Spotlight: Teamwork Unlimited Foundation — Uniting Communities Through Sports and Autism Acceptance

At Teamwork Unlimited Foundation, our mission is to increase awareness and understanding, promote acceptance of others, celebrate differences, and encourage socialization with people of all abilities. Helping others with their challenges takes TEAMWORK, which is a goal of Teamwork Unlimited Foundation.

A highlight of our foundation is the annual Autism Awareness Challenge, which started 17 years ago with a few local high school baseball teams competing. It has grown to a 4-day event with an amazing 72 teams, including softball. Before each game, the first pitch is thrown out by a student on the spectrum. Every year, a Homerun Hero (a child with severe health issues) is selected to receive a donation based on the number of home runs hit during the tournament.

We proudly donate to organizations and classrooms that serve individuals with disabilities, especially those with unfunded special education needs. We also award scholarships to athletes who participate in our events and demonstrate a commitment to community service and helping our population.

“There is nothing like the heartwarming feeling at the Autism Awareness tournament: Seeing the smiles on the first pitch players, so happy to high-five their team, the pride on the homerun hitters signing their names on the banner, and especially the fields full of athletes who show that it’s ‘More than Just a Game.’” ~ anonymous parent   

Our personal journey started soon after our son was diagnosed with autism.  Before that, our life was baseball-oriented and still is, but now we have a new perspective.  For we now see the world through the eyes of a child with autism.  It became our goal to combine those two worlds and bridge our passion for baseball with our passion for acceptance.

The values of Teamwork Unlimited’s mission mirror those of Autism New Jersey’s Ambassador Program, making our partnership a natural fit. High school athletes from across the state are learning about autism, raising awareness and funds, and most importantly, spreading a message of compassion to their peers.