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St. Charles proclaims April Autism Acceptance Month, honors local volunteers with Spirit of St. Charles awards
Summary
The St. Charles mayor read a proclamation designating April 2026 as Autism Acceptance Month and the council presented Spirit of St. Charles awards to Mark Weiss (Comic Books for Kids) and Don Phillips (Brown Butter Baked Goods). Speakers praised local partnerships with first responders and community support programs.
The mayor read a proclamation at the April 6 St. Charles City Council meeting declaring April 2026 as Autism Acceptance Month, citing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention prevalence figures and calling on residents to support autistic individuals and organizations such as the Autism Hero Project.
A representative of the Autism Hero Project thanked the city for prior police training and described programs that include first-responder training, sensory kits and a "blue envelope" tool to help autistic residents communicate with emergency personnel. The representative praised local businesses that have donated materials and services, noting West Valley Graphics provided free printing of blue envelopes for the city and neighboring municipalities.
The council then presented the Spirit of St. Charles Award for Ward 3 to Mark Weiss, founder of Comic Books for Kids, which the council said now supports more than 200 hospitals in the U.S. and has expanded internationally. Weiss described the organization’s mission to provide comic books and related items to children in hospitals and announced he will provide a commemorative comic commissioned from DC Comics to council members and staff.
The council also honored Don Phillips of Brown Butter Baked Goods Cafe for community contributions since opening in September 2022; Phillips thanked the city and noted the cafe’s role as a community gathering place.
The mayor and council framed the proclamations and awards as part of the city’s commitment to inclusion and community partnerships. No formal council action beyond presentations was recorded for these items.
