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Community Corner

Autism Benefit with Musical Performance by Robbie Krieger of The Doors

Please join us for a truly amazing evening to benefit the Los Angeles Academy of the Vocational Arts, a new social-employment inclusive training model that focuses on "the art of connection" as its guiding principle.

The evening will include a very special musical performance by Robby Krieger of the legendary rock group The Doors and master percussionist Hani Naser who  has played with Jackson Browne, Santana, and Steve Miller.  Other celebrity special guest appearances to be announced.

The event will take place at a lovely estate in beautiful Mandeville Canyon.

The monies raised will fund the first LAVAArts film-production camp launching this summer in collaboration with GPA Entertainment in their feature-length documentary "Topanga" about the culture of Topanga Canyon during the 1960's through 1980's as examined through the music of the time. 

For the production of Topanga, LAVAArts will carefully match the film's creative heads to students allowing them to work side-by-side with industry professions.  Students will also be matched to a companion who will work on the production along with them to help navigate the workplace and make connections to the film crew.

100% of all proceeds directly benefit LAVAArts and Autism Spectrum Integrated Services.  SUGGESTED donation for this spectacular cause is $500 per person. 

Click here to send your tax-deductible contribution via Paypal.

The evening will also include:   

LIVE AUCTION
SILENT AUCTION by Signature Events 
HORS D'OEUVRES
LIVE ENTERTAINMENT 

Autism Spectrum Integrated Services (ASIS) is subsidiary of a non-profit 501 (c)(3) Dance Into Unity, Inc. with the mission to help young adults with autism integrate into their communities. Using a unique social and vocational integrative model called “Match A Friend”, young adults in the ASIS program are matched to “friends” with compatible personalities and common interests and abilities who are trained ASIS employees or interns. The friend provides the young adult with advocacy information, social skills support and employment training and helps them successfully navigate any obstacles they may encounter. Using this inclusive model, ASIS hopes to promote acceptance and understanding of the unique benefits that individuals with autism bring to their communities and contribute in the workplace. 

According to current research, individuals with autism experience the highest rate of unemployment and underemployment of any disability category. Some studies have concluded over 90% of adults with autism were not working full time, and this was regardless of the types of services and supports they had received throughout their lifetime. ASIS is developing a new social integration model to address this issue so that adults with autism may achieve a high quality of life filled with friends, meaningful employment, and become important members of their communities.

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