March 28, 2026 • 10 mins
We spoke with Founder and Director Helen Chase of The Social Chase about an upcoming event.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning, thank you for listening to Community Access. I'm
Alison Demerz. My guest this morning is Helen Taylor. She
is founder and president of the Social Chase. Good morning,
Thank you for going.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Morning Alison, thank you again for having us there always.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
April is World Autism Month and you have an amazing
event that's coming up. But first let's tell people who
you are and what you do.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Thank you. So we are the Social Chase. We're a
nonprofit organization of five on' one C three and our
mission is really to support the neurodivergent la teens to
adults on the autos and spectrum or even with special needs.
So we provide social activities, advocacy, some resource access, collaboration
with like minded organizations as well. We will try to
(00:44):
celebrate the uniqueness of our members and foster some lasting connections.
So it's really about supporting them and having them feel
accepted and free to be who they are. So we
have many like free to be Me activities where we
go into events and we talked to the facilities, let
them know about our community, and they just have a
great time because they could make the noises they want,
(01:07):
they could stem all they want without.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
Judgment, and not just them, but their families as well
can take a break and relation.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
So one of the things with our organization, because we're
one hundred percent volunteer organization, is appearents must stay with them.
So when the parents stay, what happens they get together
and they have communication, They'll have conversations to help each
other out. So it's a whole pay it forward type
of situation that we're having for Social Chase.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
It's wonderful. And why did you start this organization?
Speaker 2 (01:35):
I started an organization pretty much out of a need.
You know, I worked in Harford and I would have
to go home to Waterbury to pick up our son, Chase,
to bring them to a social activity because there wasn't
anything in their area, so to drive them the Haven
or Plainville or Wallingford. And it was getting a bit much,
and I would just go around and pick up his
friends too and bring them. I say, well, if I'm
bringing him, I might as of bringing somebody else. And
(01:58):
so it was a lot. So it said, you know,
we could do this and bring it here. And I
knew there was more people that wanted that needed this
type of engagement because I also was a coach for
Special Olympics, so I know all those individuals weren't going
into these events. So I just started having game nights
and then the flourished from there and we had a
relationship with Post University, which we have again and we
(02:20):
have game nights with the athletes and they absolutely love it.
So them telling to me this makes me so happy.
It's just the full payment I would ever receive for
doing what I'm doing, So it's out of a need
and just to make them happy and feel welcomed.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
So you have an event that's coming up.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
I do. I'm very excited. It's our fifth year of
the Free Autism Educational Awareness Forum. Our friend Renaedian and
you know from WWSP she's going to be moderating the panel.
So we have mini speakers, like thirteen workshops and it's
all free because we know that everyone can't afford some
of these workshops, these conferences, and there's nothing wrong with
(03:01):
paying for them, but some people can't, and you shouldn't
have to pay for something to get help for you
to help your child, So that's why we really started this.
And we have a parent panel which is pay it Forward,
so parents sharing the story, you ask questions. We have
a Profound Autism Panel which we started last year and
that's gonna be also available via zoom, so make sure
(03:23):
you register because we've talked about it, like every parent
who has a profound child who's on the spectrum can't
get out the house or will not leave the house,
but we still want to pay it forward to them,
so we're also going to be providing that as well.
We're gonna have executive functioning support for ages three to
six by Chris Albergard. He's with the Social Learning Center
(03:46):
moving out at the high school Chapel Haven's going to
come and speak about what opportunities there are in terms
of what happens your child graduation from high school, what's next,
or what happens when I'm gone, what's going to happen?
So we all need that type of direction. Wow ABA
services and how effective they can be, which was very
effective for our family if you have a good experience
(04:08):
with it.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
And what does ABA stand for for those who don't know.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Apply behavior behavioral analysis. It's just a therapy way to
help with your social skills and feelings. Things such as that.
One of the exciting things is asked a lawyer So
we have Steve Rubin from Dreven Rubin Law. He's going
to be in the cafeteria asking questions. You ask me
a question, he's going to answer as a lawyer. So
that's free law services people. Yes, we're going to do
(04:33):
empowering altis of people through research which is from the
Yale Medical School. I mean sorry, it's Children's Medical Center,
which I'm very excited about. And also we also have
a mother who's coming in, doctor Ellen Preen, and she's
going to be discussing her perspectives of a child, a
(04:53):
mother with a child of autism, and she's also a neuropsychologist.
In addition, she's also started with the first responding training
years ago, so she was one of the first ones
that started in Connecticut. So she's gonna share her experience.
