PHOENIX — For 12-year-old Lilly, communication is everything — even if she doesn’t speak in the traditional way.
“She is amazing and tall and spicy and beautiful,” said her mom, Stefanie. "She's also autistic and nonverbal."
But now, thanks to an Augmentative & Assistive Communication (AAC) device, which is a tablet-like communication tool, Lilly has been able to express herself since she was a toddler.
Her journey inspired Stefanie to launch the non-profit Lilly’s Voice to provide these devices to kids across the country free of charge.
“AAC devices can cost upwards of $700,” Stefanie explained. “Too often, insurance or schools deny them. Families are left with nowhere to turn.”
The need is bigger than she ever imagined. In just three years, Lilly’s Voice has provided more than 450 devices, giving non-speaking kids a new way to connect, ask questions, and simply be heard.
“I can’t state how much it has changed our lives,” said Jordan, a Valley mom of two sons who are nonverbal.
“Now, when they say they want chicken nuggets, we go get chicken nuggets! Before, there was no way to communicate that. It’s amazing," Jordan explained.
Earlier this week, families like Jordan’s received more good news: Governor Katie Hobbs signed House Bill 2945, a bipartisan plan that protects funding for Arizona’s Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD), which serves nearly 60,000 people living with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, and Down syndrome.
“I’m proud to bring an end to the months of confusion and uncertainty,” Gov. Hobbs wrote in a statement. “Now, Arizonans with developmental disabilities and their families can feel some relief.”
Stefanie says continued funding is vital, and so is access to the right tools.
“When we give kids the tools to communicate, we change their world,” she said. “Life doesn’t always look the way you imagined, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be wonderful.”
To learn more or support Lilly’s Voice, visit lillysvoice.org.
