Mandani Academy All-Stars Autism Awareness

My name is A.J. Mandani and I am a Filipino-Jamaican-Canadian former basketball player born and raised in Malton. I currently run my own academy that fosters basketball skills and mentorship in youth development. In January 2022 our academy started our All Stars Autism Awareness Program . This program provides families an opportunity to bring their child into a loving and excepting open hearted environment. Where parents can interact with their child through games and other activities. It also gives families the ability to network with other parents, and create social opportunities for their child.

Since the inception of this program, we have seen the benefits that it has had on our families. Our program participants are actively engaged in physical activity, parents are finding support and strategies through conversations with other parents, and participants are developing friendships with one another.

My family and I started this program after I moved back to Canada after living abroad for 10 years and I had the pleasure of meeting my nephew for the first time. We would rent a gym so he was able to run freely. Over time we invited some relatives and friends experiencing the similar situation and would brainstorm ideas on how we can help the kids  build  and develop social skills alongside one another and also how to keep them physically active. We started providing different activities, obstacles courses , games and since then we have seen an enormous difference in each individual. I have also noticed a lot of change with the parents, giving them the space to stay active and the people to share ideas , problems , experiences with one another . I know personally I don’t  have the answers for my sister to help guide her. So having this community for her and others in similar situations so they don’t need to feel embarrassed, scared or alone. Some people don’t have financial or family support, so this program is available for free, so it can be accessible for families that need it.

On Saturday, November 25, 2023 we are holding a fundraiser to support our All Stars Autism Awareness Program. Our goal is to raise $5000 to cover the cost of gym permits, equipment, snacks, and coaching fees in order to have this program free of charge for our youth participants all year.