Cape Coral, Fla. — Following its Hurricane & Emergency Preparedness Parent Group Speaker Series, Family Initiative is providing families affected by autism spectrum disorder with key online resources to help them prepare for hurricane season, including the 2026 Autism Hurricane Response and Recovery Survey.
The June 13th event, held at the Family Initiative Golisano Autism Community Hub in Cape Coral, brought together families, caregivers, and local experts for an important conversation on storm preparation, evacuation planning, shelter expectations, flood zones, emergency alerts, and the unique needs individuals diagnosed with ASD may experience before, during, and after severe weather events.
Featured speakers included Andrew Shipotofsky, meteorologist at WINK News; John Schultz, Ph.D., CPM, chief of emergency management for Lee County Department of Public Safety; and Ruth Rodrigues, emergency management specialist and owner of Petran Consulting LLC. Speakers shared guidance on hurricane forecasts, local emergency resources, inclusive preparedness planning, and strategies to help families think through sensory needs, communication plans, medications, routines, and safety concerns ahead of a storm.
“Preparing early can make a meaningful difference for families affected by ASD, especially when emergencies disrupt routines, communication, access to medications, and the support systems families rely on every day,” said David Brown, president and co-founder of Family Initiative. “Through this speaker series and our emergency preparedness resources, we want families to have trusted information and practical tools before a storm is approaching.”
As part of this ongoing effort, Family Initiative has created an emergency preparedness webpage featuring the 2026 Autism Hurricane Response and Recovery Survey. The survey is designed to gather input from families affected by ASD about their needs before, during, and after hurricanes and other emergency situations. Feedback from families will help Family Initiative better understand barriers, identify resource needs, and strengthen community response efforts.
Families are encouraged to complete the survey and access additional emergency preparedness resources by visiting https://www.fi-florida.org/EMERGENCY/.
For more information, call 239-910-0712 or email info@fi-florida.org.
About Family Initiative:
Founded in 2015, Family Initiative Inc. is a Florida-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting children with autism and strengthening their families. Its team of clinicians serves children through a compassionate, personalized approach using Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and Occupational Therapy (OT). The organization also offers autism play groups, teen meetups, parent education, and community conversations. In addition, Family Initiative provides training and support for child welfare caregivers through its Family Impact Program. For more information, visit www.fi-florida.org, follow Family Initiative on Facebook and Instagram at @FamilyInitiative, or on X (formerly Twitter) at @FI_Inc.
