About Us
Founded on the desire to offer children with autism enriched life experiences, ACF has grown to include over 200 activities and events for all ages, Day Habilitation, Home and Community, and Employment Services
Mission
ACF strives to provide life-enriching experiences and resources to individuals and families living with disabilities in a safe and respectful environment.
Vision
To enrich the lives of those with disabilities today and build a brighter tomorrow.
Values
Compassion
Attention
Respect
Encompassment
Support
History
The Autism Cares Foundation (ACF) was founded in 2007 by Linda and Frank Kuepper, parents of a child with autism. Their goal was to establish an organization focused on improving life experiences of individuals with disabilities. Their goal was for all individuals to have age-appropriate activities to enjoy in a safe and secure environment. The roster grew from six activities in the first year to nearly 100 in year three.
Today, the participants can enjoy over 200 activities each year. These include arts & crafts, bowling, bounce events, movies, physical fitness, glee club, holiday parties, dances, prom, and so much more. The participating families consider ACF events essential for overall well-being.
In 2016, Autism Cares Foundation began an Adult Services Division (ASD) focused on providing adults with disabilities facilities and community services. ASD has grown to include an Adult Day Program, Home and Community Program, and job training and development to be offered in the near future. Moving forward, we plan to continue to develop ASD programs addressing the needs of individuals with disabilities throughout their lifetime.
A Message From Our Founders
Since its inception, Autism Cares Foundation has focused on providing and expanding resources for people with disabilities.
ACF’s goal is to support people to experience all that life has to offer. Our activities, over 200 in a typical year, are viewed as a necessity by parents, care providers, and our participants, to encourage social interactions and friendships.
Our Adult Services Division provides services to individuals 18 years old and over. These offerings include day program, home and community, and in the future, job support services. We plan to expand services to accommodate more individuals and provide additional services and resources.
Delivering high quality and reliable services are the hallmarks of ACF. As we grow, we will continue to focus on optimizing everyone’s strengths by providing needed resources in a caring and compassionate environment.
Today, almost everyone is influenced by a child, friend, or close acquaintance with a disability and the challenges facing these individuals and families. To continue to address their needs, we need your support. Please consider donating, volunteering your professional skills, for our many activities, or providing other unique talents to help Autism Cares Foundation deliver more services. Everyone makes a difference, the difference among us is the difference you choose to make.
Everyone makes a difference, the difference among us is the difference you choose to make.
Thank you for your support.
Board of Directors
Linda Kuepper, Co-Founder and CEO, Board of Directors
Linda Kuepper is the co-founder and CEO of Autism Cares Foundation, where she serves as the driving force behind the organization’s mission and vision. As the heart of the Foundation, Linda works closely with our community and the Board of Directors to chart its future growth and strategic direction. Drawing from her personal experience as a mother of two children, including a son with autism, Linda brings a deeply personal perspective to the needs, challenges, and goals of families in the autism community. She is passionately committed to expanding programs in education, life skills, job skills, respite care, and permanent residency options. Prior to founding Autism Cares Foundation, Linda held administrative positions in a Fortune 500 company.
Frank Kuepper, Co-Founder and President, Board of Directors
Frank Kuepper is the co-founder and President of Autism Cares Foundation’s Board of Directors. With extensive leadership experience, Frank works closely with the COO to ensure the organization’s goals are met. He oversees the Foundation’s long-term strategic planning and ongoing development initiatives. He was instrumental in launching the Foundation’s Adult Services Division, addressing the critical needs of adults on the autism spectrum. Frank’s professional background includes senior leadership roles in procurement, operations, and human resources, most recently serving as Vice President of Procurement at BrightView Landscapes. His prior experience includes executive positions at David’s Bridal and Kay-Bee Toys.
Marlene De la Cruz, Board Director
Marlene De la Cruz has been a passionate member of the Autism Cares Foundation Board since 2016 and an advocate for individuals with autism for over 15 years. Inspired by her son, Alex, Marlene is dedicated to ensuring that individuals with disabilities have access to the opportunities they deserve. She brings over 30 years of marketing and business leadership experience and currently serves as an executive coach. Marlene was previously Global President of the Adelphi Research Franchise, the global pharmaceutical market research consultancy of Adelphi Group (Omnicom).
