Impact Autism

Who We Are: IMPACT Autism™ is an all- volunteer charity that believes that both the quantity and quality of care options for those with autism are horribly deficient, especially for adults. We seek to change that and have formed an organization with the mission, the people and the ideas to move beyond the status quo. We just celebrated our 20th year raising funds to support innovative programs that change the status quo.

What We Do: IMPACT Autism™ seeks to change the world for people living with autism. How? By raising funds to support innovated solutions that help adults overcome the educational, emotional and social challenges of autism. Our driving vision is to enable adults with autism to be included in environments where they can be enriched, engaged, healthy and productive citizen in a safe vibrant environment.

Why We’re Important: Autism is a complex brain disorder that inhibits a person’s ability to communicate, respond to surroundings, or form relationships with others. First identified more than 50 years ago, autism is now typically diagnosed by the age of two or three. Autism knows no racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic boundaries. Few disorders are more devastating to a child or his or her family. While some people with autism are only mildly affected, most with the condition will require lifelong care and will have significant language impairments. Sadly, many children with autism will never be able to tell their parents they love them.

How We Serve the Community: We support IMPACT INNOVATION(II) - day program based on the University of Cincinnati campus designed to give provide a world class program where participants thrive in a safe environment where they work on communication, social, and job skills every day. During 2020, we were able to move to virtual programming for several months and were able to return to campus with all the safety protocols in place to protect our participants and staff during COVID-19. This program was created to respond to a call from state and federal governments to increase community integrated job opportunities we have funded an on-going program which focuses on employment, health/wellness, and lifelong learning. These campus participants work on job skills every day in new on-campus ventures and in the community. II is open to adults aged 22 or older.

How You Can Help: Join us in raising money to support new and innovative programs that can change the trajectory for a person and a family with autism. Given to Impact Autism or the Impact Fund at the University of Cincinnati CECH School.

Impact Autism 7795 Five Mile Road, Cincinnati, OH 45230 513.699.8845 Impactautism.org Twitter: @impactautism Facebook: IMPACT Autism

IMPACT Autism Board: Paul Kitzmiller, Diana O’Brien, Debbie Burgess, Dr. Christie Carnahan, Jake Geglein, Kevin Kappes,