The Pier Center for Autism

11/26/2025

The Pier Center for Autism will be closed Thursday and Friday for a long holiday weekend. We wish everyone a safe and Happy Thanksgiving weekend!

08/07/2025

As summer winds down and everyone prepares for school to start, The Pier Center for Autism is starting to plan for our Fall Social Smarts program. We will be hosting an Open House for new families on Tuesday September 9th from 5:15-6:30pm. If you are interested, please bring your child/young adult to meet Jan and Stephanie and see what our programs have to offer.
This 10 week program itself is scheduled to run from the week of September 15th through the end of November. Groups will meet Tuesday or Thursday nights, depending on the number of participants. Time slots will be emailed out once we know how many participants we have.
The cost for this program is $250.00. Payment is to be made by check only. IF payment is made prior to or on the first night, there is a 10% discount.
Our Social Smarts groups focus on improved social skills in a small group setting with groups formed by commonalities (not only by age). In addition to the groups of participants aged 5-13 we have traditionally had, we also have an expanded high school and college aged group. For these groups, participants should already have intermediate-to-strong verbal and academic skills. This will allow us to focus on social conversation and reciprocal language skills during the 50-minute sessions.
Targets of our groups may vary based on the need of the individuals in the group, but may include: problem solving, body language, negotiating with peers and adults, managing celebrations: birthdays, graduations, holidays, etc., and how to manage your communication to different group settings.
If you have any questions, please contact Jan at 712-251-6030 or jturbes@midstepservices.com

06/06/2025

Thanks to a generous gift from a donor, as well as the fantastic work of Coughlin Landscaping, our clinic received a nice facelift this week!

06/03/2025

Just a reminder about our open house for the new Social Smarts groups is Thursday from 5:30-6:30!

The Pier Center for Autism is planning our Summer Social Smarts program. We will be hosting an Open House for new families on Thursday June 5th from 5:30-6:30pm. If you are interested, please bring your child/young adult to meet Jan and Stephanie and see what our programs have to offer.
This 5 week program itself is scheduled to run from June 17th, 24th, July 8th, 15th, and 22nd. All groups will meet Tuesday nights, time slots will be emailed out once we know how many participants we have.
The cost for this program is $125.00. Payment is to be made by check only.
Our Social Smarts groups focus on improved social skills in a small group setting with groups formed by commonalities (not only by age). In addition to the groups of participants aged 5-13 we have traditionally had, we also have an expanded high school and college aged group. For these groups, participants should already have intermediate-to-strong verbal and academic skills. This will allow us to focus on social conversation and reciprocal language skills during the 50-minute sessions.
Targets of our groups may vary based on the need of the individuals in the group, but may include: problem solving, body language, negotiating with peers and adults, managing celebrations: birthdays, graduations, holidays, etc., and how to manage your communication to different group settings.
If you have any questions or concerns please contact Jan at 712-251-6030 or jturbes@midstepservices.com

05/25/2025

Wednesday the Pier Center says goodbye to Maddy. Seven years ago she entered our lives. Her blood, sweat, and tears helped us get to where we are today. While we are heartbroken to lose her, we wish her family the best as they start a new chapter in Eastern Iowa. I cannot thank her enough for her love and dedication to the Pier Center for Autism.

05/22/2025

As a reminder, we will be closed Monday May 26th for Memorial Day. Have a safe and happy holiday weekend.

05/12/2025

The Pier Center for Autism is planning our Summer Social Smarts program. We will be hosting an Open House for new families on Thursday June 5th from 5:30-6:30pm. If you are interested, please bring your child/young adult to meet Jan and Stephanie and see what our programs have to offer.
This 5 week program itself is scheduled to run from June 17th, 24th, July 8th, 15th, and 22nd. All groups will meet Tuesday nights, time slots will be emailed out once we know how many participants we have.
The cost for this program is $125.00. Payment is to be made by check only.
Our Social Smarts groups focus on improved social skills in a small group setting with groups formed by commonalities (not only by age). In addition to the groups of participants aged 5-13 we have traditionally had, we also have an expanded high school and college aged group. For these groups, participants should already have intermediate-to-strong verbal and academic skills. This will allow us to focus on social conversation and reciprocal language skills during the 50-minute sessions.
Targets of our groups may vary based on the need of the individuals in the group, but may include: problem solving, body language, negotiating with peers and adults, managing celebrations: birthdays, graduations, holidays, etc., and how to manage your communication to different group settings.
If you have any questions or concerns please contact Jan at 712-251-6030 or jturbes@midstepservices.com

05/09/2025

🎉 Congratulations to Karson on winning the 50/50 raffle at Derby & Dreams!

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who purchased tickets in support of the Pier Center for Autism and the Pier Learning Center. Your generosity makes a real difference!

05/08/2025

05/03/2025

🎉 It’s almost time for Derby & Dreams! 🐎✨
We’re just one day away from this incredible event supporting the Pier Center for Autism!

If you're attending, get excited — there are so many amazing items you’ll be able to bid on at the event!
Check out what will be available tomorrow by clicking the link below ⬇️
🔗 https://one.bidpal.net/derbyanddreams2025/browse/all

Get ready for a fun-filled day in support of a great cause. We can’t wait to see you there! 💙

05/02/2025

Tomorrow is Derby Day and We are excited to see everyone attending this sold out event! Here is the schedule of events! We will also have live music the first hour provided by Ralph Dittman! Dinner will be served at approximately 6pm right after the running of the Kentucky Derby!

04/30/2025

🌟 Thank You, Country Celebrations Event Center! 🌟

We are beyond grateful to Country Celebrations Event Center for hosting this year’s Derby & Dreams event! Your beautiful venue and incredible support make a world of difference for the Pier Center and the families we serve.

Thanks to you—and our amazing community—Derby & Dreams is officially SOLD OUT! 🎉👒🐎

We can’t wait to celebrate an unforgettable night together. Thank you for everything you do to help us make a lasting impact!