News and Knowledge

Last month, OAR joined thousands of organizations, families, and professionals across the nation to spread autism awareness and acceptance. By leveraging the attention of Autism Awareness Month, OAR continued to expand and elevate its ongoing initiatives. Here is a recap of this year’s campaign goals:

• Expand the Autism in the Schoolhouse initiative to educate more than 8,000 youth about their peers with autism.
• Empower the autism community with information resources by disseminating 5,000 informational Life Journey Through Autism guidebooks.
• Support 1,600 autism siblings and parents with OAR’s sibling guidebooks.
• Recruit 30 volunteers to expand and support OAR’s ongoing initiatives.
• Engage five employers and 50 applicants through Hire Autism, OAR’s online jobs portal for the Northern Virginia area.
• Recruit 30 DIY athletes and runners to help raise $10,000 for new research and resources.

We will release the final report of our campaign results in the June issue of The OARacle so stay tuned.

Though the peak time for community outreach has come and gone, our excitement and efforts to support the autism community will continue throughout the year. Here are some ways that you can continue to stay actively engaged:

• Volunteer with us. We are still recruiting volunteers to help distribute autism resources, write blogs and newsletters, and implement the Kit for Kids Participants can receive a volunteer t-shirt and service credit.
• Raise money for autism research and resources. Join our RUN FOR AUTISM team at a major race, or DIY. To join us and start raising money for autism research that yields meaningful and practical results for autism families, contact Sean Flynn, endurance fundraising manager, via email.
• Spread the word about OAR’s evidence-based guidebooks and other resources to conferences, local support groups, families, schools, and organizations that would benefit from using the information. OAR will continue to provide in-kind donations of A Guide to Safety to autism conferences, events, and workshops upon request. All bulk order requests can be sent to programs@researchautism.org.
• Make a monthly tax-deductible gift in honor or memory of a loved one to support specific programs including guidebooks, schoolhouse resources, adult employment, or research studies. Eighty-seven cents of every dollar goes directly to research and programs. Contact your employer for options regarding matching gifts or payroll deductions to contribute more and make it even easier.

Thank you to everyone who joined our April campaign and will continue to stay involved with us throughout the year!