In a previous article I told you my personal story on how autism and ABA has changed my life and my children's lives forever. I am lucky. I have a mother who has gone back to work and is willing to sacrifice everything that she has to help her grandchildren. The national average cost for ABA for a family with one autistic child is $24,000-$50,000 a year. This is not manageable for most families with children diagnosed with autism. I was lucky that I had someone to help. I watch families saddened by the fact that ABA is not a possibility for their child. I have watched Parker progress while seeing other children struggle.

Through support groups and my interactions in the autism community, I have met many children and their families that are unable to receive this critical therapy. I wanted so desperately to help all these children. One day, I was praying to God for this certain family and this wonderful little boy. I was praying that somehow I would find a way to help pay for ABA for this child. I started to think of the alarming increase in rates of children with autism and the fact that most families would not be able to afford therapy for their children. Where would all these children be in ten, twenty years from now, if they do not get the help they need? The rate ten years ago was 1 in 10,000 children diagnosed with autism, the rate today is almost 1 in 150. The numbers are shocking. I knew something had to be done.As I sat there praying, something came over me and I found the answer. I would start a foundation to raise money for ABA. There are foundations to raise money for a cure, but nothing to help these children now. I knew the need for something now was there, so I got started. I contacted my ABA consultant and asked her if she would come work for the Foundation. She agreed, and I stared the process. After much hard work (and much more hard work to come), the Foundation was open for business January 1, 2004.

We are a non-profit 501(c)3 foundation that raises money to give scholarships for therapy, consulting services, education and supplies.

We hold workshops for parents and therapists to learn more about autism and ABA and we have a lending library of books and ABA supplies. We advocate at IEP meetings, and we offer refferal services for families with children with autism.

Executive Director, President, Founder
The Parker Autism Foundation
Charlotte, North Carolina