08/29/2025
GNO is made by the amazing members! 💖
One year after joining Girls Night Out (GNO), member Ali has seen the positive effects of the program.
GNO is a community program that supports neurodivergent girls and young women. Through regular meetups, activities and discussions, the group offers a safe space for participants to build social confidence, navigate relationships and celebrate neurodiversity.
Being a member of the 2025 summer group, Ali has been a part of safe, important conversations discussing topics such as boundaries and qualities of a healthy friendship.
“My confidence has grown,” she said. “They’ve [GNO] taught me to slow down and understand boundaries — in friendships/relationships.”
Along with growing through her connections at GNO, Ali has leveraged her love of equestrian knowledge and horseback riding as a positive outlet.
“There are so many people at my barn who understand my special needs, and horseback riding is a relaxing but also a safe space to talk about what’s been happening in my life.”
After riding for 10 years, Ali along with her horse companion Sir Arthur Frtiz Gerald (Fritz), shared their knowledge with others at the Johnson County Fair this summer.
“I am doing the horseless horse project and making a poster about veterinary care,” Ali said.
For teens with autism, social situations may be overwhelming. GNO provides guided support to help ease transitions.
“I think telling them [people who are unaware of what autism may look like] that people who have autism think and act differently,” Ali said. “I think having someone help guide you through, going to new places or being introduced to people slowly and not rushing things would be helpful.”
Through GNO as well as her community at the barn, Ali said she has noticed personal growth.
“If someone’s thinking about joining GNO, I’d tell them they’re not alone,” she said. “There are people who will support you on good days and bad days — and you’ll have fun, too.”
We love sharing what makes our members so special and how they have impacted our community! 🥰
08/21/2025
Kansas LEND Family Education Series - August 2025 - SPED Conflict Resolution
As a parent with a child who has been diagnosed with autism or a related disability you don't know what you don't know. The Kansas Leadership Education in Ne...
08/03/2025
The heart and purpose of Girls Night Out (GNO) are the participants! ✨
We want to share who makes GNO and the why behind who we are. 💖
Both on the field and at GNO events, Annika has made an impact and continues to grow as an individual.
“I’ve learned how to be a better athlete and that being part of a team is like a sisterhood,” Annika said. “[Because of GNO]] I’m better at being able to talk to people about how I feel.”
After completing her first GNO group last Spring, Annika has seen her connections with others grow as well as her own personal growth.
“It [participating in GNO] is a really good way to get help with social skills and to learn how to act around people,” she said. “Plus you get to do it around people just like you.”
Being able to be herself is what Annika believes is the most important thing she has taken with her from GNO and is one of the reasons she continues to be an active participant in the program.
Stay tuned as we highlight more of the people who make GNO!
08/01/2025
Our Girls Night Out (GNO) alumni are more than just former participants- they are always part of the GNO family! 🥰
Community events are open to all alumni and we love to see everyone together making connections.
Keep a checkout for participant highlights! ✨
07/30/2025
Did you know that we created a mental health support group just for people with I/DD?
It’s called We All Matter… and we mean that with our whole hearts! We meet on the first Friday of every month on Zoom at 4:30pm.
Register at https://bit.ly/kcddWAM.
07/25/2025
🚨🚨🚨 KCDD couldn’t be prouder to announce that our very own, Whit Downing, Vice President of Policy & Programming, will give a keynote address at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ 35th Anniversary Celebration of the Americans with Disabilities Act alongside Secretary Kennedy and fellow disability advocates.
📆 Monday, July 28, 2025
⏰ 9 am CST/10 am EST - 11 am CST/12 pm EST
🎥 You can watch LIVE at: https://www.hhs.gov/live/live-1/index.html #11827
07/22/2025
We’re excited to reintroduce GNO (Girls’ Night Out) in case you are new here! ✨
GNO is a community-based program designed to support the social-emotional well-being of neurodiverse and autistic adolescent and young adult females. 💖
GNO offers inclusive, thoughtfully designed social and self-care experiences that provide opportunities for authentic connection, social conversation, and meaningful participation in the community. While open to all abilities, GNO was created specifically with autistic and other neurodivergent females in mind.
Our goal is to foster a sense of belonging, confidence, and joy through shared experiences — whether it’s a casual meetup, a group activity, or a community event.
Whether you’re a past participant or new to our community, we’re thrilled to introduce ourselves and continue to share our moments of growth, connection, and empowerment! 🥰
07/16/2025
Talking about feelings can make a big difference. Our mental health support group for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities helps you:
✅ Feel heard
✅ Build confidence
✅ Make connections
Register now: https://bit.ly/kcddSupportGroup
All are welcome!
07/15/2025
Our partners Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities are having a conference! They have tracks for self-advocates and parents this year!! Check out this information below and get registered today!
📣 Registration is OPEN!
Join us for the FREE SPEAK Up! Conference — a day for self-advocates and families to learn, connect, and lead.
💬 Two tracks:
✔️ Self-Advocate
✔️ Parent/Caregiver
🗓️ [11/8/25] | 📍 [KU Edwards Campus - 12600 S Quivira Rd, Overland Park, KS 66213]
🎟️ Sign up now [https://bit.ly/kcddspeakup2025]
Let’s raise our voices and make a change together.
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