Updates from the National Autism Association - Northeast Ohio Chapter (NAA NEO)

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UPDATES

from the National Autism Association - Northeast Ohio (NAA-NEO) Chapter

August 16, 2010

IN THIS ISSUE:

2010 HELPING HAND GRANTS UPDATES

WAYS TO HELP

ADDRESS CHANGE

WEBSITE UPDATES

UPCOMING EVENTS

WELCOMING OUR NEW BOARD MEMBER

East, LISW

Our Mission

The mission of NAA-NEO is to help families that have a child or children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to access necessary treatment interventions. We will fulfill this by providing financial assistance to help defray the costs of such interventions and by connecting families to existing resources.

What is Autism

Less than every twenty minutes today there is a child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in the United States. Autism is not an uncommon developmental problem anymore as it affects about 1 in 100 children in the US. Autism is a bio-neurological developmental disorder that may severely impair a young child’s communication, behavior, sensory processing, cognition, socialization, sleep, digestion, and immune function.

Whom We Serve

NAA – NE Ohio serves families affected by autism in Ashtabula, Columbiana, Cuyahoga, Erie, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit, and Trumbull counties of Ohio.

Services

NAA NEO's services include the annual Helping Hand Grants, THE NAA-NEO STEPS Family Support program, ongoing service linkage, advocacy as needed, and the organization of workshops and support group meetings.

How is NAA NEO different from other autism groups in the region?

The Helping Hand Program and the NAA-NEO STEPS Family Assistance Program, provide direct financial assistance to parents to help defray the costs of autism treatment through grants.

NAA- NEO does not endorse individual programs, therapies, treatments, schools or facilities, or the theories or practices of any one individual or entity. Rather, families are empowered to seek and choose the most appropriate treatment or program for their child with the help of the resources provided by the NAA- NE Ohio.

NAA NEO is unique in that it is open in terms of the services that it supports through its Helping Hand Grant Program, thus allowing the parents to decide what services they feel are most important for their child. Services covered under the Helping Hand Grant Program therefore range widely from camp costs, tuition assistance, speech therapy, behavioral intervention to therapeutic horseback riding and medical/biomedical treatments.

We require that the family works with a licensed physician or therapist who recommends the particular service that the family would like to implement with NAA NEO's financial support.

NAA – NE Ohio operates autonomously from the national organization (NAA) in program implementation.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL AUTISM ASSOCIATION - NORTHEAST OHIO

While the quest to find the cause of autism continues, thousands of families in Northeast Ohio struggle daily with the enormous stress and expenses that caring for a child with autism poses on them. The overall lack of financial supports prompted some of these families along with area autism advocates and professionals to establish a non-profit organization, the National Autism Association - Northeast Ohio (NAA-NEO) Chapter, with the goal to provide sorely needed monies to help with medical treatment costs, therapies and respite services.

Our Beliefs

NAA NEO's founders also believe that autism is a bio-neurological disorder and that an integrated, whole-child philosophy to treatment and care is the optimal approach with the best outcomes.

The founding members of NAA NEO decided to form a local chapter of National Autism Association (NAA) also due to NAA’s successful track record in a short period of time in implementing its Helping Hand Program and due to NAA's advocacy for more meaningful autism research on a national basis. To learn more about the national organization please visit our website.

To learn more about the National Autism Association - Bortheast Ohio Chapter (NAA NEO) please click on any of the links below to visit our websites.

National Autism Association - Northeast Ohio - official site

National Autism Association - Northeast Ohio - Frequently Updated Site

National Autism Association - NAA NEO's national parent organization

NORTHEAST OHIO CHAPTER

Contact NAA NEO

NEW Address:

NAA NEO

C/o Don Pattison, President

15819 Fernway Rd

Shaker Heights, OH 44120

Phone:

216.544.1231

Email:

Pattison

(click above)

Helping Hand Program Manager

2010 HELPING HAND GRANTS UPDATE

Thirty Helping Hand Grants have been awarded to Northeast Ohio Families by the National Autism Association – Northeast Ohio Chapter (NAA-NEO) thus far in 2010

This year NAA NEO has awarded thirty $300.00 Helping Hand Grants to families in need, raising a child or children with autism in Northeast Ohio. Since NAA NEO’s inception the organization has given out close to 200 grants ranging between $300 and $1,000.

If you applied for a grant in 2010 and have not been contacted by NAA-NEO, please contact Pattison for an update on the status of your application at apattison@....

WAYS TO HELP

It is our goal to fund more families in 2010 who have now been placed on the waiting list. With your help we can achieve this! If you have a few hours to volunteer, you can help us by:

Helping at our events (below is a list of upcoming fundraisers/events) by assisting with ticket sales, concession sales, sensory room, raffle, loading, posting directional signs, picking up food, clean up, etc.

