When my sister Aubrey was 2 years old she was diagnosed with one of the most severe cases of Autism that the Yale Child Studies Center had seen. It was 1990, and support for parents and families of children with Autism was limited. The doctor told my mother to put my sister in an institution and to start taking family vacations without her so that I wouldn't get attached to her. My parents both refused.
25 unbelievable years later, my sister is a fully functioning adult who graduated from High School in my hometown without a classroom aid and now works part-time in my hometown. She has her driver's license, her own friends, and is one of the most loving and caring people that I know. There are good and bad days, but remembering how far she has come is an inspiration every day.
Unfortunately, support for adults with Autism is staggeringly difficult to find, and resources are difficult to come by. I hope that funding for adult studies and resources will continue to increase to better support the community of adults with Autism once they leave the school systems.
OAR focuses on applied research, and defines applied research as research that directly impacts the day-to-day quality of life of learners with autism. It entails the systematic investigation of variables associated with positive outcomes in such areas as education, communication, self care, social skills, employment, behavior, and adult and community living. OAR funds pilot studies and targeted research within specific modalities and issues affecting the autism community, primarily for studies whose outcomes offer new insights into the behavioral and social development of individuals with autism with an emphasis on communications, education, and vocational challenges.
Supporters | |||
Name | Date | Amount | Comments |
Lindsay Van Kirk | 05/21/2017 | $51.00 | Lindsay Van Kirk | 05/21/2017 | $860.00 | Mary Van Kirk | 04/11/2017 | $100.00 | Ellen Kamor | 04/03/2017 | $121.00 | Good Luck LVK! The Conshohocken team is excited to support you in this wonderful cause! | Carol Van Kirk | 04/01/2017 | $50.00 | Way to go, Lins!! Aunt Carol | Eleanor Strumolo | 03/31/2017 | $30.00 | Hey Lindsay! So proud of you for doing this, and LOVE to support this cause. You are an amazing sister! | Nithya Das | 03/31/2017 | $100.00 | LVK - you are such an inspiration! Stay amazing always. | Michael Dalto | 03/29/2017 | $200.00 | Thank you from Customer Success! | Mary Lambert | 03/29/2017 | $50.00 | Good luck, Lindsay! | Jodi Elkaim | 03/28/2017 | $10.00 | John VK | 03/28/2017 | $100.00 | Linds, You are the best. D | Euan Lampitt | 03/28/2017 | $150.00 | Amazing stuff, go go go!!!! | Kathryn Schlieben | 03/28/2017 | $25.00 | Go, Lindsay, go! So proud of you! | Scott Menzer | 03/28/2017 | $150.00 | Sara Madsen | 03/27/2017 | $100.00 | Thank you for doing the hard work LVK! Run like the wind! | Julia Shullman | 03/27/2017 | $50.00 | Parker English | 03/27/2017 | $50.00 | Denise Colella | 03/27/2017 | $100.00 | With you every step of the way! Go get it! | Bailey Robinson | 03/27/2017 | $30.00 | Good luck with the run! | Kevin Kelley | 03/27/2017 | $50.00 | Yellah Lindsay!!! | Anonymous Friend | 03/27/2017 | $100.00 | Vikki Pitts | 03/24/2017 | $160.00 | With love from the Encino AppNexus office | Anonymous Friend | 03/23/2017 | $30.00 | Steve Kwak | 03/23/2017 | $10.00 | Thanks for sharing your story! | AppNexus Marketing | 03/23/2017 | $100.00 | LVK, we wish you the best in your race and are so happy to support such a beautiful