I volunteer for Autism Speaks because:

..."We remember our first Walk three years ago...We can describe it as coming home after a long journey. When we started this journey with our son almost 9 years ago there was no sense of belonging.  We felt as if anywhere we went we had to give full disclosure of our lives to combat the world one person at a time. The Walk to us was the community we were always looking for.  It remains a overwhelming sense of belonging and family for us. We are finally home." - Tricia and Jon Brouwers, Walk Chairs

Autism Speaks’ ING DIRECT Ride Now Chicago 2008 will be a scenic ride through the suburban countryside and will take place on Sunday September 21, 2008. For information on volunteering please contact Jennifer Stary at rideforautism@yahoo.com. 

We are always looking for volunteers to help plan an event or join an existing committee. Please contact the Chicago office at chicago@autismspeaks.org or (224) 567-8573 if you would like to get involved.

Community Leadership Committee Descriptions

• Family Services Community Liaison
  • Sub-Committee provides feedback from community stakeholders in an effort to ensure that local community needs are addressed.
• Community Advocacy Chair 
  • Sub-Committee activates the local grassroots advocacy efforts in accordance with national autism initiatives.
• Science Ambassador Chair
  • Sub-Committee educates local community about Autism Speaks science initiatives and portfolios.
• Walk Now for Autism Chair
  • Planning Committee - help plan and execute the walk.
  • Team Mentoring Committee - mentor new team captains. If you can volunteer to make some calls and answer some questions about how to recruit and motivate teams this committee is for you.
  • Corporate Sponsorship Committee - create list of prospects and help to reach out to potential local sponsors.
  • Walk Kick-Off Dinner Committee - organize events to help us Kick-Off the Chicago Walk in style.
  • Youth Committee - plan mini events and volunteer on Walk Day.  Opportunities for involvement are available for all age levels. 
  • Community Outreach Committee - recruit new team captains, get your local stores and schools involved and spread the word about Autism Speaks right in your own backyard.
  • Resource Fair Committee – recruit and build the Community Resource Fair.
  • Publicity Committee - responsible for many of the public relations and marketing aspects of the Walk event, including media relations, media sponsorships and public service announcements. 
  • Walk Day Logistics Committee - help with the nuts and bolts of the walk day and all of the equipment needed for a safe and fun day. Many hands make light work.