Minnesota Twins step up to the plate for autism community at Family Initiative’s Thrive Academy

CAPE CORAL, Fla. (May 7, 2025) — Players from the Minnesota Twins made a special visit to Thrive Academy on Wednesday morning, strengthening their ongoing partnership with Family Initiative and reinforcing their commitment to inclusion in sports.

Over the past year, the Twins have teamed up with Family Initiative to make baseball more accessible and welcoming to those on the autism spectrum. Their collaboration led to the creation of a sensory room at the Lee Health Sports Complex, setting a new standard for sensory-inclusive environments in Major League Baseball.

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Continuing the mission, 50 Twins players spent the morning connecting with students at Thrive Academy — Florida’s first specialty school specifically designed for children and teens with autism. Before entering the classrooms, players received a brief to help them understand the school’s unique approach and how to interact meaningfully with its students.

During the visit, players joined in classroom activities, played baseball, and engaged one-on-one with students, creating moments of joy and mutual inspiration. For many students, meeting their baseball heroes in such a personal way was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Minnesota Twins for their partnership and advocacy for the autism community. This partnership and days like today are a shining example of Family Initiative’s mission to increase awareness, acceptance, and inclusion,” said Anjali Van Drie, vice president and co-founder of Family Initiative.

The Twins’ visit marks another milestone in a growing movement to build bridges between professional sports and neurodiverse communities. Family Initiative and Thrive Academy are breaking barriers every day and leading the change in Southwest Florida.

 

About Family Initiative:

Established in 2015, Family Initiative Inc. is a Florida-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting children, adolescents and young adults with autism and strengthening their families. Its team of clinicians serves families through a compassionate, personalized approach using Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), Occupational Therapy (OT) services and Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI). The organization offers social skills groups for all ages, caregiver supports, community trainings, private school education, vocational training & more. FI also provides child welfare support and services across Florida through its Family Impact Program. Visit FI-Florida.org, or find Family Initiative on Facebook and Instagram @FamilyInitiative, and on X @FI_Inc.