We’ve written before about fundraising. It’s tough. Many organizations have a staff person dedicated to it, because fundraising needs time and attention to be successful. For the past couple of years here at The Orange Effect Foundation, we’ve done an event called Silence for Speech. We asked people to go a day without talking to learn what it's like to be a person with a communication …
autism spectrum disorder
Eyes?
My oldest (who is autistic) just returned from a weeklong trip going to theme parks on the East Coast with the goal to ride as many roller coasters as possible! Not my idea of a great time but something they’ve been looking forward to for a long time. The trip made me a little sentimental. First off, my baby was covering over 1000 miles of driving on their own and second managing all the things …
Resources for Improving the Lives of Autistic Children and Their Families
The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 1 in 36 U.S. children has some form of autism. Services and support for children and their families can have a profoundly positive impact on both. Here are some resources that may be helpful: www.allconnect.com/autism-online-safety -An informative guide that includes helpful information on the risks associated with internet use and ASD, including a …
Board Member Spotlight: Joe Pulizzi
One of my passions is golf. Ever since I got to the age where I couldn’t hit a fastball, golf became my sport of choice. Golf was the game where I spent two hours with my dad on a Saturday morning or four hours on a Sunday with my friends. Or a random nine holes somewhere on a discounted Wednesday afternoon. For the past 20 years I’ve been in a golf league (St. Bridget’s) where I had the …
When Someone Else Can Put It Into Words
Being the parent of a child with Autism is no easy task. To those of you doing it every day this is not new news. I’ve read so many books by the experts about everything from causes to best practices, but never have I been so struck by a book as I was when I read The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer. Let me backtrack just a little. I am in a book club that I love. After so many years of …
What Would You Golf 100 Holes For?
I’m turning 50 this year. I’m taking it pretty well so far. The only new thing I have committed to is running my first marathon. I’m following a pretty strict training schedule so that I can actually finish the entire 26.2 miles. Another “marathon” I have done the past three years is Orange Effect’s 100 Holes of Golf fundraiser. Trust me, trying to complete 100 holes of golf in ONE day is …
What Makes You Smile?
I really try hard not to be on social media too much. I have to be on social media in some ways for work and that’s okay, but when it’s time to decompress I believe in the research that says it is not good for you mentally and that it does not help with sleep. The times I do get caught “going down the rabbit hole” or spending too much time with social media is when there are certain kinds of …
Benefactor Spotlight: GIE Media
I asked one of our longest supporters, Chris Foster of GIE Media, to share his story about raising a special needs child as well as why he chooses to support The Orange Effect Foundation. A true shout out to Chris for all he does. ~ Pam Chris Foster: We have three children. Our daughter, 28, is a registered dietician living in Cincinnati with her husband. Our oldest son, 26, is a Chemical …
How Sensory Friendly Movies Practically Saved My Life
I recently got an email from Playhouse Square, our local theatre here in Cleveland, announcing that they are doing a sensory friendly production of the play Frozen. If you aren’t familiar with sensory friendly productions, they are a dream come true for parents of kids with special needs. Sensory friendly movies, plays, areas of amusement parks etc., exist for kids who are easily overstimulated …
Never Take “I Love You” for Granted Again
One of our missions here at the Orange Effect Foundation is to make sure every child can communicate. We often take it for granted. I have had so many emails from grateful parents--writing about how their child can participate in every day activities like saying, "Trick Or Treat!" or "I’m hungry," or they want to go outside. Such simple things. But no example has warmed my heart the way …
How To Help Your Child With Autism Overcome a Speech Delay
Speech delays are common symptoms of autism. Reports from Spectrum reveal that about 40% of children with autism experience some difficulties with speech. Recent research found that most 4-year-old children with autism were unable to string together more than two words. That said, while scientific findings show that speech delay frequently manifests in autism, each child’s experience of …
Overcoming Obstacles While Traveling With People Who Have ASD
For many people, an out-of-town trip can be refreshing and invigorating. Experiencing a new place together as a family offers the chance to make lasting memories outside your normal routine. But for individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), traveling brings a host of unique challenges. New sights and sounds paired with the disruption of their usual daily routine can make it difficult to …
