NEW YORK - Stephannie Addo noticed early on that her son, Jacob, wasn't hitting his developmental milestones.

"I knew something was wrong so I was the one that actually said 'let's get him evaluated," Addo recalled.

At 18-months-old, Jacob was diagnosed with autism.

"Once I got the diagnosis it was like how can we help him? How can we make him be the best child he can be or the best adult he can be?" Addo said.

Addo says early intervention was key.

Thanks to speech, physical, and occupational therapy Jacob is thriving. But what Addo realized is that not every parent of a special needs child has easy access to these kinds of programs.

That's why she started "Champs for Autism, a non-profit that advocates for children with development disabilities and connects their parents to resources. This, while also celebrating what these kids are made of.

One way she does that is with a fashion show.

For the fifth year in a row, Addo has given these children an opportunity to shine on the catwalk.

She says the show serves two purposes - it's a fundraiser for future programming - and also an opportunity for kids to showcase their growth.  

"It gives me pride that she's able to get up there  and show that this is her. There are these wonderful children out there and they deserve the spotlight and they deserve to be seen and heard," said Solimar Hidalgo-Angel, a parent.

That’s the exact message Addo tries to push with her organization. With more awareness, comes more support.  

"It's a big maze out there so if I can get us all to come together to support each other, to be able to help a parent get what they need for their child. And not only that, most of all I want this platform to inspire parents to open their own organization," Addo said.

For creating a community of kindness and inclusivity, Stephannie Addo is our New Yorker of the Week.