PARSIPPANY — Anvesha Bhagat was 12 years old when she said she saw a child with autism struggling to find support and realized the resources her community needed were not readily available.
That observation led Bhagat to co-found Action Autism with Arshia Singh, a senior at Dublin High School in California.
Now a senior at the Academy for Mathematics, Science and Engineering in Rockaway, Bhagat has helped grow Action Autism from an awareness project into a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with chapters in New Jersey, California, Michigan, Maryland, North Carolina and India, according to Bhagat. The organization’s Instagram account has more than 4,800 followers.
The organization focuses on providing resources for children with autism and their caregivers, including two resources Bhagat said she designed herself: a low-cost sensory cube and a caregiver’s guide available in multiple languages.
The sensory cube, which Bhagat said is under provisional patent, is designed to help children with autism improve focus and self-regulation. The caregiver’s guide is a free resource designed for families, including those in underserved and low-income communities.
Bhagat said the resources have been distributed through libraries, nonprofits and community organizations in the United States and internationally, with support from the Kessler Foundation, Believe in Me and the RBM Autism Foundation in Nigeria.
The sensory cube has also been demonstrated at library workshops throughout Morris County, where caregivers can learn how to use the tool and observe sensory responses in young children.
Bhagat said she did not seek outside funding to launch the initiative. Instead, she spent a summer working at Limitless, where she worked directly with children on the autism spectrum, and used the income she earned there to build the sensory cube and produce the caregiver’s guide, donating both to families free of charge.
Bringing the Work to Schools and Policymakers
Bhagat has also taken Action Autism’s work into discussions about autism awareness and policy.
She said she recently met with Parsippany Mayor Pulkit Desai to review the sensory cube and caregiver’s guide. According to Bhagat, they also discussed potential autism awareness partnerships within Parsippany Township elementary schools.
Bhagat also met with members of United States Senator Andy Kim’s legislative and education policy team after being invited to present the sensory cube, according to Bhagat.
During the meeting, she said she was asked how schools could be restructured to identify autism earlier, before children fall through the cracks.
She subsequently submitted a policy proposal titled “Improving School-Based Identification of Students with Autism: A Framework for Earlier Recognition and Intervention.” The proposal draws on consultations with parents, special education teachers and researchers and addresses screening protocols, caregiver training and sensory-inclusive school design, according to Bhagat.
Senator Kim’s office reviewed the proposal and expressed interest in supporting the cause as it advances through legislative channels, Bhagat said.
Action Autism has also developed a proposed Sensory Light Bill that calls on schools to adopt sensory-friendly lighting to reduce overstimulation for autistic students. Bhagat said the proposal was shaped through input from parents and special education professionals and has been submitted to elected officials.
Research and Community Work
Bhagat is also involved in autism research.
She currently serves as a research intern at Rutgers University’s Kaleidoscope Lab under Dr. Aaron Dallman, contributing to academic work in autism and developmental science, according to Bhagat.
She also volunteers and shadows Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy at Believe in Me, and co-founded The Arc of New Jersey’s Youth Advisory Board for mental health awareness.
Bhagat said the Kessler Foundation also invited her to provide curriculum suggestions for its Inspire-Me wellness program, which serves thousands of students across New Jersey.
Book, Podcast and Workshops
Bhagat and Singh also co-authored “Embracing Differences,” a children’s book about inclusion and neurodiversity.
According to Bhagat, proceeds from each copy sold fund the donation of a sensory cube to a family that cannot afford one.
The pair also co-host the Action Autism Podcast, which features autistic individuals, caregivers, educators and advocates discussing their experiences.
Along with Action Autism’s chapter leaders, they continue to conduct sensory cube workshops at libraries and community organizations throughout Morris County and beyond, according to Bhagat.
What’s Next
Action Autism is working to expand its distribution of resources to schools, libraries, fire departments and first responders, Bhagat said.
She also plans to continue her autism research at the college level and is working to secure funding to develop the next generation of the sensory cube, a more interactive version designed to engage children more effectively.
Bhagat said her goal is to make sure every child who needs a sensory cube can receive one free of charge.
More information about Action Autism and its resources is available at actionsautism.com.
