A Baldwin County nonprofit is adding a new twist to its annual special needs resource fair this month, giving neurodivergent and special needs entrepreneurs their own curated showcase for the first time alongside the event’s usual lineup of service providers.
Where the Pieces Meet will host its third annual Special Needs Resource Fair on Saturday, July 25, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at PZK Hall, located at 17933 AL-104 in Robertsdale. Admission is free.
New this year is The Pieces Collective, a curated showcase spotlighting work made by local neurodivergent and special needs entrepreneurs, giving those artists and makers a dedicated space to sell and display their work rather than sharing a table among general vendors.
Beyond the showcase, families will be able to meet with roughly two dozen partner organizations covering nearly every corner of the special needs support network in coastal Alabama, including the Alabama Department of Mental Health, the American Autism and Rehabilitation Center, The ARC of the Gulf Coast, Goodwill Gulf Coast, the Learning Disabilities Association of Alabama, Mobile Parks and Recreation, and the USA Regional Autism Network, among others.
Following the fair, the event shifts into a ticketed social event: a third annual “speed social” beginning at 2:30 p.m., built around two-minute conversations followed by finger foods and drinks, giving neurodivergent adults a low-pressure way to meet new people. Tickets are $10 through the Where the Pieces Meet website, and neurodivergent or special needs adults may bring one support person at no additional charge.
Organizers say the pairing of a resource fair with a social mixer reflects the group’s broader mission: connecting families to services during the day, while giving neurodivergent adults their own space to build friendships and community once the vendor tables come down.