Photo Credit: Thrive Center for SuccessNews
Serving Up Hope: Community breakfast fuels growth for Texas’s first tuition-free autism charter school
On April 24, more than 120 dedicated community members gathered at Truluck’s Ocean’s Finest Seafood for “Serving Up Hope,” the inaugural fundraising breakfast benefiting Thrive with Autism Foundation and its flagship program, Thrive Center for Success. Co-chaired by Michelle Little of Waste Connections and Melissa Young of Corporate Incentives, the event raised critical support for the school’s next phase of expansion.
“After walking the halls of Thrive, I saw firsthand what’s possible when we combine world-class therapies with the right academic setting,” said co-chair Melissa Young. “We’re honored to rally behind a school that’s changing lives every day.”
Founded in 2022 under the leadership of a dedicated board of directors and visionary Elizabeth Goldsmith, Thrive Center for Success is the first tuition-free charter school in Texas exclusively serving students on the autism spectrum. Housed in a 46,000-square-foot facility on a ten-acre campus, Thrive currently educates 152 students in grades K–7—with more than 300 families on the waiting list.
“As a mother, I was struggling to find the right fit for my son and knew that he wouldn’t have the tools he needed to be successful in a traditional school setting. I fell in love with a specialized charter school serving students with autism in Florida, and it became my mission to bring this model to Texas, for our children, in our community,” shared Goldsmith during her address. “As parents, we know our children are capable of so much more than what the current system expects from them. Thrive exists to prove it.”
Keynote speaker Kerry Magro, an award-winning professional speaker, bestselling author, and consultant to Netflix’s Love on the Spectrum, delivered an inspiring account of his own journey with autism. His message of resilience and self-advocacy resonated deeply, reminding attendees of the transformative power of high-quality support.
Erin Hudson, a former educator and Thrive parent, delivered a heartfelt testimony about the isolation many families face—and how finally finding a community of peers at Thrive changed everything for her son and for her. “Thrive isn’t just a school. It’s a community. A lifeline. A place where my son – and I – are both seen, supported, and understood,” Hudson said.
Board members Bob Abendschein and Ann Ziker closed the program by announcing a generous $20,000 matching gift—made possible by Waste Connections, Corporate Incentives, and a Friend of Thrive—doubling every dollar donated from the event.
Funds raised will directly support:
• Additional classrooms to serve more students
• A new gym space
• A vocational training lab
“Every gift brings us closer to the day when no child waits for an education that understands their world,” said Abendschein.
To learn more or to make a tax-deductible gift in support of Thrive Center for Success, visit www.thrivewautism.org.
Source: Thrive Center for Success
