Schmitt felt that came from a general lack of public understanding about what autism means. So, during the pandemic, the NEO team joined the New York-based Ride FAR (For Autism Research) virtually for two years. Tomorrow, it’s launching the inaugural Bay Street Rides FAR.
Earlier this week, Schmitt said the ride already 10 sponsors, including three banks, and 80 participants from across the industry.
“It’s great to see that people like the cause and will support it,” he said, adding that it’s also begun to build some community for other families with autistic members who have gotten involved.
“When I started to get involved with the Wall Street rides, I was surprised by the number of people that I knew who are affected by this and we don’t know about it. So, I think whatever we can do to create more awareness around this is also very important.”
The combined North American initiative is aiming to raise $1 million for the Autism Science Foundation. It was founded in the U.S., but Schmitt has registered the Canadian branch of the charity with the Canada Revenue Agency. The Bay Street Ride is aiming to raise $100,000 for Canadian research and initiatives since the foundation wants to discover what causes autism, how it can be addressed, and how best to provide more support for families with autism.
