A MESSAGE FROM Addison's Fundraising Page
Ellie was born in 2014. As we watched her grow, we slowly became aware of her Autism Diagnosis. The last seven years have been a roller coaster and a challenging journey for our family which just welcomed its 5th member in September 2022.
As we have gone along, we have watched her grow from being mostly non-verbal to a 7-year-old who can communicate her needs and interests. We have also gotten to know our wonderful little girl who loves Disney, unicorns, rainbows, and (recently) Pokemon. She is my “why” for this race. I want an excuse to talk about her and her world a bunch over the next few months. I am excited to do it.
My wife (Alyssa) and I have worked hard to build a more inclusive and welcoming world for our daughter. Alyssa works as a Licensed Professional Counselor and has had a chance to work with many families who are navigating an Autism diagnosis. She proposed, started, and leads a weekly Parenting Autism Group on Zoom through her job at COBYs in Lancaster, PA.
As we look ahead, we want to help people understand what life is like for Autistic People and the people who care for them. We want people to be aware of the resources that are available to them. We want to make people aware of the laws and policies that are already in place to facilitate a Free and Appropriate Public Education. Unfortunately, many families are not aware of their rights and resources and therefore unable to take advantage of them.
The Eagles Autism Challenge gives me a window to talk about these things on my personal social media and other channels between now and the race. I am excited for this as I truly believe that it is deeply important.
This year, I will join the entire Eagles organization and thousands of others from the community in participating in the Eagles Autism Challenge. This transformational event is committed to funding innovative autism research and care programs with the goal of advancing scientific breakthroughs. Every dollar of participant-raised funds will go directly towards the Eagles Autism Foundation, as together we take action for autism, not only in Philadelphia, but around the world. I hope you will consider making a donation towards my fundraising goal to help make a difference in the autism community. Thank you!
As we have gone along, we have watched her grow from being mostly non-verbal to a 7-year-old who can communicate her needs and interests. We have also gotten to know our wonderful little girl who loves Disney, unicorns, rainbows, and (recently) Pokemon. She is my “why” for this race. I want an excuse to talk about her and her world a bunch over the next few months. I am excited to do it.
My wife (Alyssa) and I have worked hard to build a more inclusive and welcoming world for our daughter. Alyssa works as a Licensed Professional Counselor and has had a chance to work with many families who are navigating an Autism diagnosis. She proposed, started, and leads a weekly Parenting Autism Group on Zoom through her job at COBYs in Lancaster, PA.
As we look ahead, we want to help people understand what life is like for Autistic People and the people who care for them. We want people to be aware of the resources that are available to them. We want to make people aware of the laws and policies that are already in place to facilitate a Free and Appropriate Public Education. Unfortunately, many families are not aware of their rights and resources and therefore unable to take advantage of them.
The Eagles Autism Challenge gives me a window to talk about these things on my personal social media and other channels between now and the race. I am excited for this as I truly believe that it is deeply important.
This year, I will join the entire Eagles organization and thousands of others from the community in participating in the Eagles Autism Challenge. This transformational event is committed to funding innovative autism research and care programs with the goal of advancing scientific breakthroughs. Every dollar of participant-raised funds will go directly towards the Eagles Autism Foundation, as together we take action for autism, not only in Philadelphia, but around the world. I hope you will consider making a donation towards my fundraising goal to help make a difference in the autism community. Thank you!
