When Arizona’s first fully accredited autism-only K-12+ school, launched more than a decade ago, it broke ground with a bold, joyful “What If?”
What if every autistic student had a place truly designed for how they learn, think, and thrive?
Autism Academy for Education & Development started with one groundbreaking campus and has since grown into six locations across the Phoenix metropolitan area and Tucson, including an online campus, serving students ages 5 through 22 with individualized academics, therapies, and a powerful message: you are capable, you are valued, and your future is wide open.
Laura Newcomb, a special educator, founded FMG and established Autism Academy under the company. She later expanded FMG to include several other businesses, all with the motto “kids first in every decision.”
Then came the next “what if?” What if our kids had a path after graduation?
The hard truth is that adults with autism face some of the highest unemployment rates in the country. What if that wasn’t the end of the story?
The vision grew into something even bigger: actual businesses where those skills can turn into real paychecks, real responsibility, and real pride – Crave Protein Cafe, The Olive Branch Boutique, and a HOTWORX franchise.
Crave Protein Cafe is where protein shakes, great food, and opportunity are blended together. The Olive Branch Boutique is where you don’t just shop for an impeccable gift, you invest in someone’s independence. And HOTWORX is where wellness meets workforce development, proving a fitness studio can flex more than muscles; it can flex what’s possible.
What if every latte, every boutique purchase, and every gym session helped provide training, coaching, and career experience for adults with autism and other developmental disabilities?
What if businesses across Arizona—and beyond—saw this model and thought, “We could do that too”?
What if employers knew to train those with “special needs” only to find out they had “specialized strengths” in the workplace?
That’s the heartbeat of FMG: turning “what if” into “what is.”
Today, students don’t just graduate; they step into a continuum of support that follows them into adulthood. They move from classroom to career path, from learning basic job skills to mastering roles where they are trusted, respected, and paid for their contributions.
And we’re still asking:
- What if every community had a place like this?
- What if every employer saw potential instead of limitation?
- What if employers understood how to train workers with disabilities?
- What if your support, your meal at Crave, your purchase at The Olive Branch, your workout at HOTWORX became the spark that changed an entire life?
Come check out Crave Protein Cafe, The Olive Branch Boutique, and HOTWORX, and be a part of something truly special.
Crave Protein Café:143 E. Germann Rd. Ste. 108, Gilbert, AZ 85297
Olive Branch Boutique: 143 E. Germann Rd, Gilbert, AZ and 1025 W. Ocotillo Rd, Chandler, AZ. Shop online anytime!
HOTWORX:143 E. Germann Rd, Gilbert, AZ
