Interview with Cassidy Hooper of The Arc of Northeast Mississippi Autism Now Division

What is the Autism Now project?

The Autism Now Project is a division of The Arc of Northeast Mississippi Chapter. Our chapter isone of the many chapters of The Arc of Mississippi! The Arc is a National organization. There's an Arc in every state. The Arc is the association of rights for individuals with intellectual anddevelopmental disabilities. That includes, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Fetal AlcoholSyndrome, autism spectrum disorders, etc. This Autism Now project was created by the Directorof The Arc of Northeast Mississippi Chapter, Cheryl Falzone and I, when we saw a need formore resources in our local area here in North Mississippi and in general for autistic adults and not just adults but autistic individuals of all ages. I was very passionate about advocating for individuals on the autism spectrum so we decided that autism deserved its own division since The Arc deals with a wide range of intellectual and developmental disabilities so we figured that with Autism Now, individuals with autism and their families would have a local outreach and connection specific to their needs. As an individual on the autism spectrum myself, Cheryl and I felt strongly that I would be a great fit for the leadership role for this project!

What are the benefits?

I believe with Autism Now, individuals with autism and their families will have the resources and local connection they need to create the best life for their loved ones with autism and have support from the community. I believe it's important for these individuals to feel like they're not alone!

How does it help folks with autism?

It will help autistic individuals and their families find what kind of resources work best for them and how to better the lives of these individuals with an autism spectrum disorder. It will help create community among those with autism and their families!

Why did the national office feel North Mississippi needed its own division?

Well, actually, like I mentioned before, our local chapter, The Arc of Northeast MississippiChapter, decided on our own during the Covid pandemic to start the building blocks for The Autism Now project as Cheryl and I saw that , during the pandemic, the lives of autistic individuals were turned upside down and their routines were changed. Individuals with autism do not do well with change and along with the lack of resources in our area for autistic adults and my passion for advocating for the autism community, The Autism Now Project was born!

What are some of the resources autistic adults and their families need?

Autistic adults and their families need local resources here in North Mississippi such as support groups, social gatherings, daily living skills training, online support and discussions, independent living skills training, job skills training, etc. They need resources that can better help them navigate adulthood and thrive in the community and to learn how to live independently!

How can people sign up for the project?

If you want to get involved with this project, you can contact me at [email protected] and I'm on Facebook: Cassidy Hooper. We have a Facebook group The Arc of Northeast Mississippi Autism Now Division and The Northeast Mississippi Chapter has a Facebook group as well called The Arc of Northeast Mississippi Chapter. The Arcof Northeast Mississippi website is: www.arcnems.org and you will find out all the information about our chapter and Autism Now and The Arc in general.