Raise money. Fund research. Change lives.
Our intent with every dollar we raise and spend pursuing knowledge through research or creating resources is to offer support to self-advocates, parents, siblings, teachers, military families, and more. Ultimately, we do that one study, one resource, one child, one family, one school, one teacher at a time.
Since 2002, we have:
- Funded more than $4 million in autism research in the form of pilot studies ($4,037,251) and graduate research grants ($269,970)
- Awarded $1,068,000 in scholarships to 356 persons with autism attending college or vocational-technical schools after high school
Published nine guides in the Life Journey through Autism series: A Parent’s Guide to Research, An Educator’s Guide to Autism, An Educator’s Guide to Asperger Syndrome, A Guide for Transition to Adulthood, A Parent’s Guide to Assessment, A Guide for Military Families, Navigating the Special Education System, and A Guide to Safety
- Created Operation Autism, a website that provides military families impacted by autism with information 24/7
- Introduced the “Autism in the School House” program built around the Kit for Kids Peer Education Initiative and Understanding Autism, a “Curriculum-in-a-Box” containing resource guides and a curriculum DVD that gives middle and high school teachers a basic understanding of autism and best practices for teaching students with autism
- Taught more than 135,000 students in grades K-8 about their peers with autism through the Kit for Kids Peer Education Initiative
- Created and delivered three new resources related to siblings of individuals with autism, one for parents, one for teen siblings, and a fun workbook for younger siblings
- Started the “Autism Sibling Support” initiative to help typically-developing children and teens develop positive relationships with their brothers and sisters on the spectrum
- Created Hire Autism, a unique jobs portal that allows adults with autism to meet prospective employers in an autism-friendly online meeting space
- Launched Hire Autism, an adult employment initiative that has helped 56 individuals with autism find jobs in the test program in Northern Virginia
- Created Finding Your Way: A College Guide for Self-Advocates along with its microsite, College Central
- Created Sex Ed. for Self-Advocates, an online sexuality and sex education resource written specifically for people on the autism spectrum age 15 and up
- Launched the Autism Education Grant to expand peer awareness and acceptance of autism