Nearly ten years ago, the National Autism Association sounded the alarm on autism-related wandering deaths, and since that time we have led the way in providing awareness, training, education, data and direct resources to families and professionals to prevent wandering.
Specifically, NAA has:
- Provided over 30,000 Big Red Safety Boxes and Big Red Safety Teacher Toolkits to families and teachers across the U.S., and paved the way for other organizations to start their own programs
- Spearheaded the AWAARE Collaboration and created AWAARE.org
- Requested and assisted with the 2012 Pediatrics ASD wandering study that found nearly half of children with autism wander from safe settings
- Wrote the first White Paper on Lethal Outcomes in ASD Wandering, which paved the way for prevention strategies, water safety initiatives, and Search Water First response efforts
- Requested and obtained a medical diagnostic code for wandering
- Provided over $100,000 in tracking technology funding to law enforcement agencies across the country
- Trained local and national agencies in the U.S. and Canada
- Helped create the Autism Safety Coalition and are working tirelessly on passing federal legislation that would help provide police training and resources
Our work over the last decade has been instrumental and extensive in an effort to save lives. In addition to this, our other programs like Give A Voice, Autism Atrium, Helping Hand and all of our universal safety initiatives and materials provide direct-impact services and tools to autism families across the nation.
NAA has been able to do so much on a small budget thanks to supporters like you. In order to continue to bring light to urgent issues that face our community, along with direct assistance, we need your support. Whether it’s $1, $5 or $10, no contribution is too small.
There’s so much more work to be done. During this giving season, please help us continue our critical programs and work by making a donation to the National Autism Association.
With hope and gratitude from all of us at NAA,
 Wendy FournierPresident |
