Friday, October 7, 2011

So You Want to Give Money to Autism. . .

I have money burning a hole in my pocket (ICHIRO, Getty Images)
I do.  I really do.  Every year my company (through United Way) encourages my fellow employees to give.  While United Way is my company's charity of choice, the pledge process allows you to select any charity you find worthy.  Excellent!  So every year I give.  I'll be honest, before I knew I had a child on the spectrum I didn't give money to Austism organizations.  I've sorta just flitted from charity to charity depending upon the cause du jour.  For example:  After 9/11, I gave to the Red Cross.  After Katrina, I gave to flood relief.  Before that I gave to the National Hemophilia Foundation (a relative has hemophilia).  Now I'm giving to autism.  

But. . . I really know nothing about the charities in question.  Autism Speaks?  ABOARD?  A local non-profit school for autistic children?  It's pretty confusing stuff, and I really haven't been in a position to utilize a lot of any of their services.  So. . . despite not really having the kind of readership that will allow me to get any kind of meaningful consensus about what folks in the community feel are the 'worthy' austism charities, I'm asking:  Who do I give my millions hundreds to?  

If you read this blog, and have a favorite, please name them, and let me know why.  I really am not wedded to any (as I said) and your input may* actually impact my decision.  And if nobody responds I'll almost certainly waste it on hookers and blow gadgets and lunches out with colleagues.

*author reserves the right to blow off any opinions and go with his gut

6 comments:

  1. HAHAA! I honestly... give to NOBODY. Where's MY autism fund? I have a beautiful kitchen table that started with 6 chairs. We have 1 left. 4 were obliterated. The 5th one we were able to saw off the broken back and now use it as a stool. I had a gorgeous couch, loveseat, oversized chair with footstool. Now, I have a loveseat with 2x4 blocks for legs and a chair. I have a destructive autistic son. Nobody helps us. Maybe I should start a charity for my HOUSE? Holes in the walls, I have a door that he RAN THROUGH! The door can swing through the door frame now. It didn't start out that way. My dining room used to have wainscoting all around it that he ripped down. On one full wall is his body imprint where he ran INTO the wall. The drywall is perfectly shaped to his body. Yeah, all of these charity's can bite me. Sorry, I'm a tad bitter today. I'm actually doing some home repairs today lol NOT happy about it!

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  2. I do feel that way sometimes. . . why am I concerning myself with autism in general when I have so many personal issues with it. Why not just donate to myself??

    Well the answer is simple. . . if I donate I get to wear jeans on Friday.

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  3. Anonymous to the rescue, read this guy's post:
    http://aspergersquare8.blogspot.com/2009/10/instead.html

    If you want to passively give money to help autistic people without putting a lot of thought into it then homeless shelters and food banks are good bets. Unfortunately.

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  4. Thanks, Anonymous. Interesting post. I got the food bank comment from someone else via email as well. . . you're right, that is unfortunate.

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  5. don't give money to autism speaks please! I don't really donate much money anywhere except the salvation army bellringer and specific causes I happen to hear about, so I can't suggest that much. I do remember this website where teachers ask for money for particular things they want to buy for their students and classrooms; this is the section for special ed teachers: http://www.donorschoose.org/donors/search.html?subject7=-7

    sorry I don't have really good suggestions, but PLEASE don't do autism speaks, they spend a lot of money on "research" and marketing and only 3 or 4 percent goes to helping kids and adults with autism.

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  6. You're also not the first person who has made THAT comment.

    No, I won't be giving my money to Autism Speaks. I have a couple ideas at this point, but they're no longer in the running.

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