Why We’re Here
Over the past year, I have had countless conversations with families about what happens after high school. The details are different, but the feeling is often the same. Parents tell me that graduation is exciting, yet scary. For years, their child has had a place to go, opportunities to learn, and built-in social connections. Then, almost overnight, that structure disappears.
One of the simplest ways I've heard the challenge described is that every person needs something to do, somewhere to go, and something to hope for. After high school, many autistic young adults suddenly find themselves without one, two, or sometimes all three.
Like anyone else, they want meaningful lives. Without opportunities to spend their time with purpose, it becomes harder to build confidence, develop new skills, and maintain the momentum created during the school years.
We believe meaningful employment matters. Community matters. Most importantly, we believe autistic young adults deserve lives that reflect their strengths, interests, and aspirations.
We want every student to have something meaningful to do, somewhere they belong, and something to look forward to.
Stefanie Mitchell Executive Director
A Different Kind Transition
At RTG, we believe transition to adulthood is about far more than preparing for a job or a first apartment. It is about helping young adults build lives that feel meaningful, connected, and truly their own.
The RTG Journey
Students grow through real experiences and meaningful relationships.
Belonging & Safety Explore & Discover Build Skills Take Responsibility Participate in Real Life
Build trust, form friendships, and feel safe to be yourself. Discover interests through community outings and workplace experiences. Practice everyday and job-related skills through hands on learning and teamwork. Step into real roles, build confidence, and develop independence. Apply skills in the community and pursue goals that create a meaningful future.
I liked it because I felt comfortable and I could be myself.”
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Prospective student after touring RTG
Learning Through Everyday Life
Cooking Groups
Planning | Budgeting | Teamwork
Community Outings
Safety | Navigation | Confidence
Social Clubs
Relationships | Communication
Job Shifts
Strengths | Professional Identity
Challenges & Mistakes
Reflect | Problem-Solve | Grow
Adulthood is built through practice and participation. Independence grows when young adults are trusted with authentic experiences, supported through challenges, and surrounded by people who recognize both their strengths and their potential.
Success Looks Different for Everyone
Every student | Every path | Every milestone matters.
Growth at RTG rarely looks dramatic in a single moment. Instead, it happens through hundreds of small moments and experiences that gradually build connection, and independence. Students try new things, strengthen friendships and relationships, discover interests, and learn to navigate challenges with increasing confidence.
Families have shared that they are seeing changes beyond RTG as students are taking greater initiative at home, communicating more effectively, and beginning to envision futures that reflect their goals, strengths, and identities.
While each student’s path looks different, a common theme emerged throughout the year: when young adults are trusted, supported, and given opportunities to participate meaningfully in their communities, growth follows.
nnifer Magnuson hief of Staff
Community Outings
Ruby McCall, Instructor
A key focus at RTG is increasing students' independence in practical life skills, including community access and navigation. An important accomplishment for all our students is that they have each set up a reusable CharlieCard, providing hands-on experience with accessing public transportation systems and increasing their confidence in navigating public transit.
A major focus in travel training has been teaching students how to use Google Maps for both walking and public transportation routes. They have practiced identifying destinations, following directions, and understanding different transit options. Students have become more aware of their surroundings through practice and are demonstrating increased safety when navigating the community.
LEGEND
Community Instruction Sites
Hands-on learning in the community
Employer Visits and Workplace Training Sites
Work experiences and employer collaborations
Peer Organizations and Visiting Schools
Shared learning and peer connections
University Partners
Practicum, internship, research and co-op placements
RTG in the COMMUNITY
BOSTON
A key focus at Run the Gamut is increasing students' independence in practical life skills, including community access and navigation. ”
- Ruby McCall
Building Relationships
Building relationships is the secret to building opportunity. Without spending time learning about people, their businesses, their needs and the pain points of their operation, you are not able to find ways to support. While continuing to build a relationship with the Committee team after they hired an RTG student, I discovered a need of our own: to teach our students the importance of basic hospitality skills.
I had a vision for a two-part training, one part within RTG’s space and the other in the field applying the skills. To be impactful, I knew I needed an industry professional to reinforce real world expectations. The relationship with Committee was still new and we were building our foundation of trust, however, I saw their commitment to the growth and development of the students at RTG.
We worked together to create a four-week Hospitality 101 training focusing on the foundation of hospitality and how the skills are transferable to any industry. The second was a six-week host training program on site in their restaurant giving us the opportunity to see our students apply skills in the real world.
This relationship is proof that when time is spent building a solid foundation with intention, trust, and shared purpose, opportunity follows. And when opportunity follows, students gain access to experiences that build confidence, competence, and a clearer vision of what’s possible for their future.
Elyse Forbush Director of Employment and Community Development
Creating Opportunities
Our collaboration with Run The Gamut has been one of the most meaningful and energizing initiatives we ’ ve undertaken at Committee. Working closely with Elyse and the RTG team has not only strengthened our training culture but has also broadened our understanding of how to build a workplace where neurodivergent young adults can thrive.
The development of our two-part training program (the in-house Host Training curriculum and the “Hospitality 101” series delivered at RTG) has created a structured, supportive pathway that benefits both students and our staff.
The most tangible example of this impact has been hiring Meghan as a prep cook under the guidance of Executive Chef Sebastian Zuluaga. Meghan joined us for what was originally intended to be two shifts a week, but her exceptional work ethic, perfect attendance, and impressive productivity quickly made her an integral part of the team. Her eagerness to learn and her consistency prompted Chef Sebastian to add a third weekly shift without hesitation.
Meg’s presence has elevated the morale in our kitchen and reinforced for our staff the value of inclusive hiring, not as a charitable act, but as a smart investment in talent. We are proud to be part of RTG’s first year and look forward to continuing to grow alongside their students and staff.
