{"id":5988,"date":"2026-05-11T15:29:29","date_gmt":"2026-05-11T22:29:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mesaforall.org\/?p=5988"},"modified":"2026-05-11T15:31:58","modified_gmt":"2026-05-11T22:31:58","slug":"mesa-for-all-foundations-grant-program-helps-fritzs-barbershop-achieve-autism-certified-through-ibcces","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mesaforall.org\/?p=5988","title":{"rendered":"Mesa For All Foundation\u2019s Grant Program helps Fritz&#8217;s Barbershop Achieve Autism Certified through IBCCES"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-image aligncenter uagb-block-6bb04477 wp-block-uagb-image--layout-default wp-block-uagb-image--effect-static wp-block-uagb-image--align-center\"><figure class=\"wp-block-uagb-image__figure\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mesaforall.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Picture1.jpg ,https:\/\/mesaforall.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Picture1.jpg 780w, https:\/\/mesaforall.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Picture1.jpg 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 150px\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mesaforall.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Picture1.jpg?resize=158%2C180&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Jackson Mogenson receives a haircut at Fritz\u2019s Barbershop\" class=\"uag-image-5991\" width=\"158\" height=\"180\" title=\"Picture1\" loading=\"lazy\" role=\"img\"\/><figcaption class=\"uagb-image-caption\"><em><sub>Jackson Mogenson receives a haircut at Fritz\u2019s Barbershop<\/sub><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fritz\u2019s Barbershop has been a fixture of downtown Mesa since 1946. Today, co-owners Sarah and Bryant Krieger are carrying its history and heritage forward with a clear priority: making sure everyone who rolls or walks through the door feels at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Their pursuit of Mesa For All Foundation\u2019s Accessibility Grant, which helps offset the cost of autism certification through IBCCES, (International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards) is one way the Kriegers ensure this commitment extends beyond a mission statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br><strong>A Personal Journey to Inclusivity<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sarah and Bryant don\u2019t have a background in barbering. Sarah was a teacher, and Bryant runs his own consulting business. What drew them to this business is something far more personal: their son Fritz, their third of five children, was born with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a rare and progressive disease that affects muscle strength as children grow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The shop, named after Fritz, is a tribute to their family\u2019s efforts to truly understand disability through his eyes. They also use it as a platform to raise awareness for rare diseases like Duchenne. For Sarah, Bryant, and their children, it\u2019s equal parts mission and meaning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fritz helps Sarah, Bryant, and their entire family see the world differently. \u201cIt\u2019s not the wheelchair. That\u2019s not the end all be all, Sarah shared. It\u2019s the world that we\u2019re living in. Why can\u2019t a ramp be there instead of stairs? You start to realize all these things that don\u2019t make sense,\u201d when you have a child with a disability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Why Autism Certification Mattered<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When Sarah and Bryant learned about IBCCES and the autism certification process that Mesa For All Foundation supports, it was a natural fit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For a sensory-sensitive client, a barbershop can be a challenging environment. Fritz\u2019s has always been intentional about this: wheelchair-accessible entry, sensory-friendly equipment, and small comfort items for kids like puzzles, a fish tank, and a toy barber kit to help children feel at ease before their turn in the chair. Autism certification is another tool they use to make sure that everybody feels welcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Kriegers are deliberate about who joins their team. \u201cThey each have hearts of service just as big as ours,\u201d Sarah said. \u201cThat\u2019s why we work so well together and why they\u2019re in our shop. They represent the culture we wanted to establish.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>How Your Business Can Take the Next Step<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Mesa For All Foundation\u2019s autism certification grant program is now open. It helps Mesa businesses offset some of the costs associated with IBCCES autism certification and take real steps toward becoming more inclusive. The process is fully virtual and on demand, with most staff completing training in about 30 minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For Sarah, the value of that commitment is personal. As a parent who has spent years searching for businesses that truly understand, she knows what it means when one does. \u201cWhen you start to discover that there are organizations fighting alongside you \u2014 or frankly fighting for you \u2014 because your fight often is so much of the day to day, it just feels empowering,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Her message to business owners still on the fence is direct. \u201cIf we can do it, anyone can do it,\u201d she said. \u201cWe have eight million things going on. But the certification process really felt like a team effort to help us get there, understanding that this isn\u2019t all we have going on at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Take the Next Step<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Kriegers built Fritz\u2019s Barbershop around a simple idea: that true strength looks different than the world often tells us it does. \u201cStrength is stopping to do the right thing when you maybe had an agenda in the first place,\u201d Sarah shared. \u201cTaking the time to have patience with people and leading with kindness. That\u2019s true strength.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fritz\u2019s name is above the door for a reason. It\u2019s a daily reminder of what the Kriegers believe a business, and a community, can be. If that resonates with you, visit <a href=\"https:\/\/forms.cloud.microsoft\/pages\/responsepage.aspx?id=pwm3-R2fLUWbJlXiGbkzRVQ8UGWsk8VHmMcX8taLm2BUQVFVWlFOQlBJNVpDQUlHV08xR1QwVktXWC4u&amp;route=shorturl\">mesaforall.org<\/a> to get started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-image uagb-block-070655fe wp-block-uagb-image--layout-default wp-block-uagb-image--effect-static wp-block-uagb-image--align-none\"><figure class=\"wp-block-uagb-image__figure\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mesaforall.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Picture2.jpg ,https:\/\/mesaforall.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Picture2.jpg 780w, https:\/\/mesaforall.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Picture2.jpg 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 150px\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mesaforall.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Picture2.jpg?resize=155%2C192&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Sarah &amp; Bryant\u2019s oldest son, Hans, helps at the shop\" class=\"uag-image-5996\" width=\"155\" height=\"192\" title=\"Picture2\" loading=\"lazy\" role=\"img\"\/><figcaption class=\"uagb-image-caption\"><em><sub>Sarah &amp; Bryant\u2019s oldest son, Hans, helps at the shop<\/sub><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Please note:<\/em><\/strong><em> Fritz\u2019s Barbershop recently experienced a small fire and is temporarily operating out of a neighboring salon while repairs are underway. They are open and ready to serve you.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><br><\/strong><strong>Media Contact:<\/strong><br>Brett Heising<br>Interim Executive Director<br><a href=\"http:\/\/www.mesaforall.org\/\">Mesa For All Foundation<\/a><br>602.405.9103<br>director@mesaforall.org<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-image uagb-block-e3a63e92 wp-block-uagb-image--layout-default wp-block-uagb-image--effect-static wp-block-uagb-image--align-none\"><figure class=\"wp-block-uagb-image__figure\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mesaforall.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/MESA-FOR-ALL-FOUNDATION-mark-color.png ,https:\/\/mesaforall.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/MESA-FOR-ALL-FOUNDATION-mark-color.png 780w, https:\/\/mesaforall.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/MESA-FOR-ALL-FOUNDATION-mark-color.png 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 150px\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mesaforall.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/MESA-FOR-ALL-FOUNDATION-mark-color.png?resize=141%2C118&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"uag-image-4684\" width=\"141\" height=\"118\" title=\"MESA FOR ALL FOUNDATION mark - color\" loading=\"lazy\" role=\"img\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Meta Data Center Community Action Grant allows Camp Level Up, an inclusive creative technology camp for teens with autism, to flourish<\/p>\n<p>MESA, Ariz. (April 29, 2026)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":240507628,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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