cause. And thanks for the baked goods! | Pamela Ibarra | 03/22/2017 | $20.00 | Catie Olgaard | 03/22/2017 | $25.00 | Sherwin Gandhi | 03/22/2017 | $50.00 | Samantha Lee | 03/22/2017 | $18.00 | Mary Sima | 03/22/2017 | $10.00 | Seong Kang | 03/21/2017 | $15.00 | <3 baked goods | Nancy Connell | 03/21/2017 | $25.00 | Thanks for sharing your story (and sweets), LVK! | Yogi Saxena | 03/21/2017 | $25.00 | Go LVK! | Kelsey Browne | 03/21/2017 | $50.00 | Delicious!!! | Eiley Stern | 03/21/2017 | $20.00 | Clare Gallagher | 03/21/2017 | $25.00 | GOOD LUCK LINDSAY!!! | Rosemarie Barresi | 03/21/2017 | $25.00 | Paxton Le Roy | 03/21/2017 | $5.00 | Thanks for doing this LVK! | Lisa Williams | 03/21/2017 | $50.00 | Veronique Valcu | 03/21/2017 | $25.00 | Steven Giacomelli | 03/21/2017 | $150.00 | Sabrina Cupples-Nikci | 03/21/2017 | $20.00 | Anonymous Friend | 03/21/2017 | $100.00 | thank you for inspiring us to be better. | Jisha Jacob | 03/21/2017 | $50.00 | In all my years at AppNexus, I never knew the story behind this bake sale - thank you for sharing! You continue to amaze, LVK :) | Amy Therattil | 03/21/2017 | $25.00 | Bryan Eisenberg | 03/20/2017 | $50.00 | Alice Li | 03/20/2017 | $50.00 | Christina Caraco | 03/20/2017 | $25.00 | Rachel S | 03/20/2017 | $10.00 | Jung Manson | 03/20/2017 | $30.00 | What you are doing is wonderful! I have a nephew who is on autistic spectrum and we have been very much involved in his life and as result I understand the struggles, challenges and rewards of caring for someone with autism. So happy to support the cause. Keep up the great work! | Ben Barg | 03/20/2017 | $10.00 | Tom Shields | 03/20/2017 | $100.00 | Great job, Lindsay! | Alexander Wong | 03/20/2017 | $20.00 | Ilana Wollin | 03/20/2017 | $20.00 | Ashtyn Edwards | 03/20/2017 | $50.00 | Crossman Wilkins | 03/20/2017 | $5.00 | Yum! | Lisa Shukovsky | 03/20/2017 | $50.00 | Melanie Lowenberg | 03/17/2017 | $25.00 | Anonymous Friend | 03/16/2017 | $50.00 | Good luck and good job!! | Laurie Schnidman | 03/16/2017 | $25.00 | Go LVK!! :) | Erica Jalli | 03/16/2017 | $40.00 | Great cause :) | Emily Richer | 03/16/2017 | $25.00 | Go Lindsay! Very inspiring and beautiful note | Esha Peddireddy | 03/15/2017 | $50.00 | Best of luck to you, amazing lady. | Brian O'Kelley | 03/15/2017 | $250.00 | Maddie Kennedy | 03/15/2017 | $50.00 | those savory scones are almost as amazing as you are | Adam Turkel | 03/15/2017 | $50.00 | Whitney Bryan | 03/15/2017 | $50.00 | Good luck! | Anonymous Friend | 03/15/2017 | $200.00 | Adam Rihacek | 03/15/2017 | $50.00 | co-captains for life! | Jeff Graham | 01/31/2017 | $100.00 | Lindsay, We are so proud of you and your efforts to support Aubrey and others who are challenged with Autism. It is wonderful that you are generating money by having bake sales, running sponsored races, and web donations to assist this special community of adults. With much love, Anita and Jeff | Tobenna A | 11/23/2016 | $35.00 | Long time no see, Lindsay! Love the photo. Thank you for sharing Aubrey's and your family's remarkable story and for raising awareness (and funds!). I did not realize that institutionalization of children with Autism was still being recommended by physicians into the '90s, so I got a little bit of an education reading your story. | Wendy Van Kirk | 10/20/2016 | $50.00 | Lindsay, you are an inspiration to us all! Love you! Mom | Christy Anderson | 10/19/2016 | $20.00 | Good luck Lindsay! I look forward to seeing your pictures from London :-) |
Total | $5,000.00 |