According to Autism Speaks, approximately 70,000 young adults living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), each year age out of school-based services in the United States. For Martha’s Vineyard local Edie Prescott, this number is more than just a statistic. When her oldest son Henry, who is living with Autism, turned 21 and was one year away from effectively aging out of school programing, she explains, “I began to think about his upcoming graduation because I had heard stories about some of Henry’s peers who had found a place in a group home after graduating, but there wasn’t a day program for them to attend, or they couldn’t find any employment opportunities. I thought to myself, ‘This is not going to happen to Henry.’”

Edie shares, “I wanted to create meaningful employment for Henry so he could learn job skills when he finished school. With the ultimate goal of growing a business with the ability to employ other adults with Autism, on Martha’s Vineyard and expanding in the future. Everyone has their individual skillsets and weaknesses, whether you have special needs or not,” emphasizes Edie. “It is just a matter of finding what people like and what areas they enjoy.”