The Long Island Executive and Planning Committees are composed of dedicated volunteers that meet regularly to coordinate activities related to the Walk. The Executive Committee Chair is responsible for overseeing the operation of the committees as well as the overall development of the Walk. The Executive Committee Vice-Chair supports the Executive Chair in these endeavors.

Other committee members chair subcommittees that relate to specific aspects of the Walk and lead volunteers within those areas. Each subcommittee works in conjunction with the Executive Chair and Autism Speaks staff. A complete list of the subcommittees is listed below.

Subcommittees:

Children’s Activities
The committee identifies, creates, and supports children’s activities on Walk Day.

Corporate Sponsorship
Committee members identify and recruit sponsorship contributions. They help to create and maintain a sponsorship database as well as prepare and send sponsorship packets to corporations and foundations.

Entertainment
The committee coordinates entertainment (bounce houses, face painting, music, etc.) for Walk Day.

Food & Refreshments
Committee members are responsible for obtaining in-kind donations of snacks and refreshments for the day of the Walk.

Kick-Off Luncheon
The committee coordinates all aspects of the Kick-Off luncheon including contacting potential invitees and helping to create materials for the event.

Logistics
Committee members coordinate all logistics for the day of the Walk including tents, staging, transportation, speakers, and signage. They work to find and organize volunteers for the day of the Walk while maintaining and updating a volunteer database.

Media
The committee promotes media coverage of the Walk including print, TV, and radio by sending out press releases and media advisories. They maintain a current database of media contacts.

Political Outreach
Committee members identify all local politicians and engage them via phone and letter campaigns to further the mission of Autism Speaks.

Registration
The committee is responsible for all aspects of Walk Day registration which includes training, identifying, and contacting registration volunteers.

Resource Fair
Committee members reach out to service providers in the area to form walk teams and fundraise. They setup the Community Resource Fair for service providers on the day of Walk.

Team Mentorship
The committee recruits new family teams as well as provides information about the Walk to local schools, organizations, and programs. When necessary they assist in team building and fundraising plans.

Volunteers
Committee members are responsible for the cultivation and recruitment of Walk volunteers.

Youth Leadership
The committee recruits schools in the area to develop activities for fundraising and forming school teams. They also maintain and update a database of schools that are involved.


The committee members and volunteers are integral to the success of the Walk. If you are interested in joining one of the committees or volunteering on the day of the Walk, please contact the Autism Speaks Long Island office at longisland@autismspeaks.org.