activities · 12
what they do
direct service · 9
- Adaptive Sports Coaching Adaptive Sports Programs for Youth with DisabilitiesServes as an assistant coach for a Challenger Baseball League team, providing inclusive sports opportunities for children with disabilities.
- Community Event Organization Adaptive Social and Recreational ProgramsOrganizes and facilitates various social and recreational events for individuals and families affected by autism, including theater productions, sporting events, ranch visits, and train trips.
- Community Event Organization Adaptive Social and Recreational ProgramsOrganizes and facilitates various social and recreational events for individuals and families affected by autism, including theater productions, sporting events, ranch visits, and holiday-themed trips.
- Community and Recreational Outings Adaptive Social and Recreational ProgramsOrganizes social and recreational events for individuals with autism and their families, including theater productions (Seussical Jr., Willy Wonka Jr.), sports games (Arizona Diamondbacks Autism Awareness Night, Arizona Coyotes game), train and trolley trips to the North Pole, and participation in community events like AZ on the Rocks and a Challenger Baseball League team.
- School-Based Cooking Instruction Culinary Training and Food Entrepreneurship ProgramsTeaches cooking skills to students at a private school focused on individualized learning, integrating practical life skills into educational programming.
- Small Social Cooking Groups Nutrition Education & Cooking SkillsOperates weekly small-group cooking classes for 2–4 children with autism in North Scottsdale, providing 3 free initial classes followed by options for paid participation, recipe access, and video instruction with embedded language and sensory goals. Participants have prepared dishes such as pot stickers, french toast, quesadillas, cupcakes, and homemade ice cream with waffle cones.
- Social Cooking Groups Nutrition Education & Cooking SkillsOperates small social cooking groups (2-4 children per group) in North Scottsdale, offering participants 3 free classes to teach them to make various dishes, with options for paid classes or access to recipes and videos online.
- Social Cooking GroupsOperates small social cooking groups, primarily in North Scottsdale, offering free introductory classes and options for paid classes or online resources with language and sensory goals for individuals with autism. These groups teach participants to prepare various dishes.
- Volunteer Teaching and Coaching Adaptive Sports Programs for Youth with DisabilitiesProvides volunteer services as a music teacher at Ethos School in Scottsdale and as an assistant coach for a Challenger Baseball League team that supports children with disabilities.
research · 2
- Autism-Focused Research Music-Based Psychosocial Development ResearchConducts research focused on developing socio-emotional skills in children with autism, specifically exploring the use of music as a tool.
- Music and Arts-Based Skill Development Music-Based Psychosocial Development ResearchProvides music instruction and socio-emotional skill development for children with autism through research-backed methods and direct teaching, including volunteering as a music teacher at Ethos School in Scottsdale and conducting research on music’s role in developing socio-emotional skills.
capacity building · 1
- Family Support and Resource Connection Adaptive Social and Recreational ProgramsFounded an organization that connects families affected by autism with supportive communities, resources, and shared experiences, including facilitating access to events and educational programming.
strategies · 28
how they think
Theories of action extracted from this org's own source material. Click any to see the full field of orgs running the same approach.
- Behavioral Intervention for Flexibility and Anxiety Reduction behavioral intervention / desensitizationKIDS WITH AUTISM CAN suggests a strategy of "planning a crisis" by intentionally introducing small, controlled disruptions to help children with autism develop flexibility and reduce anxiety about change.
- Behavioral Intervention for Flexibility and Anxiety Reduction behavioral intervention / desensitizationUtilizes a strategy of intentionally introducing small, controlled disruptions to help children with autism develop flexibility and reduce anxiety associated with change.
- Community-Inclusive Employment community-inclusion employment modelKIDS WITH AUTISM CAN uses inclusive employment practices by integrating individuals with special needs into community-based work environments.
- Experiential Learning and Peer Support for Parents experiential learning / peer supportThe organization shares personal experiences and beneficial strategies based on raising children with autism, aiming to provide a starting point and resources for other parents navigating similar challenges.
- Experiential Learning and Peer Support for Parents experiential learning / peer supportShares personal experiences and beneficial strategies from raising children with autism to provide a starting point and support for other parents navigating similar challenges.
- Explicit Social and Communication Skills Training social skills trainingThe organization focuses on explicitly teaching social and communication nuances, such as showing affection, understanding jokes, and interpreting idioms, to address the literal interpretation common in autism.
- Explicit Social and Communication Skills Training social skills trainingProvides explicit instruction on social and communication nuances, such as showing affection, understanding jokes, and interpreting idioms, to address the literal interpretation often observed in individuals with autism.
- Family-Centered Support for Quality of Life family-centered approachThe organization provides a variety of activities and focuses on improving family quality of life through deep engagement with autism-related knowledge and practices, accommodating different family needs and preferences.
- Family-centered, hope-oriented support and engagement family-centered approachEmpowers families through deep engagement with autism knowledge, strengths-based hope, and tailored activities, while actively involving parents—especially fathers—through shared experiences and resource navigation.
- Fostering Inclusion through Mainstreaming inclusionThe organization advocates for the continual exposure of children with autism to typical classroom activities and environments to facilitate their integration into the "typical" world.
- Gradual Exposure for Sensory and Feeding Challenges sensory integration / feeding therapyAddresses food challenges by encouraging gradual exposure to new foods, starting with small steps, and considering underlying sensory or dietary issues to improve acceptance.
- Gratitude-Based Coping and Family Well-being gratitude-based copingPromotes a gratitude-based approach to help individuals with autism and their families cope with challenges, fostering emotional well-being through mindset shifts and parent-child gratitude practices.
