MILWAUKEE — Faith in Humanity is hosting a sensory-friendly autism awareness walk in downtown Milwaukee on Saturday to support children and their caretakers.
The event runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., starting at Riverwalk Commons Park across from the Milwaukee Public Market and ending at the Betty Brinn Children's Museum.
Shana Morris Patterson, founder of Faith in Humanity, emphasized the importance of education and community support.
"People can be aware by educating themselves that is a big part of it is educating yourself and then showing your support by being more mindful and supporting those who have autism or the caretakers of those who have autism so they don't reach that burnout as quickly and we can all do our part," Patterson said.
"There's something that each and every one of us can do and one, obviously educating ourselves, but two, showing support to those who have autism and those organizations that are putting in the work and also just being kind, being kind to those who have autism and showing them that they matter and that you truly care," Patterson said.
The walk is designed to be mindful of volume and caters to participants' personal space. It features a sensory-friendly pit stop with fidget toys, pizza, and water for participants to rest before reaching the museum.
At the Betty Brinn Children's Museum, participants will be greeted by Autism United of Wisconsin, Penfield Children's Center, and Milwaukee County Youth and Disability Services. The museum will offer its upper and lower atrium spaces for those needing a break from the activity, followed by a group photo opportunity.
Patterson also announced a city proclamation declaring April 25 as Faith in Humanity Day in Milwaukee.
"It's so exciting for Milwaukee to be able to show their support and just do a good deed during that day, even if it's not catering to neurodivergence or those who have autism. You can still help by just doing a good deed and restoring faith in humanity," Patterson said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
