Autism May Not Affect Every Family, but Every Family Can Affect Autism

CHICAGO, April 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Ever feel compelled to help a cause you believe in, but just don't know how? By donating to Easter Seals Act for Autism®, you can join the fight for families with autism so they can get the care, guidance and support they need. Meaning children with autism can have the bright future that every child deserves.  

"Autism services and programs are in high demand," says James E. Williams, Jr., president and chief executive officer, Easter Seals. "The strong relationships we have with our family of corporate partners allow us to expand our reach, giving even more children the help they need to live healthy, independent lives."

Easter Seals believes every individual with autism should have access to effective services and support, and guidance at every life stage. That is how its Act for Autism campaign came about – to make sure these critical services become a reality for families living with autism and to help turn parents' dreams for their child's future from fearful to hopeful.

"Today, one in 110 children are diagnosed with autism and there's an increasing need for funding, services and support," says Patricia Wright, Ph.D., MPH, National Director of Autism Services, Easter Seals. "Easter Seals serves more than 16,000 individuals with autism, up from 5,000 three years ago. It's important to remember getting the right support at the earliest stage in life can help a child gain the skills he or she needs to be successful."

No Such Thing as a Small Donation

Now, everyday things you may do can help Easter Seals serve even more families living with autism. Support these companies because they are helping Easter Seals make a difference.  

• As part of Autism Awareness Month in April, shop at a local Safeway, Vons, Pavillions, Tom Thumb, Randalls, Dominick's, Genuardi's, and Carrs and make a donation at checkout to support Safeway's People with Disabilities Campaign to benefit Easter Seals (www.safeway.com).
• Support CVS Caremark's All Kids Can™ program to allow Easter Seals to expand therapists' knowledge and expertise in the delivery of an effective type of treatment for young children with autism – early intensive behavioral intervention (www.cvsallkidscan.com).
• Visit www.massmutual.com/specialcare and learn about how MassMutual's SpecialCare(SM) program helps families living with autism plan for their future through life care plans.
• Make a donation of $20 or more through May 2010 at www.actforautism.org and receive a complimentary one-year subscription to Family Circle magazine. Century 21® Brokers and Agents are encouraging visitors to its site, www.century21.com, to donate $21 for the same opportunity to Act for Autism with Easter Seals.
• Put on your creative hat at a local A.C. Moore Arts & Crafts store (www.acmoore.com) and make a donation at checkout to for its Crafting a Better World™ program to support Easter Seals autism services. Participate in an Act for Autism create-your-own jigsaw puzzle session at the store on April 17, from 1-3 p.m. EDT.
• Download the Friends Who Care disability curriculum www.easterseals.com/friendswhocare, made possible by Friendly's, to help children lean the value of acceptance and inclusion.

Easy as 1, 2, 3, 4

Show your support of families living with autism and Act for Autism by visiting www.actforautism.org to find local services and volunteer opportunities and contributing to support Easter Seals autism services to make sure children and adults with autism receive the personalized treatment they need to thrive:

• Participate:  Join the autism conversation by sharing your viewpoints, feelings, and experiences through Easter Seals' blog (http://autismblog.easterseals.com) as well as through other autism-focused Web sites and online communities. Sign up to receive updates on events, the latest autism headlines and issues from your trusted sites.
• Donate:  Easter Seals is passionate about providing quality services for all families, regardless of their ability to pay, at a time when health care costs continue to grow. We need more resources to help more people. That's why Easter Seals depends upon the generosity and compassion of many people. Often insurance companies do not cover treatment and services for people living with autism.
• Educate:  Be inspired by what is possible for children and adults living with autism. Visit www.actforautism.org to meet families like the Snells, who know autism is treatable, and individuals with autism can, and do, lead meaningful lives—just like their son, Maurice, who is 25-years-old, a college graduate and employed in a job he loves.
• Advocate:  Keep a pulse on what's happening in Washington, D.C., your state and local community regarding autism legislation and use Easter Seals and Autism Society of America's (ASA) State Autism Profiles on actforautism.org. Become a more informed advocate for autism. Sign up to get timely legislative action alerts and learn how to contact your legislators to make your voice heard.

About Easter Seals

Easter Seals is the leading non-profit provider of services for individuals with autism, developmental disabilities, physical disabilities and other special needs. For more than 90 years, we have been offering help and hope to children and adults living with disabilities, and to the families who love them. Through therapy, training, education and support services, Easter Seals creates life-changing solutions so that people with disabilities can live, learn, work and play. Support children and adults with disabilities at www.easterseals.com or www.actforautism.org.

SOURCE Easter Seals