HOLLAND, Mich. — Hope Network Center for Autism in Holland opened in 2017. Since its opening, their staff and the number of children they serve has continued to grow. As the number of children diagnosed with autism continues to rise throughout the country, Hope Network is hosting an open house for the community to meet staff, learn more about the ABA therapy they offer and future plans of the organization.
With 30 trained therapists and four locations in Michigan, Hope Network wants to help more children live better, healthier lives and change the narrative of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
“My biggest hope is that there's more exposure to kids with autism,” Chloe Dick, registered behavior technician at Hope Network Center for Autism said.
Dick has been helping children with ASD for more than two years at the organization and said she was inspired to make a difference by her stepbrother. During her time in college, she switched career paths in order to start her journey in helping children with ASD.
“This event this evening is just the first step in exposing and breaking down the barrier that these kids are normal,” Dick said. They are just like any other kid; they might have more needs and that is common to see how we handle and work through those needs but that's my job. That's what we're working with working on asking for what they need, telling us how they're feeling and what they do need.”
According to the Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention, just over ten years ago 1 in 54 children had ASD. Today, 1 in 36 are diagnosed with the disorder. Executive Director Margaret Moore said since taking on her role in 2018, she’s happy with the progress the non-profit has made.
“I am so proud to see the progress that each of the children that we serve make,” Moore said. "It's really exciting to see the growth of the program. We have expanded over the last few years to additional locations. We have grown we've taken over the Holland building and at one point in time we had just a small sliver of the building and now it is all the center for autism.”
Moore said the future of Hope Network is as bright as the smiles of the children they serve.
“A program as a whole we'd like to continue to provide services, the number of children with autism continues to grow,” Moore said. "The need for services continues to grow and we'd love to continue to take on additional learners and invite many more staff members to join our team.”
Throughout Michigan Hope Network continues to provide services for more than 34,000 people annually. For more information or to make a donation to help support the efforts and operations of the organization, click here.
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