Finding a future: A South Florida group helps young adults find jobs

April is Autism Acceptance Month, which is a time to celebrate inclusion and spotlight programs that are making a real difference.

In South Florida, one father-son team is doing just that, with the Summer of Success program.

For students like Maxwell Martinez, it’s been nothing short of life-changing.

Inside the brightly lit studios of NBC6, Maxwell smiles as he watches a live news show.  

NBC6’s Constance Jones asks during a recent tour, “This isn’t your first time here, right Maxwell?”

The NBC6 newsroom is just one stop on the journey these young adults take during their two weeks with Summer Success. From luxury hotels to popular restaurants, firehouses and police departments, students are given hands-on exposure to a variety of workplaces. 

The idea for Summer Success was born out of love and necessity.

Eddie Martinez, the program’s founder and director said he realized how few options existed for young adults with autism after high school. 

He told NBC6, “After my son Maxwell graduated, we wanted to find a way to bridge that gap.”

Over the course of two weeks, participants like Maxwell tour different businesses and meet with employees across South Florida. For Maxwell, the experience opened his eyes — and doors.

“I liked visiting the fire department and police station in Coral Gables,” he said. “It was cool to see how everything works and how they keep the community safe.”

Thanks to the relationships he built through Summer Success, Maxwell enrolled in the KLA program at Miami Dade College.

Recently, he proudly graduated and now works with the Department of Housing — an achievement that fills his father, and everyone involved in the program, with pride.

“Without programs like this, so many young adults would be overlooked,” Eddie said. “But given the Summer Success is fueled by partnerships with local businesses and volunteers — and this spring, the team is rallying the community to help it grow even bigger."

On May 22, they’ll host Taste of Success, a fundraiser at the Coral Gables Women’s Club, featuring delicious bites and auction items. 

It’s also an opportunity for supporters to invest in the futures of young adults like Maxwell.

“It’s not just a fundraiser,” Eddie said. “It’s a celebration of what these young people can achieve.”

For more information on the fundraiser, click here.