The Strong Beginnings Project: A 501(c)(3) Organization
Empowering Special Needs FamiliesGrants, Support, and Hope for a Brighter Future
Getting Involved
Together We Build a World Where Every Child Thrives
Join Us In Empowering Every Child’s Future
Be a part of something meaningful. Join us for the Annual Autism Walk, become a sponsor or community partner in Yuma, AZ, and across Arizona. Your involvement drives our mission to uplift children with autism and special needs. Together, we can create a future full of opportunity and support. Take action today and make a lasting impact.
Every Child Deserves a Chance—Your Support Makes It Possible.
Your donation helps provide essential resources for children with special needs. Funds go toward:
- Assistive Devices: iPads used as AACs, enabling children to communicate and connect.
- Adaptive Car Seats: Custom car seats designed for safety and comfort, often financially out of reach.
- Travel Grants: Assisting families with the costs of seeking out-of-town services and diagnostics.
- Educational Scholarships: Empowering new providers to serve the autism and special needs community.
With your support, we can give every child the tools and opportunities they deserve.
Make a Donation and Give the Gift of Opportunity—Your Support Helps Every Child Reach Their Full Potential.
Funding and Opportunities to Enrich Every Child’s Journey
Supporting Our Community
Community Outreach
Join Strong Beginnings for the Annual Walk for Autism in Yuma, AZ, as we come together with our community to raise awareness and support for autism. The walk features a 5k course starting at Gateway Park in Yuma. It’s a day of unity, education, and celebration, with informational booths hosted by local providers, food from community vendors, face painting, sensory-friendly activity stations, and much more. Partnering with the community vendors, law enforcement, and local families, we aim to spread understanding, foster inclusion, and strengthen our community’s commitment to supporting individuals with autism.
Don’t miss out on this chance to make a difference—whether you’re walking or volunteering, your participation matters.
Assistive & Adaptive Grants
We believe every child deserves the tools they need to thrive. Our Assistive & Adaptive Grants provide essential devices and equipment to children with special needs, giving them the ability to communicate, connect, and be more independent.
iPads as AAC Devices: With your donation, we can help provide iPads equipped with Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) apps to help children who struggle with verbal communication. These devices empower children to express their needs, feelings, and thoughts, promoting inclusion, safety, and self-empowerment.
Adaptive Car Seats: We also offer grants for adaptive car seats designed specifically for children with special needs, including autism. These car seats provide the safety and comfort children need while traveling, but often come with a price tag that many families cannot afford. Our grants help bridge that gap, ensuring that every child has access to the right equipment for their well-being.
With your support, these grants change lives by making essential resources accessible to families in need.
Therapies & Travel Grants
We understand that accessing the right therapies and diagnostic services can be a financial burden for many families. Our Therapies & Travel Grants are designed to provide crucial support to families in need, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to receive the care they deserve.
Direct Therapy Assistance: These grants help cover the costs of essential therapies such as ABA therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and more. Many families face challenges like high deductibles, lack of insurance, or gaps in coverage that prevent them from accessing the care their child needs. Our grants aim to ease this financial strain, allowing children to receive the therapies vital for their growth and development.
Travel Assistance for Specialized Care: For families in Yuma who need specialized diagnostic services or therapies not available locally, we provide funding for travel-related expenses. Whether it’s seeing a developmental pediatrician or accessing specialized therapies, these grants help cover costs like hotel stays and gas, making it easier for families to get the care their child needs, no matter where it’s located.
Together, we can ensure that all children have access to the therapies and diagnostic services essential for their future success.
Education Scholarships
Education Scholarships aim to gradually expand access to essential services in Yuma, AZ for children with special needs and autism. These scholarships support local individuals pursuing careers in ABA therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and related fields.
By helping to remove financial barriers for those seeking higher education and specialized training, these scholarships enable individuals to remain rooted in Yuma as qualified professionals. Keeping education and training local ensures that more children in the community will have access to the therapies and services they need to thrive.
Investing in local talent strengthens the community and directly increases the availability of services in an area that is often underserved. With this support, a network of dedicated providers will emerge, making a lasting impact on children with special needs and their families.
What Drives Us
Our Mission
We are driven to empower children with autism and other special needs by providing life-changing resources and unwavering support to their families.
Through grants for therapies, assistive devices, and scholarships for education, we strive to help children communicate, grow, and thrive. We also offer financial assistance for travel and boarding expenses, ensuring that every child can access the care they deserve, no matter where it’s located.
Additionally, our scholarships aim to support local individuals who aspire to become providers, increasing the availability of specialized services right here in Yuma.
Through community outreach, we are building a compassionate, inclusive network that ensures every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential. Together, we can create a future where every child is seen, heard, and supported—right in our own community.
Join us in making a lasting impact.
Get Involved
Make a meaningful impact in our community by getting involved in the Walk for Autism! Whether you’re a vendor, participant, or volunteer, your presence will help raise awareness and provide essential support for children with autism and special needs.
Upcoming Events
April 12, 2025- Walk For Autism
9Am-12PM: Join Strong Beginnings for the Annual 5K Walk for Autism starting at Gateway Park in Yuma, AZ, as we come together with our community to raise awareness and support for autism.
Stay Connected
Gowan Supports the Walk for Autism as a Gold Level Sponsor
Yuma’s Autism Walk Returns April 12 at Gateway Park to Support Special Needs Families YUMA, AZ - March 27, 2025— The Strong Beginnings Project is proud to announce Gowan as a Gold Level Sponsor for the upcoming Walk for Autism on April 12, 2025. Gowan’s generous...
Jay’s Party Shop Joins as Platinum Sponsor for 2025 Walk for Autism
Yuma’s Autism Walk Returns April 12 at Gateway Park to Support Special Needs Families YUMA, AZ - March 5, 2025— The Strong Beginnings Project is proud to announce Jay’s Party Shop as a Platinum-Level Sponsor for the 2025 Walk for Autism, taking place on Saturday,...
Onvida Health Becomes Platinum Sponsor for 2025 Yuma Autism Walk in Yuma, AZ
Yuma’s Autism Walk Returns April 12 at Gateway Park to Support Special Needs Families YUMA, AZ – February 18, 2025 – The Strong Beginnings Project is proud to announce Onvida Health as a Platinum Sponsor for the 2025 Yuma Autism Walk, scheduled for April 12, 2025, at...
2025 Yuma Autism Walk
YUMA, AZ – Feb. 14, 2025 – Mark your calendars! The Annual Autism Walk, hosted by The Strong Beginnings Project in partnership with Strong Beginnings, LLC, is happening on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at Gateway Park at 9:00 AM—and you’re invited!