- Gratitude-based coping and family practice gratitude-based copingUses gratitude as a core mechanism to support emotional well-being for individuals with autism and their families, promoting mindset shifts during challenges and integrating gratitude into parent-child relationships as a therapeutic tool.
- Hope-Centered Family Support hope-centered family supportKIDS WITH AUTISM CAN approaches support through a strengths-based, hope-oriented framework for families of children with special needs.
- Inclusion through Mainstream Exposure inclusionAdvocates for the continuous exposure of children with autism to typical classroom activities and environments to facilitate their integration into the broader community.
- Inclusion through experiential integration inclusionAdvocates for the full inclusion of children with autism in typical environments and activities, using real-world exposure and community-based experiences to foster integration and adaptive skills.
- Parental Advocacy and Resource Navigation advocacy / resource navigationKIDS WITH AUTISM CAN encourages parents to research state-specific support services and advocate for their children with disabilities, emphasizing the importance of being well-informed about available resources.
- Parental Advocacy and Resource Navigation advocacy / resource navigationEmpowers parents to research state-specific support services and advocate for their children with disabilities by providing information and emphasizing the importance of being well-informed about available resources.
- Peer-informed experiential resource sharing experiential learning / peer supportLeverages lived experience—particularly from parents raising children with autism—to provide practical strategies, personal insights, and starting points for other families navigating similar journeys.
- Promoting Father Engagement through Shared Interests father engagement through shared experiencesThe organization promotes active paternal engagement by encouraging fathers to participate in their autistic child's unique interests and experiences.
- Promoting Gratitude as a Coping Mechanism gratitude-based copingKIDS WITH AUTISM CAN promotes a gratitude-based approach to help individuals with autism and their families cope with challenges, emphasizing mindset shifts during difficult times and applying these practices in parent-child relationships to support emotional well-being.
- Sensory Integration for Food Challenges sensory integration / feeding therapyThe organization addresses food challenges by encouraging gradual exposure to new foods, starting with small steps like touching or tasting, and considering potential underlying sensory or dietary issues.
- Sensory-Focused Skill Building through Cooking sensory-focused social groupsUtilizes sensory cooking groups and resources to teach language and sensory goals, aiming to change perceptions of food and cooking while providing engaging activities for individuals with autism and their families.
- Sensory-Focused Skill Building through Cooking sensory-focused social groupsKIDS WITH AUTISM CAN provides sensory cooking groups and resources, including recipes and videos, with language and sensory goals, aiming to change perceptions of food and cooking while supporting skill development for individuals with autism and others.
- Sensory-focused social and skill development groups sensory-focused social groupsDesigns structured social and cooking groups that target sensory processing, language development, and skill-building using hands-on, experiential learning tailored to autism-related needs.
- Structured Teaching and Skill Acquisition structured teaching / skill buildingEmploys a structured "Tell, Show, Do, Review" system to teach tasks and skills, focusing on simultaneous instruction, hands-on practice, verbal review, and positive reinforcement for children with autism.
- Structured Teaching for Skill Acquisition structured teaching / skill buildingKIDS WITH AUTISM CAN utilizes an adapted "Tell, Show, Do, Review" system to teach tasks and skills to children with autism, incorporating simultaneous instruction, hands-on practice, verbal review, and positive reinforcement.
- Structured teaching with behavioral and sensory integration structured teaching / skill buildingApplies systematic teaching methods like "Tell, Show, Do, Review" alongside behavioral desensitization and sensory integration techniques to build skills, manage change, and address feeding and social challenges.
named programs · 3
what they call their work
A Place To Start - Autism Support Resources
Online guide sharing 20 practical, experience-based strategies for parenting children with autism, covering communication, transitions, therapy follow-through, and emotional regulation
Community Events for Autism Inclusion
Organizes inclusive community outings such as theater performances and recreational events designed to be sensory-friendly and accessible for children with autism and their families
Sensory Cooking Group Classes
Small social cooking groups in North Scottsdale for children with autism, offering free initial classes focused on sensory and language development, with ongoing access to recipes and instructional videos via sensorycooking.net
relationships · 13
who they work with
- Arizona Coyotes Partner — Provides support and tickets for events, including fundraising opportunities.
- Arizona State University Partner — Cindy Lee Herrick is pursuing a Master of Arts in Special Education with an emphasis in Autism Spectrum Disorder at this institution.
- Boys Team Charity Partner — Provides support and volunteers for larger events.
- Challenger Baseball League Partner — Todd Murwin serves as an assistant coach for a team that provides opportunities for children with disabilities to play baseball.
- Desert Foothills Theater Partner — Organized tickets for participants to attend a production by Desert Foothills Theater.
- Desert Foothills Youth Theater Partner — Collaborated to host a production of Willy Wonka, Jr.
- Ethos School Partner — Cindy Lee Herrick volunteers as a music teacher at this school in Scottsdale.
- Golden Retriever (family pet) Partner — Engaged in interactive play with Nicholas through fetching toys down stairs.
- MOMs group at my church Partner — Support group that provides emotional and spiritual resources for parents of children with autism.
- Mayo Clinic Partner — Lisa Hurst works as a Hospitalist for Mayo Clinic in Arizona and completed her internal medicine residency there.
- Pal Experiences Partner — Offers unique experiences for families in the community.
- SEEDs Partner — Brings special offerings to the community.
- Sensory Cooking Partner — Uses the website www.sensorycooking.net to provide recipes and videos for cooking groups.