In this news:
In 2010 when I first interviewed Bernie Marcus, the founding CEO of The Home Depot, he shared that autism had grown from 1 in 10,000 to 1 in 150 births. That opened my eyes to how quickly autism is becoming a central issue impacting increasingly more families in America. Today it is 1 in 36 babies in America --- which is pandemic proportions -- who have autism!
And consider this: an estimated 1.3 billion people – about 16% of the global population – currently experience a significant disability, according to the World Health Organization. This number is on the rise with an aging population. Yet, philanthropic funding for persons with disabilities constitutes only 2% of all human rights funding.
Through my research and interviewing over 1,200 CEOs I have identified four organizations who are making noteworthy advancements towards neurodiversity, and specifically autism. I call these companies ‘the magnificent four in treating Autism’ and while each has a different model, much can be learned from all. And it’s no surprise that all of these great companies were founded by parents who did something extraordinary to help children.
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ENGAGES THE NEURODIVERSE BRAIN
We Rock the Spectrum was founded by Dina Kimmel as the only kids’ gym franchise built entirely on a philosophy to provide a space where children of all ability levels can play, learn, and grow together. Today they have grown rapidly to almost 200 franchises across the globe. Their uniquely designed sensory equipment is specifically created to aid children with sensory processing disorders while also benefiting all children, regardless of their abilities. Founder Dina Kimmel learned about the power of this sensory equipment when her son Gabriel responded positively to consistent play on this specialized OT equipment and jumped from non-verbal at 3.5 years old to singing his ABCs! Kimmel explains, “By allowing neurodivergent children to interact and play alongside their peers, we create an environment where they can learn from each other in meaningful ways.” She then shares, “I envision a world where services and care for individuals with neurodiversity are more accessible to all families.
THE NEW MODEL OF INCLUSION
Aerial view of Morgan's Wonderland theme park in San Antonio.
Mary Worth Martinez
Morgan’s Wonderland was founded by Gordon Hartman for his daughter Morgan, after witnessing how she was treated poorly by kids in a park who clearly did not understand disabilities. So, with zero experience he actually built a theme park called Morgan’s Wonderland. Today the Morgan’s enterprise includes the theme park, splash park, sports complex, camp, multi-assistance center and the inclusion institute, which comprises over 150 acres of property and facilities, serving nearly 250,000 customers each year. The business model is those with disabilities go for free, and those without, pay standard; this has the significant benefit of not separating and instead having everyone together so everyone learns how to understand each other and this creates true inclusion. Hartman shares, “We're particularly proud that what was once such a novel idea is becoming a best practice that others want to replicate.”
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