Welcome to your opportunity to change the world for a family struggling with autism.
If you’re at this page, then you probably already know a autism is a developmental disability that affects a person’s ability to communicate and interact with others, and often affects a person’s cognitive capabilities. What you may not completely understand is that it is a lifelong disability, and in Colorado, more than 2,500 school-age children have an autism spectrum diagnosis. Importantly, according to the Autism Society of America the costs of raising a child with autism can run between $3,500,000 and $5,000,000 over a lifetime.
Most families’ standard of living plummets when they begin to support a child with autism, and the management of intensive therapeutic regimens generally requires full-time attention — so often a two-income household becomes one.
Our public educational system is ill-prepared to serve us. When Congress passed the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act in 1975, requiring all public schools to provide a “free and appropriate public education” to disabled students, it promised to pay 40 percent of the additional costs associated with providing special education. But last year, federal funding equaled only 18.5 percent of special education costs. As a result, educational services to our children are significantly compromised.
Socializing becomes difficult because behaviors exhibited by individuals with autism can run the gamut from the merely socially awkward (like hand-flapping or the making of inappropriate sounds) to dangerous (hitting others in panic, wandering or running away in a crowd). Children and adults with autism have a very difficult time connecting with others and making friends. Many families become isolated as a result.
These are problems that can be redressed with enough support from individuals and local businesses with the vision and passion to make a difference. The Autism Society of Boulder County is making a start as the only organization dedicated to addressing the gap in funding, education and community development for those affected by autism in Boulder and Broomfield counties. Our programs support our community in the following ways:
- We staff a phone line year-round to respond to information requests in a timely fashion;
- host a lecture series that brings in recognized experts to educate our membership;
- partner with the Boulder Valley School District to craft autism training workshops for educators;
- provide respite funds for families
- send out timely news updates via bi-monthly e-newsletter and Facebook feeds;
- update our website with a resource list of area service providers;
- host monthly support groups for parents, young adults and Spanish-speaking populations;
- and post timely legislative alerts and news.
The Autism Society of Boulder County charges no membership dues for the services we provide. Moreover, we would like to expand our services, offering more respite grants, sibling support groups, organized sports opportunities and social events for young adults, parent meet-ups and more. Because our services are free to the public, we depend on the generous support of volunteers, other non-profits and the local business community. We are a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit, and all donations are tax-deductible. Contact us to discuss how cause-based marketing in partnership with the Autism Society of Boulder County is a win-win proposition for your organization and for ours. See How to Donate for other ways to donate.
