WALL TOWNSHIP — On Saturday, Allaire Community Farm, located at 1923 Baileys Corner Road, hosted almost 600 people for an autism-friendly Easter egg hunt geared toward providing a comfortable experience for special needs children.
The event was in collaboration with POAC Autism Services, a nonprofit organization that helps individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) reach their highest potential at home, in school and in their community, according to the organization’s mission statement.
JoAnn Burney, co-founder of Allaire Community Farm alongside her husband Sean Burney, spoke to The Coast Star about the benefits the event provides for families with autistic children.
“We host this because all around here, there’s Easter egg hunts,” Burney said. “But what happens with a kid who has autism is they can get overstimulated. What is supposed to be a fun event ends up being a sad event for the family. Some children with autism freeze, or they don’t get any eggs, or some can’t even approach the crowds because it’s too much. Here, we have 25 acres, and they can move around, and each kid gets a certain amount of eggs. The kids that want to hang back can, and get the eggs at their own pace.”
Burney says the farm even sets aside eggs for severely disabled children, to ensure everyone gets to enjoy the fun of the egg hunt. Participants’ families were invited to attend to support and add to the fun, according to Burney.
“We also invite siblings, because siblings are like the silent super heroes,” Burney said. “They are the ones that help the parents and take care of their siblings with autism.”
This is an excerpt of the print article. For more on this story, read The Coast Star—on newsstands Thursday or online in our e-Edition.
Check out our other Wall Township stories, updated daily. And remember to pick up a copy of The Coast Star—on newsstands Thursday or online in our e-Edition.
Subscribe today! If you're not already an annual subscriber to The Coast Star, get your subscription today! For just $38 per year, you will receive local mail delivery weekly, with pages and pages of local news and online access to our e-edition on Starnewsgroup.com.
 6x10 4c.jpg)
