A leading autism advocacy organization announced last week that a Port Washington-based company had been selected as the T-shirt vendor for all 60 Autism Speaks Walk 2016 locations across the country.
Spectrum Designs, a Port Washington-based company that currently employs 25 full and part-time adult staff, with approximately 75 percent of staff diagnosed with autism or a related condition, was named the T-Shirt vendor by Autism Speaks.
Lisa Goring, Autism Speaks executive vice president of programs and services, said the choice to support Spectrum Designs with a contract for their largest job allows Autism Speaks to support its own cause.
“Many people with autism are capable and do excellent work,” Goring said. “We are thrilled to work with Spectrum Designs to provide our walk participants with a quality product from a company that utilizes the talents of people with autism and provides opportunity for meaningful employment.”
The Autism Speaks Walk contract for production of 56,000 T-shirts is the largest job undertaken by Spectrum Designs so far, officials said.
Each Walk T-shirt will include a special tag with information about Spectrum Designs, providing the organization with visibility across the country. The walks will take place on different days. A walk in New York City will take place on Saturday, Sept. 10.
“We are thrilled to be selected as the official T-shirt vendor for Autism Speaks Walk 2016. It is a testament to the fact that social enterprises can compete on a national scale and this puts Spectrum Designs firmly on the map,” said Spectrum Designs president Patrick Bardsley. “Our commitment to quality and unsurpassed customer service are what propel our growth. Every order that we receive provides us with the opportunity to expand and create more employment opportunities for adults with autism.”
Spectrum Designs is a nonprofit social enterprise that provides meaningful work opportunities to individuals with autism, according to press release issued by Autism Speaks. The company brings its items to life by using screen printing, embroidery, state-of-the-art digital printing, according to its website.
Its employees earn minimum wage or above depending on education, skill-set, experience and general performance.
Spectrum Designs also has a group of school-aged individuals with autism who intern as trainees, with the goal of creating employment opportunities upon exiting high school. On-site education staff help employees and trainees to address possible employment barriers to the future, in an effort to assist them in leading fuller, independent and more productive lives.
National statistics indicate that the vast majority of adults with autism are either unemployed or underemployed, with estimates ranging as high as 90 percent.
According to officials, an estimated 500,000 adolescents on the spectrum will enter adulthood in the next decade.
Helping businesses build knowledge and networks to stabilize employment opportunities is one way to support this abundance of job-seekers in the market.
Autism Speaks is the world’s leading autism science and advocacy organization, according to its website. It is dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families.
Autism Speaks was founded in February 2005 by Suzanne and Bob Wright, the grandparents of a child with autism.
Since then, Autism Speaks has committed more than $570 million to its mission, the majority in science and medical research. The organization has established partnerships in more than 70 countries on five continents to foster international research, services and awareness.
