Hoboken Celebrates Autism Awareness Month

In 2009, Danielle Puro found out that her daughter was diagnosed with autism. Almost immediately, Puro, 35, joined the organization Autism Speaks an started a team to "bring awareness" to Hoboken.

On Wednesday evening, Puro joined Mayor Dawn Zimmer, Reverend Geoffrey Curtiss and other members of the community in a first annual autism awareness event.  

Zimmer praised Hoboken's parents as a "strong community of people who care," and laid out some programs offered by the city, such as an after-school soccer progream and a "lose the training wheels" program. 

In the state of New Jersey, one in 49 children is diagnosed with autism, Zimmer said. 

On Saturday, a day long autism awareness event will be hosted at the Rue Building Gym. The event includes a concert, children's activities and a special appearance by NY Jets player Mike DeVito.

"We're all doing this together," said Puro, "so that our kids can fit in."