90 Days In: An Update from Mesa For All Foundation

By Brett Heising, Interim Executive Director | Mesa For All Foundation

When I accepted the role of Interim Executive Director at Mesa For All Foundation on January 7, I knew our work would be challenging. Nonprofit growth doesn’t happen on a timetable you control. Partnerships require trust. Grants take time. Infrastructure — the unglamorous stuff that makes everything else possible — must be built.

Today marks 90 days. We’ve made real progress, but we have a long way to go.

First, You Have to Know What You Believe

Like most young nonprofits, Mesa For All Foundation needs financial resources and community visibility to complement what we have in spades: ambition.

My first three months have been about building those things. Strengthening board relationships, introducing myself to potential community partners, taking an honest look at our communications, and beginning the work of making sure our website and public presence truly reflect who we are. This, of course, is all work in progress, but it’s underway.

We have also spent time getting clear on our voice. What does Mesa For All Foundation believe?

The answer we keep coming back to is simple:

Every person — resident or visitor — deserves the opportunity to shape their own life, engage with their community, and participate as fully as possible.

That belief now shapes everything we say and do — across exploring potential grant possibilities, partner conversations, and community outreach.

Steady Progress

Camp Level Up, our career exposure and confidence-building program for young people on the autism spectrum, continues to grow. Approximately 100 campers have participated since 2022, and we recently secured a meaningful grant to support the program’s expansion. We’re proud of that. We’re also focused on making sure more families — especially those who need financial support — can access it. You can register here.

Earlier this month, Fritz’s Barbershop became the latest MFA-driven International Board of Credentialling and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES)-certified autism-friendly business in Mesa. One business at a time, we’re building welcoming communities where people of all abilities feel genuinely at home. April is Autism Acceptance Month, so it’s the perfect time to open our latest round of IBCCES training grants. You can apply for a grant here.

We’ve engaged more than 20 organizations as potential partners — in education, healthcare, tourism, and community services. Some of those conversations are moving rapidly. Most, however, are moving at a glacial pace despite my best efforts. That’s the reality of this work. Relationships take time. Change takes time.

Current Challenges

Mesa For All Foundation wants to expand our existing programs and launch new initiatives. One area I’m exploring is need-based financial assistance to help people cover the cost of wheelchairs — a gap that is far larger than most people realize. Some manual wheelchairs cost more than $15,000. Power wheelchairs can reach $100,000. I’ll let that sink in. Even with health insurance, out-of-pocket costs often exceed 80 percent. I believe there’s an important role for Mesa For All Foundation to play here, and we’re working toward it.

Operationally, we need funds to grow our infrastructure and staff. Even with a dedicated volunteer Board of Directors, one paid employee can’t do it alone.

I’m experiencing another challenge — and this one is delicate, but it deserves attention. How do I help potential partners gain clarity around the fact that people with disabilities are loyal consumers with $490B in annual disposable income, and that supporting people with disabilities philanthropically is just as important as it is for any demographic? Helping people with autism and physical disabilities is more than the right thing to do. It’s good business.

We’re not there yet. But guided by kindness and a genuine commitment to creating a sense of belonging for all, we’re building something real — and we’re committed to doing it right.

We Need You

If what I’ve shared resonates with you, prove it.

Donate — Every dollar goes directly to programs and people.

Become a Community Champion — Businesses can support MFA with an annual contribution of $1,500; individuals can join at $100.

Partner with us — If your organization cares about accessibility and inclusion, we’d love to talk. If you don’t care about accessibility and inclusion, we’d really love to talk so that we can share why the work we do is so important.

Share this — If what I’ve shared in this update strikes a chord with you, share it and talk about it.

In closing, I want you to know that this work is personal to me. I understand what it means to navigate a world not built for you. As a manual wheelchair user, I do it every day. That experience is part of why I’m here, and why I believe so deeply in the vision we’re working toward — that Mesa and the East Valley are universally regarded as some of the most accessible, inclusive, and welcoming communities in the nation.

The work ahead is significant, but so is the opportunity. I hope you’ll be part of it.

Brett Heising is the Interim Executive Director of Mesa For All Foundation, a Mesa, Arizona-based nonprofit dedicated to creating welcoming, accessible communities for people with autism and physical disabilities. Learn more at mesaforall.org.