And also Walter Glom he's always been there every year
for Connecticut Council on Developmental Disabilities Social Connectivity. His is
(05:14):
like fabulous and life planning for special needs by Michael Boloff,
So that's important, Like we have the plan of we
have the child, how we're gonna plan for the future,
plan for now, and Michael's gonna provide that for us.
Then One of our most popular ones is a self
Advocate panel, which is gonna be moderated by Jana Toli,
she's one of our board members, and also Chase his
(05:36):
former teacher. And that's gonna be the Social Chasers, Andrew Arbo,
jeremyk Frell. It's gonna be Chase, Jordan, Emily, Chase, I Mean,
and Paul and there's gonna be sharing their stories of
being on the spectrum and what it means to them
and the challenges they have, which is also helpful to
hear their voice. Project Search is coming. One of our
(05:57):
other Social Chasers, Willer is going to be on there,
alexand and Ray Bush and Project Search is provides services
training in the hospitals for potential jobs or just job
skill sets at the Project Search and they're growing all
over Connecticut. And another one is neuro Needs is on
biomedical intervention for autism. So I'm saying a lot, but
(06:19):
i just want everybody to know that we're really looking
forward to us. It's a free, all day event. Please
register early so we can make sure we can order
food which is going to be provided by Magnemic Flies,
which is very good. And we also have vendors, so
we're going to have a resource figure. So we learned
over the years that we had a lot of workshops
but not enough time in between, so we add more
(06:39):
time for the vendors. So we have over twenty vendors
that are coming as well.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
This is so incredible. It's free, free. You have the
raffle as well, that's going to be going.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Yes, So this is free so to inspire people to
attend the event. When you tend the event, your name
is automatically going to be entered into a raffle. So
we have fifty dollars. Raffles take America Express gift cards.
We have six of them, so that's six winners. We're
also going to have some raffle baskets for free for winners,
(07:13):
so hopefully that'll encourage you also to come rain or shine.
By the way, it's indoors, and we're really grateful to
the City of Waterbury into water Arts Manu School for
the support for every year that we've done this. They
it's just it's amazing to have that type of support
and I have to worry about certain things.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
Helen, I mean, you're amazing. This is such an incredible event.
All the events that you do. But again it's the
fifth free Autism Education and Awareness Forum. There's gonna be
live Q and a resource fear expert speakers. So take
me through the day. If they arrive at nine, it
ends at four. You have speakers throughout, you break for lunch.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
Yes, so we have in the beginning we're gonna have
introduction as well, and then that the parent panel is
at the same time to parent Profile panel, so everyone
there's no workshops that's there, and then from there at
eleven thirty we'll have a speaker session, so it's going
to be four workshops you could choose from. Then we
have lunch and then we have speakers at two and
(08:13):
then at two fifty. So that's why it's all day long.
And the speakers coming to speak are amazing and I'm
just so grateful to them to want to give back
to the community as well. It's not just us as
also the speakers, these vendors. I mean it's a Saturday
and they'll come to really help parents and allies and caretakers.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
What advice would you give to a parent who recently
found out their child is on the spectrum.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
One of the advices I would say is, don't stress.
There is so much out there to help you your
child has on the spectrum, do as much reach search
you can, reach out to other parents for the support
you have, and advocate and just don't accept everything that
(09:00):
people say to you. Do your research and advocate for
your child, and always know that your child is just
an amazing child and they're just so innocent, and your
goal is for prepare them for the world, but also
have the world be prepared for them.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
And go to the Social Chase dot org for more information.
Thank you to find out all the events and what
advice would you give to somebody, Let's say, who's at
dinner or a movie and maybe somebody who has autism,
maybe having a hard time. What would you say to
those people?
Speaker 2 (09:34):
I think the more we educate, the less judgment there
will be. Sometimes, you know, I could say back in
the day day you saw that, you said, oh that
child's so bad. Now people say, oh, maybe there's something
different going on, So don't always judge, and maybe ask
the parent, is there any way I can help you,
you know, or along those lines. But some of them
(09:56):
that's their stemming, that's their way of communication, and that
might be the only time the parent gets to go
out to have dinner and they had to bring their child.
So give them a little grace if you can.
Speaker 1 (10:08):
Yes, they are a gift. They're truly a gift. Every
single child that's given to us, right, they're a gift.
