Freddie Ford Family Foundation

The Freddie Ford Family Foundation supports approximately 500+ of people per year with our social programs which help individuals with autism and their families engage in activities and events free from judgment.  We also work diligently to create social opportunities for families to connect and build a sense of community. Through our events and activities, we spread awareness of autism and provide resources to hundreds more individuals and organizations. 

The Freddie Ford Family Foundation activities and programs include:

Annual Events

Heroes for Autism 5K and Mile

Trivia Night for Autism

Easter Egg Hunt Camp Ausome summer camp

Halloween Trunk-or-Treat

Holiday Party

Activities & Events 

Play Dates for young children  

Teen Outings & Social Calls

Parent Support Group Meetings

Donations to families in need

Program Areas

Donations to families in need

Supporting Social Skills through playdates and outings

Family Support

Mental and Physical and Wellness

Autism Acceptance and Awareness

Donations
The Freddie Ford Family Foundation has donated new and gently used clothing as well as toys to families in need.  We also adopt families for Christmas.

Community Education
The Freddie Ford Family Foundation in an effort to provide community education on autism has a Youtube channel, with videos of past webinars focusing on educating parents and caregivers various therapies for autism, finances and the experience of an adult with autism. The Foundation has participated in community events in St. Louis by speaking on disabilities in employment as well as the services the Foundation provides. Social media is also used to educate the public on autism and encourage acceptance and awareness.

Social Engagement
We have been heavily involved in providing social opportunities to families with children and teens with autism. The initial purpose for the social events was to support families who had lost valuable social interactions during the Covid-19 pandemic. Many children had suffered regression of social skills due to isolation during lock down and now we continue to provide social activities to encourage natural social interactions.  The Foundation has a teen social group which has regular social events in person and weekly social calls lead by the teens to ensure the comfort and inclusion of all participants.

We have grown since the pandemic to provide a variety of social events and play dates for younger children with autism to play and socialize with peers in a safe space free from judgment where they will be accepted. We have special events for parents and children to engage and enjoy common activities that all children should have the opportunity to attend and that are unique to their sensory needs. 

Our Camp Ausome is a day camp for children with autism to enjoy summer camp. The campers enjoy sports, games, crafts, music therapy and a variety of activities for a full camp experience. We provide a staff member dedicated for each camper as needed and we encourage fun and encourage campers to participate at their own pace.

Why you should donate.

A donation to the Freddie Ford Family Foundation will help us provide fun social activities for children and teens at low to no cost. We do not want the inability to pay to be a barrier to much needed activities and fun! This organization was founded by a parent of children with autism. We are passionate about support for families that meets their needs for community and social engagement. We hope that you will support our efforts to make a lasting impact on individuals with autism and their families.