Helping us promote these events via Facebook, email, posting posters in your community, through your child’s service providers, school, etc.

Helping us organize a workshop/support group

Helping us with website updates, taxes and accounting/finance and administrative duties

Collecting clothes donations and toy donations for families in need

Becoming a member of NAA (www.nationalautismassociation.org) through paid membership

Donating raffle items or money (no amount is too small)

If you would like to get to know the organization better and eventually serve on its Board, please send a letter of interest and your resume to apattison@....

ADDRESS CHANGE

Please note address change for NAA NEO as we have moved!

NAA NEOC/o Don Pattison, President15819 Fernway RdShaker Heights, OH 44120

WEBSITE UPDATES

Our website www.autismnortheastohio.org is in the process of being updated. For most up-to-date information about upcoming initiatives and events or supports needed please contact Pattison at apattison@... or you may visit autismnortheastohio.zoomshare.com.

UPCOMING EVENTS/FUNDRAISERS to fund the 2010 Helping Hand Program

OCTOBER 2 - NIGHT AT THE RACES - in collaboration with STEPS Centers for Excellence in Autism. More information to be announced soon or go to www.stepsconsulting.org to learn more!

OCTOBER 15 - Boom Box with FreakBass at The Beachland Ballroom - A DAP Production, with raffle proceeds benefiting NAA-NEO

OCTOBER 17 - Grammy Nominated Milkshake (Family Show) at the Grog Shop - - A DAP Production, with raffle proceeds benefiting NAA-NEO

NOVEMBER 4 - Los Lobos (in association with Visible Voice Books) with Jorma Kaukonen at the Cleveland Masonic Auditorium - A DAP Production, with raffle proceeds benefiting NAA-NEO

NOVEMBER 6 - Wilcox at Collingwood Arts Cafe - A DAP Production, with raffle proceeds benefiting NAA-NEO

For more information about these events please contact Don at DAP Productions at dap_productions@... or call 216.280.4544.

WELCOMING OUR NEW BOARD MEMBER, LAURA EAST

We are very happy snd proud to welcome East, LISW, joining NAA-NEO's Board of Directors!

brings knowledge and strength to this organization through both her personal and professional experience. She is employed in the field of children’s mental health and has performed advocacy for students with special needs in the educational and community settings. As a member of NAA NEO she hopes to further this advocacy and to raise awareness of the services needed to support individuals and families living with autism.

We are looking forward to a year of 's service and growth within our organization!

WE THANK OUR SPONSORS

for supporting our organization and its Helping Hand Program and the families we serve!

Please take a moment to visit their websites and consider supporting these excellent businesses!

Thank you for looking!

www.visiblevoicebooks.com

Visible Voice Books1023 KenilworthCleveland, Ohio 44113Phone: 216-961-0084

www.skodaminotti.com

www.ot4children.com

www.autismservicesforkids.com

www.hickman-lowder.com

www.autismspeaks.org

www.stepsconsulting.org

www.millcraft.com

www.meyersroman.com

Lou McHenry

www.howardhanna.com

P H I L L I P C. D E M I O , M. D.

W h o l e H e a l t h a n d W e l l n e s s

www.drdemio.com

www.jeffreysdrugstore.com

www.zerogravitybouncers.com

www.coolcleveland.com

Applebee's

and the Not Ready for Naptime Players

Todd Snider

Cracker

Reverend Horton Heat

Assembly of Dust

Sultans of Bing

Split Lip Rayfield

Lake County Captains

Fun & Stuff

Playmatters

The Cleveland Children's Museum

Cleveland Metroparks

Lakefarm Park

and others.

SPECIAL THANKS TO THE BEACHLAND BALLROOM

www.beachlandballroom.com for hosting many of NAA NEO's benefit events/shows

Beachwood High School

DAP PRODUCTIONS www.dapproductions.zoomshare.com

Ali LaPorte and Leatrice Bard Tolls for running our raffles

and the many music fans and good hearted folks, our friends and families who support our cause all year long.

THANK YOU!

Forwarded by

Pattison

National Autism Association - Northeast Ohio (NAA-NEO)

Helping Hand Program Manager

15819 Fernway Rd

Shaker Heights, OH 44120

E-mail: apattison@...

Phone: (216)544-1231

Web: www.autismnortheastohio.org and www.autismnortheastohio.zoomshare.org

Join our group for periodic newsletters/events/resources postings about autism by emailing: NAA-NEOhio-subscribe

©Copyright 2009 . Sample Child Care

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