ROBERTSDALE — The Center for Autism and Asperger Resources in Robertsdale kicked off a new fundraising season with a ribbon cutting and open house at its new location in the C.F. Taylor Administration Building in Robertsdale.

"During the last two years we have been meeting parents at Waffle House and lots of different places because we did not have a place to meet," Thweatt said. "Now people can meet us here in our office and we have access to a conference room, we have met there a couple of times."

The new office contains a lending library and numerous pamphlets and other information on Autism Spectrum Disorders.

"We are beginning our third year of business, putting on continuing education and professional development type programs," Director Mary Thweatt said. "We have learned a lot over the years, learning things that are needed. We have changed our focus a few times."

Despite the changes in direction, the purpose of CAAR has remained the same: to provide services, resources and support to people on the spectrum and their caregivers.

One such resource on the horizon is a summer program for children on the spectrum, particularly those who are high-functioning.

"But to do that we are going to have to raise the funds for it," Thweatt said.

"We are 100 percent volunteer. No one gets paid so all the money goes to the programs we put on," she said.

Among those programs in the past have been a conference with guest speaker Stephen Shore, who holds a doctorate in special education and has an Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The group also brought in Dennis Debaudt, founder of Autism Risk Management Services. Debaudt works with first responders to teach them signs to look for that indicate a person might have an ASD and how to approach such a person in the best possible way to avoid injury to that person or officers.

The new office is located in the C.F. Taylor Administration Building, 19150 Wilters Street in Robertsdale. For more information on the group or to volunteer or donate, call Thweatt at (251) 971-2175 or email her at mary@alcaar.org. Those interested can also visit alcaar.org.