Our Mission
We strive for the lifelong independence, confidence, and happiness of autistic individuals and their families on Martha’s Vineyard, through housing, life skills, enrichment, job training, and therapies.
Building on our work with children and adults since 2009, we are now focused on the following main objectives:
- Raise awareness of autism to the community and including all those on the island in the current and future programs,
- Create and build an Island Autism Center to include farmland and residences in West Tisbury, and
- Provide educational and enrichment programs and events to our residents, the community, and to summer residents.
Who We Are
The Island Autism Group, Inc., IAG, is a well-established 501(c)(3) non-profit that serves autistic children and their families on Martha’s Vineyard. IAG was founded in 2008 by Kate DeVane and Marcy Bettencourt, both mothers of young sons with autism. Since its inception, IAG has helped autistic children on the Island access extracurricular programs, equipment and any other resources necessary and beneficial for their development. IAG works closely with teachers, therapists, parents, friends, and partner organizations interested in supporting those with autism.
We fund comprehensive therapeutic services, activities and programs, hard goods and equipment for educational growth and development of autistic children to further integrate them into society. We also fund seminars, speakers, and workshops that advance and educate parents, teachers, and caregivers of children who do not fully participate in inclusive programs due to their disabilities.
How we began
The Island Autism Group (IAG), was originally founded by the mothers of two boys with autism. The boys attended the Project Headway preschool on Martha’s Vineyard. The first efforts were fundraisers to augment the existing programs on the Island. From humble beginnings and with help from teachers, therapists, friends, and other parents, the small group has developed into its own nonprofit. Our purpose is to support children from the Island and their families as they live their lives with autism.
IAG does not have one viewpoint on how to approach autism. Instead we are constantly in discussion about how to approach each individual’s autism and each family’s situation. We believe that sharing our collective knowledge gives each of us the power to enrich the lives of people with autism. IAG provides music for preschoolers, therapeutic riding, sensory camp, equipment for sensory therapy, and iPads and other essential technology for children on the spectrum.
Over the past several years the Island Autism Group has developed a vision of an Island Autism Center, a place on Martha’s Vineyard where children and adult residents with autism and similar intellectual disabilities can live life to its fullest potential.
Island Autism Group Inc.
PO Box 216
515 Lamberts Cove Road
West Tisbury, MA 02575
508-338-7509
@islandautism
Contact Us