LaTonya Winfrey
HAPPY: JOSEPH’S JOURNEY
What started out as a support system for LaTonya Winfrey’s son with autism, Joseph, has since flourished into its own nonprofit. The original purpose of this support system was to hold a t-shirt sale in order to raise money for Joseph’s speech therapy costs. It takes a village to raise a child, and Joseph’s village is incredibly supportive and encouraging. So much so, that LaTonya felt she could do more for individuals with autism.
Last year, LaTonya decided to take the leap and enroll in The Academy to learn how to make Happy: Joseph’s Journey an official nonprofit organization. “Corner to Corner taught me to take advantage of all resources that are available to me, whether I can currently use one or not, the information is always helpful.”
Now, Happy: Joseph’s Journey consists of a strong village of autism advocates, for those on the spectrum, their families, and communities as a whole. The organization offers educational services, like online seminars and classes for families, and works to enrich the lives of community members by hosting activities that promote awareness. On top of this, Happy: Joseph’s Journey is also here to celebrate! The annual Bowling for Austin Awareness event brings the community together.
Just a few months ago, LaTonya announced something incredible: Happy: Joseph’s Journey is officially trademarked! “In order to keep our brand name, we made a decision to begin the trademark process in June 2020. One month later, the city was placed on lockdown, which allowed us to focus on our organization, [but] it was an extremely long waiting period for approval. In June 2021, Happy: Joseph’s Journey® was approved for the trademark.”
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