MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - Meridian Mall is hosting an event to raise autism awareness and will benefit the Xavier DeGroat Autism Foundation.

“I started the Xavier DeGroat Autism Foundation in 2018 to start raising acceptance for autism throughout our community and raise awareness for social change,” said the foundation founder and CEO, Xavier DeGroat. “I wanted to start the foundation to make law enforcement be better at interacting with those with autism and also to make autism even more acceptable in our society with job opportunities.”

The event will begin at Launch Trampoline Park and will feature past Detroit Lions Players, including Lomas Brown, and former Michigan State University football coach Mark Dantonio.

“We have been very proactive at making law enforcement better understand those with autism, so when they get pulled over police know how to approach them,” said DeGroat. “Now we’re working on making things more sensory friendly in our society at games like football.”

Tickets for the Friday, June 11, event are $50 and the event is also offering VIP tickets for $150 which would include photo ad autograph opportunities with the celebrity guests in attendance.

For more information on the event or to purchase tickets people can visit Eventbright.com and search for Lomas Brown Autism Acceptance event.