SAN ANTONIO – April is Autism Awareness Month, and a San Antonio artist is teaming up with the Autism Treatment Center to help raise awareness and money for a good cause.
Dimas Anthony Martinez, known for his hand-painted custom kicks, is helping the center kick off this year’s KRW Kicks for Autism Awareness art contest. Until Friday, people can create their custom “KICKS” for a chance to win gift cards. There was also a raffle to raise money.
“I did mention my now 5-year-old is on the spectrum. That’s why, you know, it would mean a lot if we did that,” Martinez said.
Dimas’s designs were already raffled off, but the campaign is not over. The art contest is still underway and closes on Friday, according to Cynthia Hamilton, the development director for the Autism Treatment Center.
“We have this art contest going on, and we have five prizes from $50 to $250 gift certificates for art supplies per week,” Hamilton said.
The Autism Treatment Center helps more than 650 people through direct care programs, including everything from group homes to therapy services.
“We have programs that help children and adults with autism learn, work, play and live in the community throughout their lives,” Hamilton said. “So we serve individuals from childhood all the way through adulthood and seniors.”
The project is intriguing, but for Martinez, it was personal and about helping others. He said he wanted to do something to give back to the autism community.
“And that’s always been the goal or point of it all... have it create positive energy, just be better and take this there, just to go beyond the art, to be something bigger than myself, really,” Martinez said. “This is our city. We’re going to take care of each other. And by doing this year out, you also share an awareness for others that may need the help and they just don’t know where to look.”
You can enter for a chance to win by clicking here.