As of January 2006: www.guidestar.org (a national resource and data center for not for profit organizations) listed over 1500 Autism related charities. Of these organizations – over 80 specialized in autism research and over 250 organizations specialized in autism support efforts.
The goal of this document is to outline some of the larger autism organizations that are available for review and support.
|
Organization |
Primary Goal |
Secondary Goal(s) |
|
Autism Research Institute (ARI) |
Parent Support |
Research & Conferences |
|
Autism Society of America |
Parent Support |
Lobbying |
|
Autism One |
Education |
Parent Support |
|
Autism Speaks |
Research |
Lobbying |
|
Devereux |
ASD Individual Support |
|
|
Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism Inc. |
Research |
|
|
Families for Early Autism Treatment, Inc. |
Education |
Parent support |
|
FIRST SIGNS INC |
education |
|
|
INTERNATIONAL CHILD DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH CENTER INC |
Research |
Medical Care |
|
Jay Nolan Community Services, Inc. |
ASD Individual Support |
Parent Support |
|
National Autism Association |
Lobbying |
Parent Support & Research |
|
NEW HORIZONS IN AUTISM INC |
ASD Individual Support |
|
|
ORGANIZATION FOR AUTISM RESEARCH INC |
Research |
Parent Support |
|
PYRAMID EDUCATIONAL CONSULTANTS OF CALIFORNIA INC |
Education |
|
|
SafeMinds |
Lobbying |
Research |
|
Talk About Curing Autism (TACA) |
Parent support |
education |
|
The MIND Institute |
Research |
|
|
Thoughtful House |
Research |
Treatment & support |
|
UNLOCKING AUTISM |
Lobbying |
Parent Support |
Special notes:
The search of these autism organizations were limited to:
- An annual budget greater than $125,000
- A national charter or California focus
- A direct focus on autism (not multiple disabilities or related issues)
- Charities were separated into the categories following:
- Research
- Lobbying (work with state and federal governments on autism awareness, funding and support)
- Parent Support
- Medical care
- Education
- ASD Individual support
Note: This list does not include all colleges and universities performing research and federal agency.
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| Before | During | After |
I had Christian when I was 19 years old. For the first year of his life I couldn’t imagine anything being wrong with my baby. He smiled; he laughed; he rolled, crawled and walked on time. At age one he had a massive overload for his little immune system. He had two ear infections, a high fever, back to back treatment of major antibiotics and he was given his MMR, varicella and HIB vaccines while he was still very sick. Christian faded away for the next 6 months.
At age two he was diagnosed with full syndrome Autism. I met an amazing mother who introduced me to the group Talk About Curing Autism. Before I found out about TACA, I had no clue that there was hope for my child. From that day on I knew that it was my job to get my son back and undue what had been done to him.
It has been three years since Christian was diagnosed with Autism. I had taken what I had learned from TACA, found wonderful therapists, began a diet, found a DAN! Doctor, and took control of my child’s health. I heard his first word when he was 38 months old, and let me tell you, it was worth the wait.
Today Christian attends a typical private preschool. He is the only child in the class with a diagnosis…and none of the other parents know that. He speaks clearly, has friends, reads, pretends on the playground and even knows what he wants to be when he grows up (which of course changes weekly).
I can honestly say, if I had not found that mom (you know who you are), and not been introduced to TACA, I don’t know where Christian would be today and I don’t know if I would ever have been able to help other parents starting this journey. Thank you TACA, thank you my hero mom, and thank you Christian for fighting this with me. I love you.
Chelsi, Washington State
