WELLINGTON, Fla. — Hundreds of families with children living on the autism spectrum came out to an event put together by Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office where they could relax, have some fun, and learn about what resources are available to them.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said families must know the agency has their back by providing information and resources, as well as a space where they can connect positively.
"More times than not when we go to calls involving autism, people acting out and it's not a pleasant encounter," Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said. "Today, we get to see each other in a very different setting. There's a lot of vendors here that you see that have services to offer to them."
Parents who spoke to WPTV, like Raphael and Shawnte Urias, said the information and resources they learned while at the fair is important.
"You can network and talk to other parents about their experiences and learn about different places that they can go," Raphael said. "They can find a little bit of rest and you know, just basically find out how to get things done, because when you get into it, it's overwhelming."
They also created Next Level Sensory, a service where parents can receive monthly resources, activities and supplies tailored for children living with autism.
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Deputy Scott Poritz organized the event. He said it's important for parents to know they can count on the agency, and see their badge and uniform in a different light.
"Building that bridge between law enforcement and the autism community, providing resources of what's available to a lot of these families," he said. "A lot of them might not necessarily know what resources are out there, especially in our Spanish and Haitian communities."
FAU CARD staff, community provider agencies and vendors also offered information and important resources for families.
The event was held at Village Park.
