Chicago Autism Network is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to helping families find and afford effective autism therapy and supports. We are seeking companies willing to sponsor or donate to our Annual Fall Gala, on September 28 at Loft on Lake.

Effective autism therapy can change the life of autistic individuals, and should be available to everyone on the spectrum. Unfortunately, too many families cannot afford the annual cost of intensive therapy (over $90k without insurance, about $8-10k with insurance), leaving their children without the support they need to reach their potential. To help more children get needed therapy, we created the Therapy Assistance Grant Program, which offers financial aid to help families cover out-of-pocket therapy costs and/or insurance premiums. Since 2019, we have awarded close to $200,000 to local families accomplishing the following:

·       Enabled 13 children to start autism therapy (in-home, in-clinic & therapeutic day schools)

·       Helped 21 children continue receiving services they wouldn’t have been able to afford without assistance,

·       Assisted 6 families in paying off medical debts accrued from ABA therapy,

·       Helped 5 individuals undergo neuropsychological evaluations necessary for proper autism treatment.

Furthermore, these grants aim to help those in the most underserved communities, as illustrated in the following numbers:

·       92% of our grantees have incomes below the federal poverty line,

·       94% of our grantees are racial minorities (31% Black, 42% Latinx, 23% Asian),

·       62% live in the city of Chicago, with 50% living on the south or west sides.

Without our support, these families would not have been able to access therapy and we are pleased to have been able to help. However, each year, the requests we receive far outweigh our capacity to help, and it is devastating to turn away so many families in need. The current pandemic has created even more difficulty for families trying to access intensive therapy services.

To help us raise more funds for local autism families, this September 28th, we are holding our annual Fall Gala at Loft on Lake, with a goal to raise $30,000. We are seeking for businesses willing to sponsor our event or donate items for our raffle and silent auction. Your support will help us give the life-changing gift of therapy to families in need. To sign up for a sponsorship, you can visit tinyurl.com/cangala23. All donors and sponsors will be recognized on social media, in our subscriber emails (with over 2,750 subscribers) and in all printed gala materials. If you’d like more information about our organization, feel free to reach out to me via phone (773.681.1714) or email (kimi@chicagoautismnetwork.org), or visit chicagoautismnetwork.org. Thank you for your consideration.