Building Community, Sharing Strength,Together
Who We Are
Welcome to Local Tenacity.
We are a growing community of parents, autistic and neurodivergent adults, caregivers, veterans, professionals, and allies, all united by a simple mission:
To make support, resources, and opportunity accessible to every special needs family and individual, in every state.
Why We Exist
Raising, supporting, or being a person with special needs is a journey best traveled together. Many of us have felt the overwhelm, the isolation, and the frustration of broken systems. Local Tenacity was born from these shared experiences, not by one person, but by a network of people who live this life, every day.
Our founder, Angela Stauffer, Army veteran, autism parent, Registered Behavior Technician, and advocate, helped spark this initiative. But every guide, resource, and new idea here is community-powered, shaped by your feedback, stories, and needs.
What We’re Building, With and For Each Other
Local Tenacity is more than a directory or a blog. It’s a collaborative, multi-branch initiative designed to empower and include:
- Families & Self-Advocates:
Sharing resources, wisdom, and encouragement so no one has to navigate alone. - Autistic & Disabled Adults:
Helping design, review, and check every resource for real-world usefulness and accessibility. - Caregivers & Professionals:
Bringing practical know-how, advocacy, and support. - Veterans & Allies:
Lending structure, resilience, and heart to build safer, more sustainable solutions.
Our vision:
A Local Tenacity in every state—offering streamlined services, inclusive employment, and a safe, supportive community for all ages and abilities.
The Shutdown Survival Series: Built by Our Community
When systems shut down, our community steps up.
The Shutdown Survival Series is a set of 50 state-specific guides, built by and for:
- Families with special needs
- Autistic and neurodivergent adults
- Seniors and caregivers
Each guide highlights accessible, plain-language resources for food, housing, disability supports, crisis lines, transportation, and early intervention. Every link is triple-checked by someone who understands what it’s like to search for help when you’re overwhelmed.
Choose your state’s guide here.
Beyond Directories: A Collective Vision
Local Tenacity is building more than just lists of links.
Across every state plan, you’ll also find:
- Special Needs Registry:
A safer way for families and self-advocates to share critical information with trusted providers and first responders. - Eco-Village Vision:
A self-sustainable, sensory-friendly community in every state, designed with input from those who will live and work there. - Volunteer & Hiring Opportunities:
We believe everyone has something valuable to contribute. Community reviewers, resource scouts, peer mentors, and accessibility testers, many roles are intentionally crafted for autistic and disabled adults, veterans, and caregivers.
Our Values
- Inclusion: Everyone belongs. Every voice matters.
- Accessibility: We design with and for people with disabilities, ADA/WCAG compliance is our baseline, lived experience is our guide.
- Empowerment: We share tools, information, and opportunities so each of us can grow and thrive.
- Collaboration: Families, self-advocates, professionals, and allies working side by side.
How You Can Join In
- Share your story: Every resource is stronger with your lived experience.
- Help us build: Volunteer, test, review, or simply spread the word.
- Shape the future: Suggest new projects, products, or community needs.
Local Tenacity is for you, and powered by you.
Together, we’re building a safer, more connected support network—one state, one family, one idea at a time.
Thank you for being here. Let’s build a community that uplifts, inspires, and supports us all—together. Ready to Get Involved?
Whether you want to volunteer, share resources, join our hiring pool, or simply stay in the loop—your voice matters.