WORCESTER, Mass. - A donation of specialty sneakers will go to people with autism in the Worcester community.

The Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism teamed up with Laced Differently, a Foot Locker employee resource group, and designer Sarath Ton to donate 50 pairs of the special “Be Seen” Autism Acceptance Sneakers to Community Health Link in Worcester.

Ton designed and launched the sneakers in April 2022 in partnership with Foot Locker in honor of the autism community and his brother-in-law who lives with autism.

They feature words like “awareness” and “acceptance.”

"We’re very appreciative and we have a lot of families that will benefit from this generous donation” said Charlie Brooks of the Substance Use Treatment Division at Community Health Link.

"So here is our ‘Be Seen’ sneakers from our partnership with footlocker in April” said Flutie Fellow, Zachary Henderson. “You can really tell how detailed these are from the inside and all around it. And they promote inclusion for all.”

Community Health Link will distribute the shoes for the holidays.

Community Health Link is also opening the areas first acute care adolescent treatment program for people with autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disabilities in 2023.