Massinissa Ouyahia
Director of Operations at Committee
F r o m O u r P a r t n e r s
The partnership between the House of Possibilities and Run The Gamut has been of great benefit to our members. In our search for a new location to continue our "Snack Group", RTG has very graciously opened its doors to share its space with us. Through the access to their facilities, it has created greater avenues to broaden their vocational skills and explore new opportunities in food service. In addition, the meet ups that have been coordinated with Run The Gamut have been one of the biggest highlights for our members at HOPe. The ability for our program to expand its social network and meet other like-minded individuals is a connection that is invaluable to our community.
Ross Carroll, Member Support Professional House of Possibilities
One of the things we appreciate most about Run The Gamut is that it offers much more than just skill development. It has also created a welcoming space where our members can connect with other young adults who share similar backgrounds and are exploring their own employment goals. These social connections have been just as meaningful as the vocational experiences, giving participants the chance to learn from one another, build friendships, and feel part of a broader community. We are incredibly grateful for the opportunities Run The Gamut has provided our members this year and look forward to continuing our partnership in the future.
Kadin Ali, Career Coach
“What makes the BU OT and RTG partnership so valuable is that both groups of students learn alongside and from one another. BU OT students gain real-world experience working with their supervising OT faculty. RTG students bring expertise in their own lived experience and benefit from individualized and group support to build the skills and confidence needed to increase independence across different areas of their lives.”
Alison Lessard, Level
1
Fieldwork Manager
Boston University Sargent College
“At Northeastern, we are driven by social impact and experiential learning. Run the Gamut allows us to achieve both. Our students have had amazing experiential learning opportunities in an inclusive and supportive environment at an organization that has such a positive impact on the community. We are grateful for this partnership and proud to be a part of the work Run the Gamut is doing.”
Erik Brenner, Director of Belonging and Engagement Initiatives
Northeastern University
“Through this partnership [with RTG], students in our Life Skills program have had more opportunities to practice the adaptive, independent living, and job readiness skills they are learning at school in a real-world setting. RTG has also generously opened their deck space for students to have lunch and extended invitations to events, creating additional opportunities for social interaction and community participation.”
Meg Hackett, Director of Special Education
MATCH Charter Public School
“I feel like my time here at Run The Gamut has helped me feel grown up. When travel training, I feel more confident using public transportation. And the cooking group taught me important skills like knife safety, stove safety and oven safety. With cooking class, I feel confident enough to try making the meals at home.
Another thing that helps me feel independent at RTG is my job working in the Gamut Goods store. I enjoy helping customers find what they need and this helps me with my people and hospitality skills. I also feel pretty confident that checking expiration dates and taking inventory is something I am good at. My time here at Run the Gamut so far has helped me achieve and get to my goals. I am very happy at this program and I look forward to learning more everyday.”
Our Students’ Perspectives
“When I go to the Hardware Store, I go to the office to clock in like all the other employees do. Ethan has me put away all of the different products according to the SKU numbers. Next, he gives me all the new green price tags to replace the old gray price tags. Then, he has me take notes on all the SKU numbers for the hooks that don’t have any products. I also sweep by the door where the dirt comes in from the customers and take out the full trash bags and replace them with new clean bags.
I’ve learned three important skills at Benjamin Moore Hardware Store. I learned to not get distracted by my surroundings while I’m working. I listen to the customers in case there’s anything wrong or they need help to find the product they need. I try not to stay in someone else’s bubble because it makes them feel very uncomfortable.”
As our community has grown, Davie has played an important role in helping others feel included. If there is a commonality between Davie and a peer or staff member, Davie will find what it is. He takes the time to learn people's names, remember them, and consistently use the pronouns that others prefer. These everyday actions help people feel seen and valued.
Social Clubs
Relationships | Communication
Colleen Kenney, Instructor
Davie is often right in the middle of our community activities: leading the way on outings, celebrating bingo wins, or playing Just Dance with friends. His enthusiasm and RTG spirit bring people together.
Looking ahead Davie is already excited about welcoming new friends into our community. Our first cohort has helped build a strong sense of belonging that we look forward to carrying into next year.
Cooking Groups
Planning | Budgeting | Teamwork
Sofie Hagle, Instructor
In our trips out to grocery stores, I noticed our students could identify the value of currency but didn’t know what to do during cashier interactions.
I created a money skills class, and started with checking the students' knowledge of bills and coins by making an exact amount of money with different combinations. We then simulated those cashier interactions, but now the students might not have the exact amount of money needed. There was the challenge, students were not prepared for when they didn’t have that exact amount available. During the simulated interactions, we worked on rounding up and receiving change.
The ability to manage your own money is a huge step towards independence. It helps students to engage more fully in their community.
L o o k i n g F o r w a r
Over the past year, we have had the privilege of watching our students accomplish things that many people never expected of them and, in some cases, things they did not yet expect of themselves. We have watched students make friends, secure jobs, advocate for themselves, and gain confidence in ways that seemed unimaginable just months earlier. Looking ahead, we are excited to welcome more students into our community and continue creating opportunities for them. We are expanding employment partnerships with businesses that recognize the value of a neurodiverse workforce and are eager to invest in it. We are strengthening relationships with colleges, healthcare organizations, and community groups who share our belief that autistic adults deserve meaningful opportunities to contribute, connect, and thrive.
At the same time, we know we still have much to learn. RTG was built on the idea that no single organization has all the answers. As we grow, we remain committed to listening, learning, and continually improving so that we can better serve the young adults who place their trust in us.
Thank you for being part of our first year. Whether you have supported RTG through your partnership, your expertise, your encouragement, or your belief in our mission, you have helped build something special. We are incredibly proud of what has been accomplished so far. And we are even more excited about what comes next.