Northshore Autism Resource Hub

10/13/2026

🌟 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁: 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀
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Sometimes the hardest part of finding support is figuring out where to start.
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Northshore Families Helping Families is a local resource center supporting individuals with disabilities and their families.
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Their services include:
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📍 Information and referrals to resources
📚 Education and training workshops
🤝 Peer-to-peer family support
📖 A lending library covering topics such as education and health
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They serve St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Washington, Livingston, and St. Helena parishes.
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𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻? Reach out to learn what resources or support may fit your situation.
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☎️ 985-875-0511
📧 [email protected]
🌐 https://www.fhfnorthshore.org
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Save this contact for later, or share it with someone who could use a starting point. 💙
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𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗛𝘂𝗯

Northshore Families Helping Families is a 501c3 nonprofit established under the guidance of Act 378 of 1989. NFHF is the only family resource center for individuals with disabilities on the Northshore. We give parents of children with disabilities knowledge, support and confidence by providing peer-...

10/10/2026

🎲🐉 Calling All Dungeons & Dragons Fans! 🐉🎲

We've got some young adults hanging out with Friends on the Spectrum today at Gnarly Barley, and a fun idea has come up!

A few of our young adults are really interested in putting together a Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) group, and we'd love to see who else in our Northshore community might want to join!

Whether you're an experienced player, just getting started, or have always been curious about D&D, we'd love to hear from you!

🎲 Who? Young adults interested in playing D&D

🐉 Experience? Beginners welcome!

🗺️ Where and when? Still to be determined based on interest.

D&D can be a great way to make friends, use your imagination, work together, and have some fun!

💬 Interested? Drop a comment below or send us a message! Let's see if we can get a group together.

Because sometimes finding your people starts with rolling a 20-sided die! 🎲💙

10/09/2026

How exciting is this! Please share! Let's help a hometown organization get to The Rose Bowl!

🌹 HELP OUR GARDEN BLOOM IN PASADENA! 🌹

We have some exciting news to share! 💕

Sweet Rose Cafe has been invited to participate in decorating Louisiana’s float for the 2027 Rose Parade in Pasadena, California!

Our dream is to send 4 employees — 2 Rosebuds and 2 Petals — on this incredible journey!

At Sweet Rose Cafe, we believe meaningful employment is about more than having a job. It’s about building confidence, developing independence, creating friendships, and finding a place where everyone belongs.

The 2027 Rose Parade theme, “Welcome,” beautifully represents everything we stand for. 🌹

💕 WE ARE SEEKING COMMUNITY SPONSORS!

We invite local businesses, organizations, families, and friends to help make this opportunity possible.

🌹 Sponsorship opportunities range from $250 to $5,000, with recognition opportunities for our generous community partners.

Your support will help our team travel from the Louisiana to California and experience something truly unforgettable!

📩 Interested in becoming a sponsor or donating? Go to ⁠ https://gofund.me/d0b571586 

Together, we can make this dream bloom! 🌹

Sweet Rose Cafe — Community is Unity.

10/06/2026

✨ 𝗛𝗨𝗕 𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗧𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧: 𝗕𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗱𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝗹𝗮 & 𝗔𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗼 𝗙𝗶𝘁 ✨
This week, I want to introduce you Bernadette Lala, owner of 𝗔𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗼 𝗙𝗶𝘁, and a program that brings together something our community needs more of: 𝗳𝗶𝘁𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀, 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴, all in one supportive environment. 💙
Able Fit Neuro Fit offers an adaptive Special Needs Program for youth and adults, beginning at age 7.
And this is definitely not just a workout class.
🏃 𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝘁𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀
Classes incorporate neuro-based exercises and self-regulation techniques along with activities like circuit training, obstacle courses, sports, fitness games, boxing, balance, coordination, and more.
🏠 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀
Participants work on practical daily, home, community, and safety-based skills designed to encourage greater confidence and independence.
🤝 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀
The program also focuses on teamwork, sharing, turn-taking, communication, handling winning and losing, building friendships, leadership, confidence, and self-esteem.
🎶 There’s more, too, including social-emotional learning, music activities, adaptive food preparation, arts and crafts, and other hands-on activities.
One of the things I especially love is that Bernadette describes the environment as 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲, 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝘂𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴.
📍 𝗦𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗹
Classes are held at Gladiator Academy on Tuesdays from 𝟰:𝟬𝟬–𝟱:𝟯𝟬 𝗣𝗠.
Bernadette also offers the Able Fit program at 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗮 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 on Thursday mornings.
🎉 And if you’d like to try it out, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲!
📞 To learn more or register, contact Bernadette at 𝟵𝟴𝟱-𝟳𝟴𝟴-𝟱𝟮𝟱𝟮.
I love finding programs like this because they remind us how many different pieces can go into building independence, confidence, friendship, and belonging.
💙 𝗬𝗼𝘂. 𝗔𝗿𝗲. 𝗔𝗯𝗹𝗲.


Able Fit

09/29/2026

💙 𝐍𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐇𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐂𝐄 𝐒𝐏𝐎𝐓𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓

Sometimes the challenge isn’t that a student can’t learn.

