Meet Sarah Watkins | Always a Mom first, Founder of AUsome Sauce – creating a Mix of Safety & Connection

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sarah Watkins and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sarah, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Starting a Non Profit is never easy but the initial motivation to create change is always worth it. My son was diagnosed with Autism at an early age and with that comes the grieving process, you have to work through the stages and make moves accordingly. As I got more confident in my journey and learning how to advocate it became clear that I was missing a community. The type of community that seems easy for most, creating those friendships and building comfort wasn’t easy for an anxious mother to a child with a disability – I didn’t feel safe or seen.

I came across a mom on Instagram who gave me the inspiration that I could actually be the creator of the safe space and that is how AUsome Sauce was formed. The early stages of the diagnosis process are the hardest, you are being thrown into new terms and acronyms, transitions, countless hours of therapy all while adjusting emotionally. Our support mixers allow families to come together in a safe space, literally and emotionally. Our parents/guardians have the opportunity to connect with each other while the children can cohesively socialize in a relaxed setting because everyone just gets it! As we continue to grow and make connections with other organizations, I can only hope to contribute to the greater cause of building an inclusive world for our nuerodiverse children.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
AUsome Sauce has only been operating since April 2022, the amount that we have accomplished in the last few months has been exponential. AS has hosted many special events on top of our mixers, in different social settings allowing caregivers different experiences with a comfort level they can appreciate. We have attracted families outside of North Orange County, bringing in new families every event we have. 2023 is going to be a year of connections, I plan to focus on bridging the gap between different organizations only to become strong resources for various ages, specific needs and educational references. The love I have for my kid and the need to create a safe space for him is what gives me the motivation to continue, combining that with having a strong board of individuals who believe that AUsome Sauce can make a difference is key. It’s the perfect blend of love and acceptance.

I’ve learned that special needs parents are one of a kind, with big hearts and strong minds. They want to feel seen and be accepted, if you provide us a place of comfort, you will have a friend for life. With that being said, I’d say a challenge for me as the founder would be the pressure I feel to not let these families down, I am by nature an introvert but as I navigate conversations and make connections I now have this constant need to strive for more. I have to remind myself this is a process that takes time and care. I think the lesson to keep in mind for any Non Profit is to keep your core mission in mind, it’s very easy to get off track and want to expand and add too many things to your plate. Burnout is a real thing but staying true to what’s needed instead of what is wanted is good start to becoming successful.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The great thing about SoCal is you have a. little bit of everything, it’s always important to hit up all your major experiences. We could start off by hitting up LA and take a drive through downtown only to stop for some epic Mexican food and scenery at Olvera Street. Maybe take a detour to an outdoor mall like The Grove to walk off lunch or hit up the LA Arboretum for a serene experience.

Sightseeing through Hollywood never disappoints, catching something at the Pantages can be day two. If we have the time, going to a museum is always fun and of course more eating, maybe even somewhere famous like Pink’s. If that isn’t your thing, a drive up to Lake Arrowhead doesn’t take too long, about an hour and half and BOOM you are in the mountains! If you are feeling lucky, Palm Springs has a nostalgic vibe that could include some gambling and a show at one of the casinos.

Now to round out my friends stay, we have to do the beach! Long Beach is the perfect place for both a laid back beach scene with great places to explore on 2nd street to the aquarium. Drive down PCH to Laguna Beach and you get beautiful views of the coast, I like to grab a green juice at Urth Cafe and stop at Chakra Shack to get my aura read. My family loves Disneyland, so the last stop to end the week would be great at the Happiest Place on Earth – we’d deserve a churro for all our adventures!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to dedicate this to my sons, Jackson and Luke. Luke got his diagnosis four years ago, his perseverance gave me the courage to create this community. I created this organization selfishly for me because I wanted friends who understood but really the movement is inspired by him. My husband who has always supported EVERYTHING I do. And most importantly, I am grateful for every family I meet at an AS event. Their support and acceptance is always unmatched, the kinship I have built with other moms is strong and I am honored to be in this fight for our children with you. ShoutOut to my board who has been there to keep AUsome Sauce on track and growing and last but not least, to my family and friends – I hope to never let you down.

Website: www.ausomesauce.org

Instagram: @ausomesaucee

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ausomesaucee/

Other: Donate to AUsome Sauce: https://ausomesauce.causevox.com

Image Credits
All images taken by Taylor Joy Photography – @tayjoyphoto