How to Get Involved with Autism Society or Support Its Mission

You can support the Autism Society in four main ways, all reachable from autismsociety.org: join or connect with a local affiliate through Find an Affiliate, take part in national programs listed under Get Involved (affiliate networks, public policy efforts, training, and safety), buy branded merchandise from the official store, or contribute your own perspective through the Autism Is story-sharing campaign. Most of these require no application or fee — the main exception is merchandise, which is a purchase.

Start with the Get Involved section

The site's Get Involved area is the umbrella for the organization's programs. According to the site, it covers:

• Affiliate networks — the local chapters and groups that deliver community-level support
• Public policy efforts — advocacy work on issues affecting the Autism community
• Training — education programs
• Safety — safety-related initiatives and resources

The page frames this as "work together, make a difference," so the section is meant as a starting point rather than a single sign-up form. Expect to choose the program that matches your interest and follow it from there.

Find local support through an affiliate

If you want involvement that is geographically close to you, use Find an Affiliate. The site describes it as the way to "get connected to affiliates in your area" for local support. This is the most direct route if your goal is in-person community, volunteering, or local events rather than national-level work.

A practical sequence:

1. Go to the Find an Affiliate entry on the homepage.
2. Look for an affiliate serving your area.
3. Contact that affiliate directly about volunteering, events, or local programs — the national site routes you to the local organization rather than managing local participation itself.

If no affiliate covers your area, the national programs under Get Involved and the resource library remain available.

Support the mission by shopping the official store

The Autism Society launched an official store selling branded merchandise, specifically shirts and tote bags that "showcase your support for the Autism community." The site states that "every purchase helps us continue our mission of creating a more inclusive world."

This is the clearest financial-support path described on the page. Note that the site does not publish prices or payment details in the material available here, so check the store itself for current items, cost, and shipping before deciding.

Share your story through the Autism Is campaign

The Autism Is campaign is built on the idea that "no two Autistic individuals have the same lived experience." Its call to action is Share Your Story — an open invitation to describe what Autism means to you.

This suits people who want to contribute to visibility and representation rather than time or money. It is also a low-commitment first step if you are not ready to join a program or affiliate.

Other participation entry points on the site

Beyond the four main paths, the homepage surfaces a few time-bound or topic-specific ways to engage:

The voting guide and the bedwetting resource are examples of the organization's public-policy and partner-resource work, so they double as ways to engage with the mission even if you are not joining a formal program.

Choosing the right path for you

• Want local, in-person involvement? Start with Find an Affiliate.
• Want to advocate or train? Go to Get Involved and pick public policy or training.
• Want to give money rather than time? Shop the official store.
• Want to contribute your perspective? Use Share Your Story.
• Want information first? Browse Resources by Topic or Screening and Diagnosis.

These paths are not mutually exclusive, and the site does not describe any membership requirement or cost for the program-based options. For anything involving eligibility, scheduling, or local availability, contact the relevant affiliate or program directly, since those details are handled at that level rather than stated on the homepage.