Innovation, collaboration, and opportunity: Creating social enterprises for the autism community

Interview conducted by David Celiberti, PhD, BCBA-D
Association for Science in Autism

Interviewees (in order of appearance):

Mary McDonald, PhD, BCBA-D, LBA, Associate Executive Director, Eden II Programs, LI
Jackie Libretti, MS, BCBA, LBA, Behavior Intervention Specialist for Long Island Adult Programs
Cecilia Rivera, RBT, Vocational Specialist
Randy Horowitz, MSEd, Associate Executive Director, Eden II Programs, Staten Island
Loretta Kennedy, MSEd, Coordinator of Extra Curricular Activities, Eden II Programs

Creating meaningful employment opportunities for adults on the autism spectrum requires more than good intentions—it demands innovation, collaboration, and adaptability. At Eden II Programs, leadership has embraced this challenge by fostering partnerships that not only open doors to the workplace in creative ways but also reshape how communities view ability, contribution, and neurodiversity.

In this two-part interview, several members of the Eden II team share their insights into the strategies behind three unique employment initiatives, the importance of industry collaboration, and the vision driving their efforts to not only employ but also empower many of the adults that they serve. Their perspective highlights how organizations can move beyond traditional models to create sustainable pathways that honor both talent and diversity. In this first of a two-part interview, we will discuss two exemplars of programs building sustainable employment opportunities: Seasons for a Reason and Success Looms.

Seasons for a Reason

David: I have been familiar with Seasons for a Reason for several years and appreciated all the handmade seasonal items and home decor, but I don’t know the backstory of how it came to be?

Mary: Erin Archibald, our Director of Outreach, had an idea to create a “classroom in the mall” for our young adults so that they would have opportunities all around them. So, Erin approached me about it, and we set off to write a business plan to make it happen. A few donors and grants later, Seasons for a Reason was born in 2017 at a kiosk in a local mall. We leased a production room as well so that items could be made on-site. We closed the original mall location in 2021 due to COVID, but since that time, we have launched an Etsy shop, Deliveries by Dayhab, and we have two production rooms, one in Nassau County and one in Suffolk County, and we are about to launch a storefront in the local community. We created Seasons for a Reason because the employment rate for individuals with autism is lower than any other disability (Roux, et.al., 2013). We wanted to find a way to provide opportunities to our participants and so if we had to, we would build our own. So, we did just that!

David: The rates of unemployment and underemployment among autistic adults are truly heartbreaking, so I am very grateful for this initiative. Sounds like what started out as such a small venture has really expanded. How has the Seasons Crew been received in their community?

Jackie: When our groups are delivering the Seasons for a Reason items and baskets, they are always welcomed by the community. After all, who doesn’t enjoy receiving gifts?! Our customers’ smiles and kind words are infectious, and the adults in our program radiate positivity from the experience. They have even been offered tips! Of course, there are surprises sometimes…imagine returning home from work and seeing 25 pink plastic flamingos on your front lawn! Our customers may be a little shocked at first, until they realize that this mischievous act was sent to them by a friend and that, by receiving our “You’ve Been Flocked” team, they are part of a kind act that supports adults with autism.

David: That’s a wonderful story! Let’s delve a bit into the details and discuss how you set your workers up for success. Specifically, what types of job training and vocational skills have you carved out for your workers, and how have these skills been targeted?

Mary: Seasons for a Reason offers the opportunity for our participants to learn so many skills, such as creating handmade products, using the cash register, keeping spreadsheets, packaging items, preparing items for delivery or mailing, setting up a display area, taking orders, updating inventory, and photographing for Etsy and Facebook. We can use teaching methods based on applied behavior analysis, such as chaining, shaping, and modeling, to teach these skills to our participants (Ivy & Schreck, 2016). We often need to focus on the soft skills even more than the typical job skills (Oliech, 2023). So, we use interventions like video modeling to teach our participants to greet someone, or we provide written scripts for someone to ask questions at the cash register. We create a task analysis and provide a video model for our students to check their appearance before going to work. We have also had to use systematic desensitization procedures to introduce our participants to more professional clothing, such as wearing khakis rather than sweatpants. We work on teaching all the skills that will be needed in the workplace, and there are so many. Participants work on skills such as using the cash register, bagging purchases, stocking items and taking photos for social media. Skills are taught through in vivo modeling, video modeling and the use of visuals such as visual task analyses. The participants are also paired together for some tasks and learn from each other. We focus on assessment and job matching as well, and this is crucial, especially when many of our participants are non-verbal and cannot express their preferences to us. Job matching entails using assessments and observations to connect individuals to a particular job that they prefer. This has been shown to lead to a decrease in challenging behavior and an increase in engagement on the job (LaRue et al., 2020).

David: Flexibility has been a recurring theme in your work. Looking back, how did the pandemic affect your operations and become another extension of that commitment to adaptability and resilience?

