Our History

How it all started…

The idea for All 4 Autism began in 2009, when a few local families began a support group. Originally named The Autism Advocacy Group of Florence, they had a mission to increase awareness and support for those affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Over the years, the number of affected individuals continued to grow rapidly, but support and resources were still hard to find in our area. As a result, they evaluated their purpose, adjusted the mission, set higher goals, and looked to the future. They officially changed the name to All 4 Autism in 2015, and began exploring ways to grow their efforts.

Jessica Brown met Amy Pennington through Pacing 4 Pieces, a half-marathon and 5K Run/Walk. This event was developed by Amy because of her desire to raise funds for the Autism Community, and inspired by her son, Griffin. Because of her determination, Pacing 4 Pieces was very successful and All 4 Autism’s largest source of funding.

Jessica had spent her career in the nonprofit sector, and wanted to use her experience and knowledge to begin a professional organization to meet the needs of local families. She understood the challenges and loneliness that comes with a diagnosis, especially when you live in an area with few resources and limited awareness. She pledged to do something that would help other families through their journey with autism.

In 2016, Jessica approached the Board of Directors of All 4 Autism. She shared the vision of opening an Autism Resource Center to provide a regional headquarters that offered free support services, resources and outreach events. The Board believed in their mission and voted unanimously to move forward as a professional organization that could increase services and grow outreach efforts.

Thanks to the original members of the Autism Advocacy Group of Florence, the support of our community, and the dedication of our volunteers, donors and Board of Directors, All 4 Autism fulfilled the dream of opening the Autism Resource Center of the Pee Dee on April 25, 2017 – the first and only in our region.

A new chapter begins…

In a very short time, we have increased resources, support and services for local families through various efforts, which are free and open to the public. While we are proud of all that has been accomplished, we came to the realization that our services and support programs were needed beyond the ASD Community.

THE PALMETTO PARTNERSHIP of All 4 Autism was created to fulfill our goal of focusing our efforts on ALL those with disabilities, rather than one population. In the spirit of inclusivity, we hope to be a voice for the under-served and promote the belief that we all have value and purpose, regardless of a medical diagnosis.

We acquired a new building in May of 2023, which will serve as the headquarters for THE PALMETTO PARTNERSHIP. This new venture will provide the same programs and support services offered by All 4 Autism, while increasing outreach efforts to create partnerships with other service agencies and community organizations. These partnerships will create a hub for sharing information, resources and services for local families.

The grand opening for THE PALMETTO PARTNERSHIP COMMUNITY CENTER is scheduled for May 2024.