Jill Schweizer, Board Director
Jill Schweizer brings her expertise to the Autism Cares Foundation Board after an accomplished 37-year career in education, including roles as a teacher, elementary guidance counselor, and Supervisor of Special Education, overseeing Autistic Support, for the Central Bucks School District. During her time as a supervisor, Jill was inspired by the families she worked with, which led her to establish the Bucks County Autism Support Coalition (BCASC). After 10 successful years, BCASC disbanded and transitioned its financial resources to Autism Cares Foundation. Jill has also contributed to the field as an adjunct professor at Delaware Valley University. She remains deeply committed to serving individuals and families in the autism and disability community through her work with ACF.
Fred Sciascia, Board Director
Fred Sciascia has been a dedicated and critical Board Director of Autism Cares Foundation for 13 years and supported Frank and Linda Kuepper in the Foundation’s earliest days. He has played a key role in shaping the Foundation’s strategic and financial strategy while also assisting community members in planning for the future care of their loved ones. He proudly serves as the Board sponsor of the annual Race for Resources, one of ACF’s most successful fundraising events. Fred is currently Senior Vice President and Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch.
David Shaffer, Board Director
David Shaffer brings decades of financial and advisory experience to the Autism Cares Foundation Board. He spent over 20 years as a Director at Kreischer Miller, a leading public accounting firm specializing in closely held businesses, before retiring in May 2022. David continues to consult with clients on mergers and acquisitions, general accounting matters, and interim CFO services for middle-market companies. He has also served as an audit director for numerous nonprofit organizations dedicated to supporting the disability community. David’s connection with Autism Cares Foundation is deeply personal as his son Dillan was one of the first participants in ACF’s Adult Services Division and continues to thrive in the program. David lives in Ambler, PA, with his wife Rhonda and their two children, Andrew and Dillan.
Meet Our Staff
Kim is in charge of strategic initiatives of the organization, developing new programs and activities for all ages, with a highlighted focus on adults and older teens, developing a community outreach program, and expansion of our Adult Services Division. Kim has been with Autism Cares Foundation since it was just an idea in Linda and Frank's minds. She contributed and volunteered throughout the past fifteen years and joined ACF as Managing Director from 2015 to 2018, overseeing the expansion of activities and events, leading the team, and getting the Adult Services Division up and running. Her education and early career were in nursing and working as an Occupational Counselor at Newtown Interaction of Bucks County. Kim’s career spans retail executive business operations, coaching & training, real estate, and owning and operating several businesses of her own
Allison oversees the Community Participation Support and Home & Community programs, PEP (Personal Enrichment Programs) and all over 18 activities. Allison is ideally suited for this role with her prior experience as a Family Connection Liaison, Behavioral Coordinator, an ABA Therapist, and Program Coordinator/Direct Care Worker. Along with over 11 years management experience, she has obtained a License in Social Work, a master’s degree of Social Work, and a Bachelor of Art in Mathematics with a Minor in Secondary Education. Allison is also a presenter at the National Autism Conference at Penn State for 5 years in addition to several other speaking engagements.
Jennifer Leventhal is the Program Specialist for the Community Participation Support and Home & Community Programs. Jennifer brings over 20 years’ experience in education psychology specializing in advocating for inclusivity and fostering equal opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Jennifer received her PSYD in Clinical Psychology from the Institute of Graduate Clinical Psychology, she also has her MA in Clinical Psychology from Widner University’s Institute of Graduate Clinical Psychology.
With 20 years of experience in behavioral, emotional, physical and cognitive disabilities, Jonathan specializes in working with neurodiverse individuals. Jonathan is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life of our day program participants through fun and innovative coaching. He brings pride, purpose and fulfillment to all our individuals' lives while building sustainable and replicable programing. His extensive background includes developing grassroots programs for participants with Autism, Intellectual Disabilities, Emotional Support Needs, and other disabilities at Woodlands Camp, YMCA and as an educator at Valley Day School.