I'm speaking with Helen Taylor, founder and President of the
Social Chase Again. For more information about this event, go
to Thesocialchase dot org. Thank you so much for being
here today.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
Thank you so much for always be a big supporter
of the community. Always. I appreciate you always
Good morning, thank you for listening to Community Access. I'm
Alison Demerz. My guest this morning is Helen Taylor. She
is founder and president of the Social Chase. Good morning,
Thank you for going.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Morning Alison, thank you again for having us there always.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
April is World Autism Month and you have an amazing
event that's coming up. But first let's tell people who
you are and what you do.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Thank you. So we are the Social Chase. We're a
nonprofit organization of five on' one C three and our
mission is really to support the neurodivergent la teens to
adults on the autos and spectrum or even with special needs.
So we provide social activities, advocacy, some resource access, collaboration
with like minded organizations as well. We will try to
(00:44):
celebrate the uniqueness of our members and foster some lasting connections.
So it's really about supporting them and having them feel
accepted and free to be who they are. So we
have many like free to be Me activities where we
go into events and we talked to the facilities, let
them know about our community, and they just have a
great time because they could make the noises they want,
(01:07):
they could stem all they want without.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
Judgment, and not just them, but their families as well
can take a break and relation.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
So one of the things with our organization, because we're
one hundred percent volunteer organization, is appearents must stay with them.
So when the parents stay, what happens they get together
and they have communication, They'll have conversations to help each
other out. So it's a whole pay it forward type
of situation that we're having for Social Chase.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
It's wonderful. And why did you start this organization?
Speaker 2 (01:35):
I started an organization pretty much out of a need.
You know, I worked in Harford and I would have
to go home to Waterbury to pick up our son, Chase,
to bring them to a social activity because there wasn't
anything in their area, so to drive them the Haven
or Plainville or Wallingford. And it was getting a bit much,
and I would just go around and pick up his
friends too and bring them. I say, well, if I'm
bringing him, I might as of bringing somebody else. And
(01:58):
so it was a lot. So it said, you know,
we could do this and bring it here. And I
knew there was more people that wanted that needed this
type of engagement because I also was a coach for
Special Olympics, so I know all those individuals weren't going
into these events. So I just started having game nights
and then the flourished from there and we had a
relationship with Post University, which we have again and we
(02:20):
have game nights with the athletes and they absolutely love it.
So them telling to me this makes me so happy.
It's just the full payment I would ever receive for
doing what I'm doing, So it's out of a need
and just to make them happy and feel welcomed.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
So you have an event that's coming up.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
I do. I'm very excited. It's our fifth year of
the Free Autism Educational Awareness Forum. Our friend Renaedian and
you know from WWSP she's going to be moderating the panel.
So we have mini speakers, like thirteen workshops and it's
all free because we know that everyone can't afford some
of these workshops, these conferences, and there's nothing wrong with
(03:01):
paying for them, but some people can't, and you shouldn't
have to pay for something to get help for you
to help your child, So that's why we really started this.
And we have a parent panel which is pay it Forward,
so parents sharing the story, you ask questions. We have
a Profound Autism Panel which we started last year and
that's gonna be also available via zoom, so make sure
(03:23):
you register because we've talked about it, like every parent
who has a profound child who's on the spectrum can't
get out the house or will not leave the house,
but we still want to pay it forward to them,
so we're also going to be providing that as well.
We're gonna have executive functioning support for ages three to
six by Chris Albergard. He's with the Social Learning Center
(03:46):
moving out at the high school Chapel Haven's going to
come and speak about what opportunities there are in terms
of what happens your child graduation from high school, what's next,
or what happens when I'm gone, what's going to happen?
So we all need that type of direction. Wow ABA
services and how effective they can be, which was very
effective for our family if you have a good experience
(04:08):
with it.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
And what does ABA stand for for those who don't know.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Apply behavior behavioral analysis. It's just a therapy way to
help with your social skills and feelings. Things such as that.
One of the exciting things is asked a lawyer So
we have Steve Rubin from Dreven Rubin Law. He's going
to be in the cafeteria asking questions. You ask me
a question, he's going to answer as a lawyer. So
that's free law services people. Yes, we're going to do
(04:33):
empowering altis of people through research which is from the
Yale Medical School. I mean sorry, it's Children's Medical Center,
which I'm very excited about. And also we also have
a mother who's coming in, doctor Ellen Preen, and she's
going to be discussing her perspectives of a child, a
(04:53):
mother with a child of autism, and she's also a neuropsychologist.
In addition, she's also started with the first responding training
years ago, so she was one of the first ones
that started in Connecticut. So she's gonna share her experience.
