This Saturday, April 11th, the 13th Annual Chattanooga Autism Celebration Walk will be returning to Coolidge Park for a day of celebration, promoting autism awareness and acceptance with a fun, community-oriented event.
All funds raised go towards the autism programs at the Chattanooga Autism Center.
The event, more like a mini-festival, kicks off with an awards show before moving into the 1-mile family-friendly community walk at 11 a.m. sharp. There will be tons of food and drink vendors, live music, a children’s activity area with games, characters, and face painting, as well as resource booths with autism services and support organizations. Every registered participant also receives a t-shirt.
Parking for the walk can be tricky, so the organizers suggest parking at the lot off of Tremont St. across from the theater or the bigger lot by Renaissance Park. Both lots use the Park Mobile app for the paid spots, or one can pay at the kiosk. Come early, though, as lots will fill up fast.
In speaking with Hannah Overstreet, the Chattanooga Autism Center’s fundraising and events manager, about the history of the 13th annual walk, she spoke to its origins and how it has evolved from years past.
“The Chattanooga Autism Celebration Walk started in 2013 because of a handful of inspired, dedicated parents who wanted a large community fundraiser for the CAC that would bring together the autism community. They planned it for a year and a half, and what began as a small, community-driven walk has grown over the last 13 years into one of the CAC's most impactful annual events. The walk also raises critical funds for the Chattanooga Autism Center’s programs.
We watched the walk’s goals evolve over the years. The early goals were partly to build “awareness” about autism while also getting families together. Now the goals are heavily focused on celebrating autistic people and their families while especially striving for acceptance and inclusion. Similarly, we saw the autism banner content evolve. In the first years, the 70-plus banners we hung on Walnut St. Bridge were mostly statistical facts about deficits or needs in the early years. Now most of our signs point out strengths, include dozens of quotes from autistic people, and more broadly represent the people with lived experiences.”
Last year, the celebratory event had over 1,500 people register, and they are hoping to beat that this year. The event itself has become a huge beacon of hope for the community, helping raise funds for programs like the Regional Autism Resource Hub, the Outpatient Counseling Clinic, the Ascending Scales Music Therapy program, and the GCA Community for Autistic Adults support program, to name a few.
Hannah went on to discuss the importance of the mission of the walk and how the funds raised from the event go to benefit lower-income families of autistic people across the greater Chattanooga area.
“The core mission is twofold: to raise funds for the CAC’s local programs and to bring together the autism community to connect, learn, celebrate, and support one another. The exhibitors come out to help people find resources they didn’t know existed. The park allows enough space so people can feel comfortable to make more connections with others on their own terms. The themes are autism-affirming and help educate the non-autistic attendees about how they can be more inclusive.
The walk’s goal is to raise $100,000 this year, and the funds are used to fill the gaps in programs that serve low-income families. Our autism resource hub serves almost 1000 people annually and is completely reliant on donations and grants. The funds also help support the CAC’s staff and advocates to collaborate with dozens of other agencies and organizations who are also able to improve the lives of autistic individuals and families in our community.”
When asked what plans the organizers have for this incredible community event in the years to come, Hannah highlighted the gaps still existing in services for autistic people and how the CAC hopes to create new programs for severely underserved adults or older autistic children.
“There are still too many gaps in services for autistic people in our region. The CAC’s mission is to fill those gaps. Our hope is to increase our number of local sponsors, increase our fundraising, and use those funds to create new programs for autistic adults or older autistic children who are currently very underserved. We also hope to empower more autistic people to be advocates and for them to grow into leadership positions and influence how our community grows.”
13th Annual Chattanooga Autism Celebration Walk
- Saturday, April 11, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
- Coolidge Park, 150 River St. Chattanooga
- $15-$30
- charity.pledgeit.org/chattautismwalk