Community Spotlight: Kayla Madoff
Kayla Madoff is an advocate for the autism community. Every April, she works with her local gym in New Jersey, SETS to host a community fundraiser in honor of World Autism Month.
Learn about Madoff’s advocacy and why she supports the autism community and the American Autism Association.
Tell us a little about yourself.
I'm in graduate school at Monmouth University. It’s located in West Long Branch, New Jersey. I am in the Speech Language Pathology program.
Why did you choose to intern at the American Autism Association?
I interned at the American Autism Association while I was a senior in college in 2018. I was on LinkedIn and a friend of mine said that I should apply since they knew I had such a passion for working with individuals with autism. I applied and eventually got the position. It was probably one of the best experiences I ever went through and I wouldn’t change it for the world.
Tell us about your annual fundraiser.
In 2018 I did a fundraising event during my internship at the American Autism Association. I asked my local gym (SETS) if I could collaborate with them for my fundraiser and they said absolutely. We do the fundraiser in the three locations: SETS Old Bridge, SETS Jackson, SETS Freehold. The owner of the gym also loves giving back so every April for world Autism Month, so we work together on fundraising for the autism community. We sell raffle tickets and raffle off gift baskets. Also, we do a kid-friendly class that is open to those with autism. Everyone wears autism awareness shirts and they have lots of fun.
It’s like a family, we help each other and it is a nice feeling to have the community involved. In the past couple of years we have raised a lot of money. We have raised almost $3,000-4,000 each year.
Why do you choose to work with the American Autism Association for your fundraisers?
I love everything that the American Autism Association stands for. The fundraiser is something my community and I look forward to which is why we continue to do it. It means a lot to me and I continue to do this fundraiser with the American Autism Association because I know it is for people who need it and for a good cause.
Why is advocating for those with autism important to you and how does it relate to your career?
I always love to give back. In high school I volunteered to work in a cooking class with kids in special education. I instantly loved it and saw myself working with them in the future so I continued to volunteer and even did local runs for autism. I knew that when I started graduate school, I wanted to work with children with autism. It’s something I love. I believe that everyone has a voice and I found my passion in helping people communicate through Speech Language Pathology. My field and my career advocates for those with autism because we help people learn how to communicate based on their needs through different devices, strategies, or actions. Everyone’s voice matters.
Is there anything you would like to say in honor of World Autism Month?
Be kind to everyone you come by. You don’t know what somebody is going through.
