WINTERVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) – April is Autism Awareness Month. Aces for Autism is doing its part to help with autism and their families.

Co-founders Kyle and Bobbie Robinson started the nonprofit with a clinic in Greenville. Now, in a few months, they’ll be opening a state-of-the-art facility in Winterville.

“The new campus was really laid on our hearts when we started the organization in 2014 and now is coming to fruition,” Kyle Robinson said.

The Robinsons knew a place like this was needed after their son Samuel was diagnosed with autism.

“When we got that diagnosis, we were searching for therapy for him to get him the help he needed,” Bobbie Robinson said. “When we found the place for him, it was a breath of fresh air, so when we started thinking about how this therapy was life-changing for our family, we thought about all the families in Eastern North Carolina that didn’t have access to that for their family.”

Their new 32,000-square-foot facility will now give help to more than 150 families.

“People say, ‘Well, I’ve never seen anything like this before’ and that’s because there’s not,” Kyle said. “This will be a one-of-a-kind place on the eastern seaboard.”

The facility will be complete with clinical spaces, therapy rooms, an outdoor play area, learning labs and so much more.

One thing the Robinsons are excited about is the learning labs. Those will include things like a mock apartment, dentist office, hair salon and grocery store.

“To be able to go into the Food Lion, grab a cart and shop for items that may be on the recipe or grocery list, and then learning how to check those items out,” Bobbie Robinson said. “With the mock apartment, it gives them the opportunity to practice chores, clean dishes, how to make your own food, make up your bed, wash clothes. Those real-life world experiences we want to provide those opportunities so they can generalize them into the community.”

The Robinsons believe this new space will allow Aces for Autism to further live out its mission.

“At Aces with our therapy, helping them to become as independent as possible and helping those families know they aren’t alone,” Bobbie Robinson said.

“Our biggest saying at Aces is walking alongside children and families,” Kyle Robinson added. “It’s not just providing one type of service, it’s walking alongside them through their journey of an autism diagnosis and helping them in any way we can.”

The new space should be up and running by this November.

If you want to give a donation or volunteer your time, you can find more about their capital campaign by clicking here.