The New York Mets today announced they are teaming up with Autism Speaks for the 10th annual Autism Awareness Day this Sunday, May 6 when the Mets host the Arizona Diamondbacks at 1:10 p.m. at Citi Field.
There will be a pre-game party in the Bullpen Plaza with activities for families including art therapy provided by the Queens Museum of Art, video games, and soccer instruction by Super Soccer Stars. In Parking Lot A, Ride Kind will offer families equine therapy, which helps autistic children reach developmental milestones through interacting with horses.
The Mets will take numerous steps to ensure fans participating in Autism Awareness Day have a special day at the ballpark. Based on recommendations from Autism Speaks, the Mets have created a private, secluded area in the Bullpen Plaza where fans can go if they need a break from the crowd. The ballpark’s sound system will be turned down in the Left Field Landing and Citi Vision and the rightfield scoreboard will have reduced use of strobe lights or similar pulsating special effects. The club also collaborated with Autism Speaks on a “Guide to Citi Field” that teaches children what to expect at the game.
In addition, 20 trained volunteers from Autism Speaks will be in the Bullpen Plaza and designated areas of the ballpark to assist families. All game day staff will have “Autism on Scene Response” cards with key communication and response information for first responders when dealing with autistic children, courtesy of Autism Risk and Safety Management.
Autism affects 1 in 88 American children and there is no cure. The Mets have teamed up with autism organizations over the years to help raise more than $1 million for the New York autism community. This year, the Mets are working with more than 20 different groups from the tri-state area on Autism Awareness Day.
Tickets for Autism Awareness Day are available online at Mets.com/AutismSpeaks or by calling (718) 507-TIXX