A generous gift from the Toldo Foundation is making a lasting impact in the Windsor area, touching the lives of hundreds of autistic individuals and their families. Thanks to their support, the Anthony P. Toldo Multi-Sensory Experience — a sensory room located at Autism Ontario’s West Region office — is now available free of charge to autistics, their families, and other neurodiverse individuals who benefit from sensory-friendly spaces. 

Multisensory (or Snoezelen) rooms provide a safe, controlled, and predictable environment designed to reduce stress and support the improvement of focus and self-regulation. They are often used not only by autistics, but also by other members of the neurodiverse community who may also face sensory processing challenges.

Sensory rooms typically contain a variety of items designed to engage the senses. They may include calming lights such as lava lamps, tactile items such as soft toys, as well as a calming soundtrack, delivering music or nature sounds by music or headphones.  

The Windsor sensory room spans approximately 300 square feet and provides a welcoming, accessible environment for individuals. It also helps remove severe financial constraints that often accompany visiting venues of this type.   

“The room is accessible for individuals of all ages,” says Livia Congi, Autism Ontario’s People and Family Experience Supervisor, West Region. They work hard, she says, to make sure their visitors are engaged by keeping the experience different by constantly updating the content of the room with new items that appeal to the different senses. “We make sure the items are changed out every four to six weeks to ensure a new experience every time people come.” 

Without the donation to Autism Ontario, comments Livia, that sensory room would not have existed. “It’s very therapeutic,” she said. “It helps people with their anxiety; it helps them learn. Sometimes people will come in to book a room with their it their instructor, therapist – or the speech path will come in with the kid because they can get more language out of the kid when they book the room since the environment is stimulating in that sense.” 

One individual whose clients continue to benefit from the generosity of the Toldo Foundation is Monica Rovinelli, the owner of Hand over Hand Respite Services, who brings her clients to visit the room at least twice a month. Many of her clients, especially her adult ones, are on limited budgets, so it’s important to have a facility such as the sensory room available at no cost to them. “And that is huge,” she says, “because a lot of [my clients] don't have a lot of extra money.” 

Monica says that the children and adults in her care love the room. “It’s fun. There’s a million things to do there. There's music, lights, games and sensory things. It's amazing. I'm so happy that we have it in our city.”