Honoring and celebrating the team creating the Autism Play Date for their work on autism awareness, and inviting all to attend the Autism Play Date at Smith Memorial Park this August.

Honoring and celebrating the team creating the Autism Play Date for their work on autism awareness, and inviting all to attend the Autism Play Date at Smith Memorial Park this August. WHEREAS, The annual Autism Play Date has been held in August at Smith Memorial Park each year since it began in 2018 under Councilmember Derek Green. Councilmembers Derek Green, Sharon Vaughn and the teams producing this wonderful celebratory community event - including Rochelle Gordon, Tonya Woods, Duwayne Terry, Frank Iannuzzi, Jamiel Owens, Kyra Harris, and Shadirah Myrick - have devoted themselves to providing resources and opportunities to people, particularly children, living with autism; and WHEREAS, This year will be the 7th Annual Playdate, and it will be held on August 10 from 12 pm to 4 pm at Smith Memorial Playground; and WHEREAS, Smith Memorial Playground is a Philadelphia institution that offers a safe and unique free play space for children. The Autism Play Date will include sensory-friendly activities, food and music; and WHEREAS, The team has compiled and made critical autism resources freely available and accessible, and has enlivened the Autism Play Date event every year with their charisma, leadership and care; and WHEREAS, Supporting neurodivergent individuals including young people with autism is a critical component of facilitating healthy environments and accessibility for every person in Philadelphia; and WHEREAS, As research tools have developed, behavioral health exper…