Hello Friends!

The Organization for Autism Research (OAR)  is a non-profit organization, established in 2001 and organized to operate exclusively for charitable, scientific, literary and educational purposes. Specifically, the purpose of OAR is to use applied research to answer questions that parents, families, individuals with autism, teachers, and caregivers raise daily.

If you would like to donate, that would be fantastic (if not, I really appreciate you reading all of this). For every $10 donated, I will mail you a home-made cookie, and for every $50 donated, I will mail you a home-made artisan bread (will reach out every month end to see where to mail). 

During 2016 FYE, OAR spent 62% of its sales on program expenses (these are expenses going towards the company's cause) and 14% on supporting expenses (these are expenses such as management, development, and fundraising expenses). Of the program expenses, aprx 60-65% are truly spent on the organization's statement mission/programs... in short, the organization is spending their money on where it promised to spend. 

Since 2002, the organization has: 

• Funded more than $3.6 million for new autism research: 98 grants/$3,345,000 for pilot studies and $191,660 in grants to 105 graduates
• Awarded $476,000 in scholarships to 156 persons with autism attending college or vocational-technical schools after high school
• Published eight guides in the Life Journey through Autism series: A Parent’s Guide to Research, An Educator’s Guide to Autism, An Educator’s Guide to Asperger Syndrome, A Guide for Transition to Adulthood, A Parent’s Guide to Assessment, A Guide for Military Families, Navigating the Special Education System, and A Guide to Safety
• Created Operation Autism, a website that provides military families impacted by autism with information 24/7
• Introduced the “Autism in the School House” program built around the Kit for Kids Peer Education Initiative and Understanding Autism, a “Curriculum-in-a-Box” containing resource guides and a curriculum DVD that gives middle and high school teachers a basic understanding of autism and best practices for teaching students with autism
• Created and delivered three new resources related to siblings of individuals with autism, one for parents, one for teen siblings, and a fun workbook for younger siblings.
• Created Hire Autism, a unique jobs portal that allows adults with autism to meet prospective employers in an autism-friendly online meeting space

This is a cause that is near and dear to me. For more information, please check out: 

https://researchautism.org/who-we-are/see-our-impact/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4G0HTIUBlI

https://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/symptoms