitor.

Missed out on the four-person division? Don't completely miss out on all of the fun! We still have 23 spots remaining in our two-person division and 21 spots remaining in our free-for-all division. We also have unlimited spots available in our virtual division, with spots available until September 11th to guarantee you'll receive your puzzle shipped to your house before the event.

Come place your puzzle pieces in at our 9th annual Jigsaw Puzzle Competition! Sign up using the link below: ausm.org/puzzle2026

🏒A Celly to remember!We're so grateful to Wild Gives Back for their generosity towards our mission to enhance the live...
08/20/2026

🏒A Celly to remember!

We're so grateful to Wild Gives Back for their generosity towards our mission to enhance the lives of all who are part of the autism community, with a fundamental commitment to advocacy, education, support, collaboration, and community building. Thanks to their incredible gift of $15,000, we will be able to continue to give our autistic campers an inclusive, welcoming, and affirming camp experience. Additionally, we also received $16,789 through the Split the Pot program to go towards our broader mission of continuing to provide resources, support, events, and therapy to our autistic community.

Our mission can't move forward without the kindness and generosity of our partners and donors. Thank you for allowing us to continue to be a trusted resource for our community through your belief in our work.

Introducing our newest workshop series: ROOTED: Courageous Conversations for Black Parents Raising Autistic Children!ROO...
08/18/2026

Introducing our newest workshop series: ROOTED: Courageous Conversations for Black Parents Raising Autistic Children!

ROOTED is a four part workshop series designed to create a welcoming space where Black parents and caregivers of autistic children can connect, learn, and grow together. Through meaningful conversations led by Black parents, professionals, and community leaders, the series explores the unique experiences of raising an autistic child while navigating the intersection of race, culture, and disability.

Each workshop centers the voices and lived experiences of Black families while providing practical information, strategies, and resources to support everyday life. Topics will vary throughout the series and may include advocacy, education, navigating schools and healthcare, family well being, identity, building community, and other priorities identified by participants.

Workshop dates:
September 23, 2026
November 18, 2026
February 24, 2027
April 28, 2027

All Workshops are from 6-7:30 p.m. and are free to attend!

ROOTED is more than a workshop series. It is an opportunity to build lasting connections with families who understand your journey. Participants are encouraged to share experiences, ask questions, exchange ideas, and learn from one another in a supportive, respectful, and culturally affirming environment.

Whether you are new to your autism journey or have years of experience, ROOTED offers a space to strengthen your confidence, expand your support network, and celebrate the resilience, wisdom, and strengths within our community.

We believe every family's story matters. By sharing our stories, we build understanding. By supporting one another, we grow stronger together. Sign up to join the conversation using the link below: ausm.org/rooted

After 10 years of incredible advocacy, and service, our long time Policy Director Jillian Nelson has informed AuSM of he...
08/14/2026

After 10 years of incredible advocacy, and service, our long time Policy Director Jillian Nelson has informed AuSM of her decision to depart the organization effective Friday, August 14th.

Reflecting on their tenure with AuSM she says: "It's hard to put into words what AuSM has meant to me. It has been a place where I've had the privilege to work alongside an incredible community of autistic people, families, colleagues, partners, and advocates who are committed to making Minnesota more welcoming and accessible for everyone."

We are incredibly grateful for Jillian’s contributions over their tenure with our organization. The passion, determination, and commitment she brought to her advocacy and policy work set the precedent for AuSM to continue forward in our unwavering efforts to support our autistic community. We wish them well in their future endeavors!

Address

2380 Wycliff Street, Ste 102
Saint Paul, MN
55114

Telephone

+16516471083

Website

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