It’s that the environment they’re learning in doesn’t fit the way their brain works.

This week’s Northshore Autism Resource Hub spotlight is 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐲 in Abita Springs.

Brighthouse Learning Academy, LLC focuses on 𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐞-𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥, or 𝟐𝐞, students in grades 5–12. These are students who may be gifted academically while also navigating learning differences such as ADHD, dyslexia, or autism.

That combination can sometimes leave students falling into a gap. They may be very capable in one area while needing significant support in another, and a traditional classroom doesn’t always know what to do with both at the same time.

That’s why I think resources like this are important for Northshore families to know exist.

📍 21464 Clear Creek Dr., Abita Springs, LA
📞 985-705-8722

If you know a family who has been trying to find a different educational fit for a twice-exceptional student, this may be a resource worth exploring.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬. 💙

09/28/2026

09/22/2026

✨ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗲?

Lately, I’ve been having more and more conversations with families, autistic adults, providers, community organizations, and local businesses about what’s available here on the Northshore… and what still feels really hard to find.

And some of the same needs keep coming up.

💼 Employment opportunities that actually fit the person
🏠 Housing and more independent living options
🚗 Transportation
🤝 Social connection and places to belong
🩺 Healthcare providers who understand neurodivergent individuals 𝗮𝗻𝗱 accept the insurance people actually have, including Medicare and Medicaid
🧭 Life skills, independence, and support navigating adulthood

Sometimes the problem isn’t that 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 exists.

Sometimes it’s that families don’t know where to find it.

Sometimes there are long waitlists.

Sometimes the service exists, but it doesn’t quite meet the need.

And sometimes… there really is a gap.

So I want to hear from 𝗬𝗢𝗨. 💙

👉 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻’𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱?

It can be a service, a provider, a program, a social opportunity, a type of support, or something completely different.

Drop it in the comments. Even if you think it’s small. Even if you’re not sure whether it already exists.

The more we share what people are actually looking for, the better we can understand where the real gaps are. 💙

𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲. 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀. 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀. 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲.

09/15/2026

💙 𝗡𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗛𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗥𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗖𝗘 𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗥𝗧 💙

St. Tammany families, I wanted to make sure this one gets in front of you!

The Mason Gaines Legacy Award is now accepting applications for K–8th grade children with special needs in St. Tammany Parish. Awards can help with adaptive equipment, supplies, and services.

👇 All the details and the application link are in the original post below.

Please share this with a family who may need it. 💙

💙 The Mason Gaines Legacy Award Applications Open TODAY! 💙

This award honors the life and legacy of Mason Nakia Gaines by providing financial assistance to K–8th grade children with special needs in St. Tammany Parish.

The award helps families obtain adaptive equipment, supplies, and services that support their child’s growth, independence, and ability to thrive.

Selected recipients will receive awards ranging from $100 to $1,500 based on demonstrated need and available resources. Amount varies for organizations serving many children.

⭐️ Applications Open: September 8, 2026
⭐️ Applications Close: October 30, 2026

Follow this link or scan the QR code to apply.
🔗 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfbohwJIpPLGk9wREBpiFxiH86XTJYbHOLKv09fHTXnHhRxaA/viewform?usp=dialog

Help us carry Mason’s legacy forward by helping children with special needs access the support they need to thrive.

09/15/2026

🌟 𝐓𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐒𝐏𝐎𝐓𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓: 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐦𝐞! 🌟

It’s been a while since I’ve introduced myself around here, so today I’m turning the spotlight around for a minute.

Hi! I’m Trina, the person behind the Northshore Autism Resource Hub. 💙

I’m also a local travel advisor and the owner of 𝐁𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥, where I help adults on the autism spectrum and families navigating life with autism travel with a little more confidence, a little more preparation, and hopefully a lot less overwhelm.

And I have resources for you!

✈️ 𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐋 𝐀𝐃𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐑 𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐈𝐂𝐄𝐒

I help plan cruises, resorts, theme parks, family vacations, getaways and more.

When sensory needs, routines, food concerns, crowds, accessibility or overwhelm need to be part of the conversation, we include them.

Because autism-aware travel planning should still be about one very important thing:

𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐯𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 🌴🛳️🎢

🧳 𝐀𝐋𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐘 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐀 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐏 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐄𝐃?

I also offer 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐩 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 for travelers who already have their vacation booked but want help preparing for the airport, hotel, cruise ship, schedule changes, crowds, food, transitions or all those little things that can become very big things once you’re traveling.

📚 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐈 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐂𝐄𝐒!

I’ve created free travel guides and resources to help make travel feel a little more manageable before you ever leave home.

Want them?

👇 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐛 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞:

https://bethepearltravelonthespectrum.com/free-travel-resources

You’ll also get occasional travel tips, helpful resources and updates from me.

No inbox overload. No pressure. No nonsense. 😉

And even if you’re not planning a trip right now, you’re still welcome here.

Part of the reason I created this Hub was because families shouldn’t have to spend hours hunting for every resource, every connection and every bit of useful information on their own.

Sometimes the resource I can point you toward is right here. ❤️

𝐁𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥

Autism aware. Sensory aware. Vacation focused.

✈️ 𝐍𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞, 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬.