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Description

During my doctoral capstone and applied leadership experience, I partnered with
Kham’s Klub, a nonprofit in Richmond, Kentucky, whose mission is to empower and
elevate families with autism. The project's primary ACOTE focus area is program
development, education, and advocacy within a community-based setting. The aim of this project was to strengthen the organization’s capacity to promote early diagnosis, provide support for inclusive environments at Kham’s Klub events and cultivate donor and community engagement. Through literature review and collaboration with the founders/CEO of Kham’s Klub Non-profit for Autism there were gaps revealed in caregiver understanding of autism, limited community participation, and minimal donor participation and retention. Evidence on nonprofit marketing, caregiver awareness, and fundraising sustainability informed my strategies. The goals I set for myself to work towards for this project: (1) increase awareness of Kham’s Klub’s mission through engaging social-media content; (2) equip caregivers with easy to read digital resources; (3) broaden and diversify fundraising via strategic outreach; (4) increase knowledge and preparedness for first responders encountering autistic individuals; (5) embed evidence-based, sensory-friendly activities/adaptations in community events. I designed branded visual campaigns and templated donor emails, assisted in event coordination, co-planned first responder training, as well as presented alongside the founders of Kham’s Klub for 3 formal training sessions. Deliverables produced during these various mini projects include social-media toolkit, first responder training slide deck, a caregiver-friendly web resource, and reusable email donor outreach templates. The capstone showcased occupational therapy’s value in community health promotion, sensory-informed event planning and modifications, family systems support, and building partnerships that advance occupational justice. Thus, expanding occupational therapy’s footprint beyond clinical walls into advocacy and nonprofit sustainability. Kham’s Klub was founded by Kent and Keelan Hensley, parents of a child diagnosed with autism- Kham. From day one, Kent and Keelan welcomed me not only into their nonprofit work, but into their lives. I joined them for dinners, attended community outings, and cheered Kham on at little league baseball—experiencing how they navigate daily life and advocate for inclusion. They shared countless stories of the challenges they faced and the resilience they built. I witnessed what true advocacy looks like, not just in structured programs but in everyday moments. These real-life experiences shaped my leadership—grounded in empathy, collaboration, and community trust—and helped me grow into a stronger advocate and future occupational therapist.

Graduation Date

2025

Keywords

Autism, Non-Profit, Community Events, Occupational Therapy, Early Intervention, Fundraiser, Sensory Room, Social Media, Awareness, Advocacy, Access, Autism First Responder Training, Educational Resources, Autism Navigator

Disciplines

Occupational Therapy

Comments

Link to Presentation: https://youtu.be/CC5BeZud3wM

Degree Type

Open Access Capstone

Document Type

Poster

Degree Name

Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)

Department

Occupational Therapy

Site Mentor

Kent Hensley, Founder/Board Member; Keelan Hensley, M.A., CCC-SLP-Founder/Board Member

Building Awareness, Access, and Advocacy Through Kham's Klub

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