Shelters, support groups, parent training, events, and helplines — sorted by state and city.
100+ host cities
Family-friendly walks with sensory-quiet zones, free resource fairs, and on-site connections to local providers.
Hours
Annual — most events held Sat in April
Vetted by Autism Society of America
Nationwide
Federally funded center in every state offering free IEP coaching, special-ed law training, and advocacy clinics for parents.
Phone
1-855-211-7373Hours
Mon–Fri 9am–5pm ET
Vetted by Center for Parent Information & Resources
Nationwide (virtual)
Free social network for parents of autistic kids. Active subgroup for single moms — vent, swap IEP wins, find local sitters.
Hours
Forum open 24/7; weekly facilitated thread
Vetted by MyAutismTeam
Nationwide (virtual)
Free 1:1 mentor matching with another parent who has raised a child with the same disability. State affiliates in 40+ states.
Phone
1-855-238-9197Hours
Match request answered within 1–2 business days
Vetted by Parent to Parent USA
New York, NY
1:1 information specialists help newly diagnosed families find ABA, IEP help, insurance appeals, and crisis resources.
Phone
1-888-288-4762Hours
Mon–Fri 9am–5pm local time
Vetted by Autism Speaks
Rockville, MD
6110 Executive Blvd, Suite 305, Rockville, MD 20852
Free national helpline that connects parents to local autism services, respite, financial aid, and parent-training programs.
Phone
1-800-328-8476Hours
Mon–Fri 9am–9pm ET (live); voicemail 24/7
Vetted by Autism Society of America
Tarzana, CA
19019 Ventura Blvd, Suite 200, Tarzana, CA 91356
Grants up to $5,000 for ABA therapy, safety equipment, AAC devices, and biomedical assessments for low-income families.
Phone
1-877-9ACTTODAYHours
Mon–Fri 9am–5pm PT
Vetted by ACT Today!
Phoenix, AZ
300 N 18th St, Phoenix, AZ 85006
Free monthly mom's coffee + sibling support nights. Sliding-scale parent-training in English & Spanish.
Phone
1-602-340-8717Hours
Mon–Fri 8am–5pm MST
Vetted by SARRC
Mission Hills, CA
15501 San Fernando Mission Blvd #200, Mission Hills, CA 91345
Emergency placement and supported-living for families with autistic children when standard shelters can't accommodate sensory needs.
Emergency contact
1-818-687-9988Hours
Office Mon–Fri 8:30am–5pm; on-call line 24/7
Vetted by Jay Nolan Community Services
San Jose, CA
1147 Minnesota Ave #102, San Jose, CA 95125
Free IEP clinics, regional center navigation, and Saturday Spanish-language parent academies in Santa Clara County.
Phone
1-408-727-5775Hours
Mon–Fri 9am–5pm PT; workshops eves & Sat
Vetted by Family Resource Center Network of CA
Tampa, FL
13301 Bruce B Downs Blvd, MHC 2113A, Tampa, FL 33612
State-funded — free consults, behavior plans, school advocacy, and parent support groups across central FL.
Phone
1-813-974-2532Hours
Mon–Fri 8am–5pm ET
Vetted by University of South Florida
Atlanta, GA
1920 Briarcliff Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30329
Free 6-week parent-coaching cohorts for behavior, feeding, and toilet-training. Sliding-scale for therapy.
Phone
1-404-785-9400Hours
Mon–Fri 8am–5pm ET
Vetted by Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
Chicago, IL
1939 W 13th St #300, Chicago, IL 60608
Bilingual mom support circles, sibling Saturdays, and free advocacy for IEP & Medicaid waiver appeals.
Phone
1-312-491-4110Hours
Mon–Fri 8:30am–5pm CT
Vetted by Easterseals
Watertown, MA
359 Main St, Watertown, MA 02472
Twice-monthly facilitated support group specifically for single moms. Free childcare on-site during meetings.