And also Walter Glom he's always been there every year
for Connecticut Council on Developmental Disabilities Social Connectivity. His is
(05:14):
like fabulous and life planning for special needs by Michael Boloff,
So that's important, Like we have the plan of we
have the child, how we're gonna plan for the future,
plan for now, and Michael's gonna provide that for us.
Then One of our most popular ones is a self
Advocate panel, which is gonna be moderated by Jana Toli,
she's one of our board members, and also Chase his
(05:36):
former teacher. And that's gonna be the Social Chasers, Andrew Arbo,
jeremyk Frell. It's gonna be Chase, Jordan, Emily, Chase, I Mean,
and Paul and there's gonna be sharing their stories of
being on the spectrum and what it means to them
and the challenges they have, which is also helpful to
hear their voice. Project Search is coming. One of our
(05:57):
other Social Chasers, Willer is going to be on there,
alexand and Ray Bush and Project Search is provides services
training in the hospitals for potential jobs or just job
skill sets at the Project Search and they're growing all
over Connecticut. And another one is neuro Needs is on
biomedical intervention for autism. So I'm saying a lot, but
(06:19):
i just want everybody to know that we're really looking
forward to us. It's a free, all day event. Please
register early so we can make sure we can order
food which is going to be provided by Magnemic Flies,
which is very good. And we also have vendors, so
we're going to have a resource figure. So we learned
over the years that we had a lot of workshops
but not enough time in between, so we add more
(06:39):
time for the vendors. So we have over twenty vendors
that are coming as well.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
This is so incredible. It's free, free. You have the
raffle as well, that's going to be going.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Yes, So this is free so to inspire people to
attend the event. When you tend the event, your name
is automatically going to be entered into a raffle. So
we have fifty dollars. Raffles take America Express gift cards.
We have six of them, so that's six winners. We're
also going to have some raffle baskets for free for winners,
(07:13):
so hopefully that'll encourage you also to come rain or shine.
By the way, it's indoors, and we're really grateful to
the City of Waterbury into water Arts Manu School for
the support for every year that we've done this. They
it's just it's amazing to have that type of support
and I have to worry about certain things.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
Helen, I mean, you're amazing. This is such an incredible event.
All the events that you do. But again it's the
fifth free Autism Education and Awareness Forum. There's gonna be
live Q and a resource fear expert speakers. So take
me through the day. If they arrive at nine, it
ends at four. You have speakers throughout, you break for lunch.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
Yes, so we have in the beginning we're gonna have
introduction as well, and then that the parent panel is
at the same time to parent Profile panel, so everyone
there's no workshops that's there, and then from there at
eleven thirty we'll have a speaker session, so it's going
to be four workshops you could choose from. Then we
have lunch and then we have speakers at two and
(08:13):
then at two fifty. So that's why it's all day long.
And the speakers coming to speak are amazing and I'm
just so grateful to them to want to give back
to the community as well. It's not just us as
also the speakers, these vendors. I mean it's a Saturday
and they'll come to really help parents and allies and caretakers.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
What advice would you give to a parent who recently
found out their child is on the spectrum.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
One of the advices I would say is, don't stress.
There is so much out there to help you your
child has on the spectrum, do as much reach search
you can, reach out to other parents for the support
you have, and advocate and just don't accept everything that
(09:00):
people say to you. Do your research and advocate for
your child, and always know that your child is just
an amazing child and they're just so innocent, and your
goal is for prepare them for the world, but also
have the world be prepared for them.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
And go to the Social Chase dot org for more information.
Thank you to find out all the events and what
advice would you give to somebody, Let's say, who's at
dinner or a movie and maybe somebody who has autism,
maybe having a hard time. What would you say to
those people?
Speaker 2 (09:34):
I think the more we educate, the less judgment there
will be. Sometimes, you know, I could say back in
the day day you saw that, you said, oh that
child's so bad. Now people say, oh, maybe there's something
different going on, So don't always judge, and maybe ask
the parent, is there any way I can help you,
you know, or along those lines. But some of them
(09:56):
that's their stemming, that's their way of communication, and that
might be the only time the parent gets to go
out to have dinner and they had to bring their child.
So give them a little grace if you can.
Speaker 1 (10:08):
Yes, they are a gift. They're truly a gift. Every
single child that's given to us, right, they're a gift.
I'm speaking with Helen Taylor, founder and President of the
Social Chase Again. For more information about this event, go
to Thesocialchase dot org. Thank you so much for being
here today.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
Thank you so much for always be a big supporter
of the community. Always. I appreciate you always
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