LAC Blog

April is Autism Awareness Month. Lighthouse Autism Center plans to take this month to celebrate those with autism through awareness, acceptance and understanding that each individual is as unique and different as each of our fingerprints.

Lighthouse is celebrating through activities that staff and children can participate in such as spirit week, a South Bend Cubs sensory friendly game, a sensory film with Yes Cinema, craft days, friendly center competition with creative autism awareness displays, and so much more!

Autism Awareness is special to our Lighthouse team and this month we have committed to celebrating everything that makes autism so wonderfully different.

If you would like to see Lighthouse’s Autism Awareness activities during the month of April, please follow us on Facebook! Our page is linked below!

https://www.facebook.com/LighthouseAutismCenter

Interested in eating delicious Mexican cuisine and having your money go to a good cause?

The Hacienda on Portage Ave in South Bend is having a fundraiser for the Lighthouse Families First Foundation! Bring your appetites and the money will go towards assisting special needs families in the Michiana community!

When you bring a Hacienda Gives Back Token on Wednesday April 13th to Hacienda on Portage Ave, you can then donate 20% of your bill to the Lighthouse Families First Foundation! You can also donate 20% of your bill by having the tokens viewable on your phone!

Lighthouse Autism Center sponsors a Lights Up Sound Down Sensory Movie Screening with Yes Cinema in Columbus, IN in April 2022.

The program provides a special opportunity for families to enjoy their favorite films in a safe and accepting environment. The auditoriums dedicated to the program. They have their lights up, the sound turned down and audience members are invited to get up and dance, walk, shout or sing!

The idea for the program began with a request from a parent with an autistic child for a special screening at AMC Columbia Mall 14 in Columbia, MD. More than 300 children and parents attended the first screening.

AMC Theaters is thrilled to now offer the program at many locations nationwide. As a leading theatrical exhibition company, they are so proud to help make a difference in the estimated 1.5 million Americans living with an autism spectrum disorder by offering families a chance to see a movie together — often for the very first time.

For a list of participating theaters as well as upcoming shows and times visit https://www.amctheatres.com/programs/sensory-friendly-films

Sunday, April 10, 2022, 2:05PM at Four Winds Field in South Bend, IN

Lighthouse Autism Center and the South Bend Cubs are partnering to host an Autism Awareness Day with the South Bend Cubs. Gate opens at 12pm. First pitch is at 2:05pm. Home Plate Suite will be open as a sensory room.

Congratulations to the t-shirt design winner, Tracy Galicia, Registered Behavioral Therapist!

Checkout Tracy’s design below! This design will be featured on the South Bend Cubs special edition Autism Awareness shirts and hoodies, for the month of April!

These shirts and hoodies will be available for purchase from the South Bend Cubs, in-store and online: https://southbendcubs.milbstore.com/

The Cubs Den team store hours are Monday – Friday 10:00am-5:00pm and Saturday 10:00am – 2:00pm and is located at 420 S. William St in South Bend.

Join us for a sensory friendly game that will support autism awareness!

Learn More Here: https://www.milb.com/south-bend/tickets/promotions

Every two years the Association for Behavior Analysis International hosts an international conference during which behavior analysts from all over the world converge to share research and ideas.  This year’s conference will be held in Dublin, Ireland.  Three Lighthouse Autism Center speech-language pathologists: Samantha Farber, Emily Sears and Janine Shapiro will be in attendance and Lighthouse Autism Centers’ paper was accepted for presentation.

Janine Shapiro will be demonstrating effective behavior analytic speech techniques to address common speech concerns of behavior analysts.

We’re excited to bring our Lighthouse Fusion tricks to an international stage so we can help learners and practitioners near and far!

Learn more about the conference here: Conference Home – Association for Behavior Analysis International (abainternational.org)

Janine directs Lighthouse Fusion, an enhanced therapy solution that blends the best practices of ABA and speech therapies into one comprehensive program. Developed by a team of dually certified clinicians at Lighthouse Autism Center, some of only a handful in the entire country, the program brings together experts in the fields of speech and ABA to collaborate on goal development, deliver therapy, and celebrate each child’s progress.

At Lighthouse Autism Center, we offer the highest quality therapy in a beautiful, play-based environment. With Lighthouse Fusion, children make greater progress, faster, all while having fun.

To learn more about Lighthouse Fusion, visit: https://lighthouseautismcenter.com/introducing-lighthouse-fusion/