A Dallas JC Penny Holds an Autism Friendly Shopping Experience Event

Going shopping with a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder can be a struggle. The bright lights, crowds of people and the array of noises can cause sensory overload. A JC Penny store in Dallas, Texas recognized this struggle and wanted to make it possible for parents to enjoy back to school shopping with their children with disabilities. On Sunday August 14th, the store opened early and held a two-hour autism-friendly shopping session. The accommodations included lower lighting (50% of the typical lighting), no music, salespeople in neutral clothing and workers in the store with autism-friendly customer service training. The store hopes to keep this event as an annual tradition and to expand it to other stores. You can read more about this event here.