"How nice to have a Camp Ed, where hopefully kids who aren't encouraged to be artists, find the hidden artist within them," said Asner, who also shared that as a child, no one encouraged him to seek art or perform it.
It seems the center is doing a fine job at encouraging the students.
"I feel real and my autism just disappears when I act," said student Spencer Harte.
The program, led by Asner's son and daugther-in-law, also offers vocational and mental health support. It was launched in large part because one of Asner's sons has autism and another has children on the spectrum. The camp is a preview of the full program that will launch in September.
"I love making friends here" said student Michael Anthony Greenfield. "It's another miracle."