Judy Clark, mother of two young men with autism, has firsthand knowledge of the joys and hardships of raising children on the spectrum. Both of Judy’s boys were severely affected and she quickly identified the need for not only early intervention but for various programs that were not available at that time. In 1994, her dream became a reality as she set out on a mission that would progress from providing summer school programs to the development of comprehensive services for individuals with Autism. A.S.A.P’s summer program was so successful that before long had outreached to a local community church and then to the New Hanover County School System. It was then that she partnered with Deena Holmes. Deena had a calling to fulfill a lifelong dream of helping people. Her extensive past accomplishments involving her love of people include earning her Bachelor’s Degree in history, working towards obtaining a Master’s Degree in teaching, and achieving a promotion into a lucrative role in the business world, ultimately owning her own business. Together, they took their knowledge of business and mental health to begin the serious undertaking of making A.S.A.P a reality. Judy soon found that she exceeded even her own expectations by expanding and opening her first group home when her eldest son, who had been institutionalized, had aged out of his specialized program and no group home would open their doors. To date, A.S.A.P operates 2 group homes and one day program where people on the autism spectrum receive quality care in an exceptional setting. The property is located on a 15 acre tract of land that includes the 3 programs and a farm. Currently there is an increasing high demand for expansion across the board. There are many opportunities for the property to be developed into additional group homes, an expanded day program and additional office space.
