Spectrum Autism Support Group

Spectrum Autism Support and
the Fresh Coat Cares paint project with Fresh Coat Painters of Johns Creek & Roswell in the news! FOX 5 Atlanta gave our sensory garden and outdoor learning center some attention! Herbs and flowers, light and water features, bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, texture and color all creating a sensory friendly experience for our community. We are grateful for volunteers like the Duluth Garden Club and Gwinnett Master Gardeners and others for helping create and maintain our amazing gardens for our community to enjoy and experience. Thank you FOX 5 Atlanta highlighting our sensory friendly outdoor space!

Spectrum Autism unveils sensory therapy garden A local organization is using the power of nature to help children with autism learn and grow. The Spectrum Autism Support Group in Duluth has unveiled a therapeutic garden to support sensory regulation for guests.

The World Cup is the loudest event on Earth. Eighty thousand voices, drums, horns, fireworks, floodlights. For millions of fans, that’s the magic. For autistic fans, it can be the wall that keeps them outside.

Not this time.

For the first time in the tournament’s history, the 2026 World Cup earned Sensory Inclusive certification, and every single one of the 16 stadiums across the US, Canada and Mexico has a sensory room. A quiet, dimmed space with soft seating and calming tools, where anyone overwhelmed by the noise can regulate and then go back to the match. All 104 games, no exceptions.

It goes further than the rooms. Fans can pick up free sensory bags with noise-reducing headphones and fidget tools. Social-story guides help people know exactly what to expect before they even arrive. And stadium staff were trained by KultureCity to recognize sensory overload and respond with patience instead of panic.

This isn’t just for autistic fans, either. It’s there for anyone with sensory needs, including veterans with PTSD, people with dementia, and anxious first-time fans.

The biggest sporting event on the planet just told millions of people: you don’t have to choose between who you are and being in the room where it happens.

Every stadium, everywhere, should take notes.

Source: FIFA