“Take a Break on ASO” – our most popular program!

Taking care of a child or adult on the autistic spectrum can be challenging. Parents (including foster parents) often don’t have enough time for themselves and need a break to re-energize.

To help, ASO launched its popular “Take A Break on ASO” program in 2007. Since then, we have provided over *3,500* parents, foster parents, or legal guardians with gift certificates to wonderful local restaurants, tickets passes to first-run movies and paid for respite care for their child/ren – including adult children – on the autistic spectrum.

Under the Take a Break on ASO program, you and your guest will receive:

• a $25 gift certificate to a restaurant of your choice;
• 2 movie tickets to a theater of your choice; and
• up to 4 hours of respite care at $14/hour (total $56) for all of the children in the home under the parent/legal guardian’s care

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, we have modified the “Take a Break on ASO” program to still give parents/legal guardians a break even with restaurants and movie theaters closed. If the parents/legal guardians wish, they can receive $25 gift cards for takeout from the restaurant of their choice or gift cards to local grocery stores for foods to prepare a meal, and $25  gift cards to Netflix or other streaming movies instead of movie tickets. The parents/legal guardians can chose any stores so long as we can purchase gift cards online for the safety of our staff.  If the parents/legal guardians do not have anyone who can provide respite, ASO can pay one of the parents/legal guardians to be their child’s respite provider.   

How to Apply:

Eligibility: Any parent/legal guardian/foster parent who is primary caregiver for a person on the autism spectrum anywhere in Oregon or SW Washington is eligible.

To ensure all families are given a chance to participate, we ask that each family wait for a year after enjoying “Take a Break on ASO” before applying again.

To Participate: Please contact the ASO office by phone at (503) 636-1676 or toll-free at: 1-888-AUTISM-1 (288-4761), or CLICK HERE TO EMAIL ASO from our Contact Page. Please be sure to check your “JUNK” or “SPAM” folder for responses.

Due to the generosity of our donors, there is NO waitlist and NO lottery.

Parents are responsible for arranging for the respite care, but we’ll try to help find providers if needed. Family members are welcome to provide respite care, so long as they are over the age of 18.

ASO will pay the respite care provider directly. We will send you a form to give to your care provider to fill out and return to ASO for payment after services are provided.

To Donate to “Take a Break on ASO”:

We depend on our generous sponsors to make this program possible. If you would like to contribute to “Take  A Break on ASO” or donate gift certificates, please contact ASO at (503) 636-1676, or toll-free 1-888-AUTISM-1 (288-4761), or CLICK HERE TO EMAIL ASO from our Contact Page . 
A special thank you to our GENEROUS SPONSORS who make this program possible.

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Testimonials

“This time away gave us an opportunity to reconnect with each other and have a real uninterrupted conversation. I can’t stress to you enough how important this is to our relationship and to recharge our batteries. Families with children on the Autism Spectrum are so exhausted and we all need a good break to keep up.”

Kathy & Steve, Lane County

“These kinds of breaks really do mean a lot to me and my husband. We have had a lot on our plate the last 20 years but are in it together for the long haul. These special gifts of respite are very valuable. Thank you for all you do!”

Tammie, Yamhill County

“Thank you so much for all you do. I am a single parent doing this all alone. As you probably figured, this was a nice treat to have. Again, I just want to say thank you all! It’s a big help knowing that others do care and understand. So again thank you, and I hope that the good karma comes back around to you all.”

Jeramy, Deschutes County

“My husband and I want to thank you for providing us with a wonderful afternoon outing.  I had the best hamburger I’ve ever had in my entire life! Then, we went to a movie where we enjoyed a comedy. I cannot tell you the last time we had the opportunity to go somewhere, just the two of us, to relax and laugh. We really needed this break.”

Nancy, Washington County

“Thanks so much to ASO for the Take A Break program! My wife and I had a terrific time, enjoying a wonderful meal in a restaurant that normally would have been off-limits to us as our two autistic children would not have been able to handle the sensory input. With all of the extra costs of raising special needs children, this was much appreciated gift.”

Dale, Clackamas County

“Caring for two autistic children has been quite a challenge for us. It’s nice to know that there is an organization that understands and cares about not only the autistic child, but also the caregivers for those children. We can’t say enough positive things about our experience with ‘Take a Break on ASO!'”

Damon & Susan, Multnomah County