What is the Masonic Autism Program (MAP)?

The Masonic Autism Program is one of the largest autism diagnostic and treatment programs in the state of Illinois. It provides treatment for children birth to age 18 who have a diagnosis of Autism, Aspergers syndrome or Pervasive Developmental Disorder. Because we are located on the north side of Chicago, we serve a very diverse population, treating all children in need regardless of ability to pay. We have state funding as well as private donations that allow us to provide services to all. We are very proud of this, as treatment for children with autism is extremely expensive.

Our Center is highly parent and family focused, working extensively with families to help them understand their childs diagnosis and learn effective strategies to teach, discipline, and simply parent their child. Therefore, all materials, trainings to parents, and therapies are provided in both Spanish and English. We provide different levels of service depending on child need and family availability.

Our most intensive program takes place in the childs home environment, again making sure that the parents become experts on their own child. This program is called PUENTES-Bridges to the Future (Puentes means bridges in Spanish). Another program is called Caminos-Creating New Pathways for Learning (Caminos is roads in Spanish) and we have a number of social group therapies: Twos Company, Buddies, Circle of Friends, Connections Club, Kreative Kids, and a Recreational Group.

Our program mascot/logo for many years has been a bumble bee. I created one many years ago using word art (dont laugh) and it has been very loved. However, we are ready to have a new logo with our new name MAP, as we have been know as The Autism Program for a long time and now the program gets confused with another program that now has the same name.

The new name MAP was thought of for two reasons:

1. It is an easy acronym to remember.

2. It contains within it the ideas of roads, bridges, and connections that all of our interventions carry.

We would like to keep our bumble bee. All parents get a bumble bee pin once they finish training with us. It is their graduation gift. The reason we like the bumble bee is the following: The bumble bees are one of natures miracles: the size of their wings in proportion to their body is too small to fly. Yet they do. We tend to approach the children in our program in the same way: they are all miracles with potential far beyond what meets the eye. So we ask the parents to believe that their children will someday fly as well. We like that analogy.

(our current bumble bee is attached here for you to use)

What kind of designs do we like?

We tend to prefer designs that are visually interesting and unique, but child-friendly. It is a pediatric center, so it should be childish. We have tended to use Comic Sans font, for example, on many of our materials.

I think the name in uppercase might work best because it is an acronym, but certainly play around and see what you think works best. I am not the creative mind here We don't have any color preferences at the moment, but the organization we belong to is Advocate Healthcare and their color is purple. It does not have to be included, but would certainly make them happy if it were. (I have also included the Advocate Logo for you to download)

The full name of the program will be: Masonic Autism Program (MAP) Helping Children and Families find their Way.

One idea someone had in order to incorporate the bumble bee and our roads/bridges was to have a bumble bee lead the way for a makeshift family on a map that includes roads, bridges, and connections. Use it or not, the person who came up with the name was thinking of this when she came up with it.

Hope this description helps. Looking forward to seeing the results! We are anxious to have a new logo for the program. Thanks to all!