Phone
1-617-393-3824Hours
Office Mon–Thu 10am–4pm; meetings 2nd Tue 7–9pm ET
Vetted by Advocates Inc.
Southfield, MI
26500 American Dr #240, Southfield, MI 48034
Quarterly free family days at zoos & museums with quiet rooms. Year-round MiNavigator concierge for moms.
Phone
1-877-463-2266Hours
Navigator line Mon–Fri 9am–5pm ET
Vetted by Autism Alliance of Michigan
Raleigh, NC
505 Oberlin Rd #230, Raleigh, NC 27605
40+ local chapters statewide running monthly mom meet-ups, sibling groups, and free crisis-response coaching.
Phone
1-800-442-2762Hours
Mon–Fri 9am–5pm ET
Vetted by Autism Society of North Carolina
Morristown, NJ
12 Elm St, Morristown, NJ 07960
Family-style shelter with private rooms and case managers trained in autism — accepts moms with kids who can't tolerate congregate shelter.
Emergency contact
1-973-538-7200Hours
Office Mon–Fri 9am–5pm; intake line 24/7
Vetted by Family Promise
New York, NY
Sliding-scale virtual parent groups — IEP, transition planning, and a 'newly diagnosed mom' starter cohort.
Phone
1-617-393-3824Hours
Workshops Tue & Thu evenings 7–8:30pm ET
Vetted by Association for Autism & Neurodiversity
New York, NY
220 E 42nd St, 8th Fl, New York, NY 10017
Free OPWDD eligibility help, respite hours, and after-school programs for families across NYC, Westchester & LI.
Phone
1-212-273-6182Hours
Mon–Fri 9am–5pm ET
Vetted by YAI
Cleveland, OH
23880 Commerce Park #2, Beachwood, OH 44122
Free statewide helpdesk and an annual Ohio autism conference — full scholarships available for single moms.
Phone
1-216-464-7600Hours
Mon–Fri 9am–5pm ET; helpdesk replies in 1 biz day
Vetted by Milestones Autism Resources
Philadelphia, PA
1062 E Lancaster Ave #30B, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
Monthly low-cost ($5) family nights with sensory rooms + a free sitter pool so single parents can attend support circles.
Phone
1-866-427-6788Hours
Office Mon–Fri 9am–5pm ET; events 3rd Fri 6–8pm
Vetted by Autism Services of Greater Philadelphia
Austin, TX
6207 Sheridan Ave, Austin, TX 78723
Free in-home parent coaching, bilingual support groups, and emergency diaper/formula bank for autism families in Travis County.
Phone
1-512-454-3743Hours
Mon–Fri 8am–5pm CT
Vetted by Any Baby Can
Houston, TX
1281 N Post Oak Rd #200, Houston, TX 77055
Vetted referral to autism-friendly emergency housing + temporary respite when a mom is in crisis. Case worker follows up within 24h.
Emergency contact
211Hours
Office Mon–Fri 8:30am–5pm CT; 211 is 24/7
Vetted by The Arc of Greater Houston
Richmond, VA
2201 W Broad St #107, Richmond, VA 23220
Free statewide info & referral, Medicaid DD-waiver navigation, and a single-parent stipend program (up to $500/yr).
Phone
1-800-649-8481Hours
Mon–Fri 9am–4:30pm ET
Vetted by Commonwealth Autism
Seattle, WA
233 6th Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109
Free monthly parent coalition meetings, IEP advocacy clinics, and a sliding-scale futures-planning workshop for solo parents.
Phone
1-206-829-7053Hours
Mon–Fri 9am–5pm PT
Vetted by The Arc of King County
Programs change. Always call ahead to confirm hours and current intake. If you're in immediate crisis, dial 988 or911.
Listings are aggregated from public agency websites, 211 directories, and verified nonprofit sources. Programs change frequently — please confirm details directly with the provider before relying on them.