24 | AUGUST 3 • 2023
M
ore children than
ever are being diag-
nosed with autism
spectrum disorder, largely
attributed to progress in early
detection and greater under-
standing and awareness; and
the question of where families
should turn and what decisions
they should make after the
diagnosis is a universal dilem-
ma.
A few months after Kim and
Lenny Kerwin’s son Bennett
was diagnosed with autism in
November 2020 at 2 years old,
Kim was scrolling Instagram
when she came across a post
about the Autism Hero Walk,
an annual event benefiting the
Autism Alliance of Michigan
(AAoM).
The Bloomfield Hills family
was feeling somewhat isolated
after the diagnosis (a feeling
exacerbated by it happening
during the COVID pandemic),
as they didn’t really have any
close friends or family who had
gone through that process.
While realizing the walk
could be an avenue to bring
people together to rally around
Bennett and his diagnosis, the
Kerwin’s rapidly got involved
with AAoM after learning how
much the organization has to
offer as a multifaceted commu-
nity resource.
From being completely
unaware of AAoM to “falling
into it backwards,
” the Kerwins
created a fundraising team in
Bennett’s name starting with
the 2021 walk and have gone
above and beyond for AAoM
ever since.
“I would be very comfortable
to say that Lenny and Kim have
brought in close to $100,000
to the organization in just two
years,
” said Marc Berke, AAoM’s
chief development officer. “
And
we’re not yet counting this year,
they just started.
”
Kim Kerwin said, “We really
blew it out of the water majorly.
We weren’t expecting to raise
what we raised that first year.
We caught their attention, and
the rest is history.
”
Berke and AAoM indeed
took notice of the Kerwins’
2021 fundraising efforts and
connected with them soon after.
Berke then began the process
of putting together a commit-
tee for the walk to help with
sponsorship, fundraising and
awareness. That process quickly
included Kim, who agreed to
chair the committee. The walk
has grown ever since, helped by
unbelievable sponsorship from
the community.
The Autism Hero Walk sees
around 5,000 families affected
by autism gather at the Detroit
Zoo for a fun, uplifting day
celebrating those with autism
— everyday superheroes. This
year’s walk takes place Sept. 23.
NAVIGATING THE
ROAD AHEAD
At the centerpiece of AAoM is
MiNavigator, created to provide
free professional consultation to
individuals and families across
Michigan affected by autism.
MiNavigator is staffed by a team
of professionals with expertise
in various areas of the autism
world, including the clinical,
educational, insurance, voca-
tional, public safety, policy and
legal fields.
AAoM and MiNavigator help
families figure out everything
from insurance issues and what
OUR COMMUNITY
Kim and Lenny Kerwin have gone
above and beyond for the Autism
Alliance of Michigan in the years
following their son’s diagnosis.
Everyday
Superheroes
DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT
Bennett Kerwin
LEFT: Kim, Lenny and
Bennett Kerwin.