A lawn flocked by Seasons for a Reason

Mary: During the pandemic, our opportunities to go to volunteer sites and partake in community outings were limited, and our kiosk in the community mall, where Seasons for a Reason was selling, closed due to COVID. The staff was looking for more ways to get the individuals back out into the community while still focusing on Seasons for a Reason. Due to COVID, we were limited in how we might interact with other people. One of our Behavior Analysts, Jackie Libretti, decided to take items from Seasons for a Reason, add a few more related items, and create seasonal and holiday-themed baskets that the participants could help create, take orders for, and then deliver them to people’s homes and businesses. One example was a Father’s Day basket that included some handmade items and some other goodies. Though our favorite is probably still our “You’ve been Flocked” in which the participants cover someone’s lawn in flamingos and add a sign to let them know that they have been “flocked”. It has been a successful venture and is still growing today, as a branch of the original Seasons for a Reason Social Enterprise.

David: That is amazing how you were all able to embody the spirit of entrepreneurship by assessing, regrouping, and delivering in a manner needed at that time. I know the scope of your inventory has really expanded over the years. What merchandise do you currently sell, and how can our readers place orders?

Cecilia: Seasons for a Reason is most famous for its beautiful handmade mesh wreaths made for seasons, holidays, and to honor various disabilities, such as our autism awareness/acceptance wreath. The participants also make keychains, small party favors, jewelry dishes, and jewelry. They use a Cricut machine and make personalized mugs, wine glasses, journals, and wooden home decor signs. Items sold by Seasons for a Reason include home decor, wreaths, candles, jewelry and gifts. Imagine giving a gift and supporting people with autism at the same time. We currently sell our products in the storefront and at agency and community events and on our Seasons for a Reason Etsy Shop, which is wonderful because we receive orders from all over the country and we are getting the word out about autism and how talented our participants are. Our newest creation is “Scents for a Reason”- our new line of handmade poured candles.

David: Tell our readers about your recently opened storefront.

Grand opening of new storefront with community members

Mary: We launched a new Seasons for a Reason storefront in December 2025, and this has provided a great opportunity for our participants. The participants are making items on site, stocking inventory, setting up displays, and, of course, providing customer service. We had a grand opening event, and when the first participant used the new cash register and swiped someone’s credit card, gave them their receipt, and then thanked them for shopping, my heart was full. The Seasons for a Reason store is an amazing opportunity for our participants to learn new skills, engage with the community, and show everyone what people with autism are capable of.

David: I am excited to learn about your next chapter. What are your future goals and what do you envision next?

Some Christmas offerings from Seasons

Mary: We have many future goals for Seasons for a Reason. We will be providing paid internships with supported job coaching now that the storefront is up and running as well. We will be expanding our product offerings by creating gift baskets/boxes for a graduation, new baby, birthday, etc. The baskets will include some handmade items from Seasons and some other related items. We will also provide favors for a few large events, like galas and weddings, so that is an area where we would like to grow in the future. We want to increase visibility by participating in community craft fairs and selling some of our products at local boutiques or salons in the Long Island community as well.

We believe everyone has talents and interests, and we look to find them. It is really all about someone having a life’s purpose, and we believe that we can help along that path. We want everyone to see people with autism in the community thrive and to see that they have something to offer, and to understand that with the right support, they can be active members of our community.

Success Looms

David: Tell us about how Success Looms came to be?

Randy: In 2019, Loretta Kennedy, our Coordinator of Extra-Curricular Activities at our Staten Island school program, discovered weaving as a personal hobby. She quickly saw its potential as a fun and relatively easy-to-teach leisure activity for students with autism and brought the idea to the school’s director, Jamie Arnold. Together, they realized weaving could be more than just a recreational outlet—it could also open the door to meaningful vocational training through the sale of student-made products.

Through a generous grant, two small rigid heddle looms were purchased, and a group of students began learning the fundamentals of weaving. As their skills developed and the quality of their fabrics improved, they started creating small items like coasters, can cozies, and eyeglass cases. Along the way, students gained hands-on experience in production, quality control, pricing, packaging, and customer service—building practical job skills and laying the groundwork for what could potentially grow into a small student-run business. These handmade products were first sold to parents and at in-house holiday events, and as interest grew, an Etsy store was launched to give students an even broader platform to showcase and sell their work. Today, the items are also featured in the Eden II Comfort Corner gift shop, which is run by our students in a local nursing home.

David: I understand Success Looms spread its wings a bit and expanded its sales presence. What has this looked like? What has been the response by community members?

Loretta: Our weavers always get tons of love from the community when they’re out at fairs and holiday events. They typically help to manage the table displaying their products for sale, where customers frequently admire their beautiful fabrics and compliment them for their well-crafted work. If practical, our weavers will give a live demo at the loom. Customers are usually amazed by their techniques. These interactions aren’t just about selling merchandise. They’re also great for boosting our weavers’ social skills and giving them a big dose of pride and accomplishment.

David: Those responses are wonderful. These opportunities for your workers to show off their talents are inspiring and undoubtedly changing hearts and minds. What types of job training and vocational skills have you carved out for your workers? Full disclosure, I think I want a turn at the loom, too!

