Community

Overview

Business leaders are those who are innovative in their vision.

Do you:
...appreciate employees who are loyal, responsible and make long term commitments?
...wish to increase your bottom line through a larger customer base?
...hope to retain your most competent employees?

The Center for Autism and Related Disabilities at the University of South Florida can assist you with any and all of these tasks at no cost. We began this innovative project in 2008 and it has been a model for Florida and other states to create welcoming communities. You are probably saying to yourself, "What do people with autism have to do with my business?" The fact is that an estimated 25,000 people with autism live in and around the Tampa Bay region. They want to be a consumer of your products, visit your businesses, or be employed by you. With low-cost to no-cost accommodations, you can have a competent person working for you, making purchases from you or for those family members currently employed by you, have an internal support network that will assist you in retaining these valued employees.

Many businesses have already seen the benefits of what CARD-USF can do to assist in meeting diversity goals. Please read the brochure, Autism Fits: Your Piece of the Puzzle, to learn more about this special community building effort by CARD-USF and be that innovative leader who can see how welcoming people with autism and their family members can benefit your business.

Click Here for Brochure

CARD-USF provides our constituents with this list of autism friendly businesses to create a more inclusive community for people of all abilities.

To learn more, contact:
Liz Burke
eburke6@usf.edu
813-974-6441

Autism Friendly Tampa

The City of Tampa and CARD-USF have joined forces on an initiative announced by Mayor Bob Buckhorn during his State of the City speech in April 2017 called “Autism Friendly Tampa”. It is our goal to create a more welcoming and sensory friendly experience for people of all abilities. CARD-USF has provided training and technical assistance to various departments within the City of Tampa and will continue its efforts into 2018. Here are some of the activities completed by CARD-USF:

• Autism Friendly training has been completed for city employees in Parks and Recreation, Tampa Police Department and Tampa Fire Rescue totaling more than 1,700 employees.
• Rescue vehicles used by Tampa Police and first responders from Tampa Fire Rescue will be outfitted with a visual communication card to better assist those who have limited verbal communication skills.
• Training for additional employees in various city departments is being scheduled for 2018.
• “Distract Paks” and visual aids for communication were designed by CARD-USF and distributed to 15 city parks locations. “Distract Paks” are containers full of sensory toys and activities for youngsters who may need to have something to help them manage difficult situations. Distract Pak Brochure
• Tampa Riverwalk Social Experience Story was developed and is now available. Social experience stories provide families and individuals the opportunity to review what to expect at a location prior to a visit.
• Sensory Garden designed and installed in Kathryn Malone Center.
• New and expanded programs are being developed such as “no score” team sports, private swimming lessons and water safety classes, gymnastics and dance with a therapist.
• Three parks have been designated to receive new sensory- friendly equipment specifically designed to meet the needs of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

“Autism Friendly Tampa” Sites

Parks and Recreation Facilities:

Tampa Riverwalk

The Tampa Riverwalk is a 2.6 mile continuous waterfront corridor along the banks of the Hillsborough River and the Garrison Channel. It offers a unique pedestrian path that links parks, museums, cultural and convention facilities downtown. The Riverwalk provides a safe and healthy venue for biking, walking, and rollerblading as well as a needed impetus for other transportation means such as a water taxi. For more information on the Riverwalk and waterfront events go to the Friends of the Riverwalk website at www.thetampariverwalk.com . View the Tampa Riverwalk Social Story.

Autism Friendly Business Directory