“I’d like to build a community where my daughter can live comfortably and feel welcome and included,” says Belzberg. “And the whole success of this initiative rests on everybody joining hands and problem solving together.”

In the New York area, Bedford follows on the heels of a similar initiative in Rhinebeck in Duchess County, which that town calls the first “Autism Supportive Community” in the region. As part of the initiative, volunteers, businesses, and community leaders are being trained to help make the community more welcoming.

Survey (Check it out!)

The  Bedford Neurodivergent Task Force Community Feedback Survey is designed to understand how individuals who think differently — including their friends, family members and caretakers — feel about living in and around the Bedford area.