Loretta: Our collaboration with one of our other ventures (Superior Chocolates) has really broadened the horizon of job training opportunities for our workers. Success Looms now has shelf space within their brick-and-mortar store, proudly displaying a wide array of handwoven items for sale. Our students are not only mastering the operation of the looms but also undergoing training in various facets of product preparation and sales. They’re working on packaging techniques like using a price gun and applying UPC labels. They’re also learning to use tools such as a heat press and rope twister, as well as engaging in painting and gluing tasks. Now, our students can stock store shelves with merchandise that they have handcrafted themselves. Pretty cool, right?

David: Completely cool! I am wondering how the pandemic had impacted these operations a few years back?

Loretta: During the pandemic, we had to switch gears and move our weaving operations from school to home. Small tabletop looms were purchased and sent to each student’s home. Teaching sessions continued via Zoom, enabling students to maintain their skills and enjoy a bit of relaxation during those challenging times. Instructors were able to visually demonstrate looming techniques in real-time, allowing students to see each step clearly. Using a camera focused on their hands and the loom made it easier for students to follow along. Additionally, many parents were involved in sessions, providing additional support and encouragement. Teachers guided parents on how to assist their children during practice outside of class.

When students made it back to school, onsite safety protocols restricted their access to the weaving room and the sharing of materials. So, additional rigid heddle looms were bought, and each weaver was provided with their own loom. With fabric production resumed, the Etsy shop was created, and we began to sell our handwoven items online.

David: I am very impressed that you were able to support ongoing practice and skill development even with the restrictions occasioned by COVID. What merchandise do you sell on ETSY and how can our readers place orders?

Loretta: We offer a wide array of merchandise, ranging from wearable items like infinity scarves to home essentials such as tea towels and decorative pillows. We also sell small accessories like eyeglass cases, tissue holders, and cell phone bags. Additionally, we also specialize in holiday items such as ornaments, coasters, and trays.

Thanks to our Cricut machine and heat press, we’re able to embellish many of our products with images, adding that extra touch of charm. Our wine bags are particularly popular, and we’ve recently modified them to fit Superior’s chocolate bags, which is another one of Eden II’s social enterprises. Customers can find our products available for purchase on Etsy,

David: We are sharing an ad in this issue of the newsletter so that our readers can click and go right to your site after they read the rest of this interview of course. So, what’s looming for Success Looms (sorry for the Dad joke)?

Loretta: Looking ahead, we’re excited about our new partnership with the chocolate factory. Our main goal is to increase the store’s inventory and what we offer on Etsy. However, this presents a unique challenge with handwoven products, as fabric production is a slow process.

In addition to growing our inventory, we plan to have students conduct weaving demonstrations in the store and to sell directly through the websites of some of our other social enterprises, like Superior Chocolate. We’re also working on some collaborative packaging, such as pairing our items with their chocolates in gift bags and candy trays.

Success Looms is eager to participate in more community events, expand our product line, train additional job coaches, and, of course, introduce more students to the joy of weaving!

Thank you to Mary McDonald, Randy Horowitz, Erin Archibald, Loretta Kennedy, Jackie Libretti, and Cecilia Rivera, as well as the broader team at Eden II and Genesis Programs, for sharing their vision, insights, and unwavering commitment to expanding meaningful employment opportunities for autistic adults. Seasons for a Reason and Success Looms showcase what is possible when innovation is paired with evidence-based practice and partnership with the local community. In Part II of this interview, we will explore another initiative (stay tuned, chocolate lovers!) and continue the conversation about how Eden II is building sustainable pathways to empowerment and purpose for the adults they serve.

References

Ivy, J. W., & Schreck, K. A. (2016). The efficacy of ABA for individuals with autism across the lifespan. Current Developmental Disorders Reports, 3(1), 57-66. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40474-016-0070-1

LaRue, R. H., Maraventano, J. C., Budge, J. L., & Frischmann, T. (2020). Matching vocational aptitude and employment choice for adolescents and adults with ASD. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 13(3), 618-630. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-019-00398-7

Oliech, C. G. (2023). Teaching problem-solving skills as a soft skill for employment to individuals with autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities using video modelling in a virtual learning environment (Doctoral dissertation, Duquesne University).

Roux, A. M., Shattuck, P. T., Cooper, B. P., Anderson, K. A., Wagner, M., & Narendorf, S. C. (2013). Postsecondary employment experiences among young adults with an autism spectrum disorder. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 52(9), 931-939. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2013.05.019

Reference for this Interview

Celiberti, D., McDonald, M., Libretti, J., Rivera, C., Horowitz, R., & Kennedy, L. (2026) Innovation, collaboration, and opportunity at Eden II: Creating social enterprises for the autism community (Part 1 of 2). Science in Autism Treatment, 23(5).

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Innovation, Collaboration, and Opportunity at Eden II: Creating Social Enterprises for the Autism Community (Part 1 of 2)