Help a Family Caring for a Child with Autism

Help pay critical living expenses during a catastrophic life event for a family affected by autism.

Families living with autism often need additional and specialized support in recovering from critical life events. Together we can support these families in their time of need. Each Support Award is done on a case-by-case basis and is tailor-designed to most help the affected family.

Eligible families have a child (or children) diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, an income of $40,000 or less, and have experienced a catastrophic life event (such as a natural disaster, death or critical illness in the nuclear family, a violent crime, loss or imminent loss of home, or recent unemployment of the primary income-earner).

You can help reach families in need. AutismCares™, the consortium of leading autism charities who make the Support Awards, is not currently able to help all families who apply. Families complete an online application, and applications are reviewed and selected each month. The maximum Support Award per family is $1000 and helps pay critical living expenses -- for example, heat, mortgage, day care -- for a family affected by autism.

Family Testimonials

"The Autism Cares Grant help me to establish some independence and get back on my feet. I've been struggling as I try and navigate life on the Autism spectrum. I have Asperger's Syndrome and I really want to become as independent as I can. The Autism Cares Grant not only helped me pay my rent and gave me a nice place to live for 4 months, it is also going to help me get other areas of my life up and going the way that they should be. My parents were losing their house so I was going to be left without a place to stay. The Autism Cares Grant helped me help my parents save their house so not only myself but my entire family could keep a roof over our heads."

"I would like to thank Autism Cares in helping us with our family while we are in financial need. Autism Cares helped us save our home of 15 years. This is not just a house, but it is a safe place for all five of our children, especially for Hannah, 11, who has autism. She is an escape expert and a runner and our home has unique modifications for the challenges she gives us, that would have been so difficult to replace. Words cannot describe what the Autism Cares Grant means to us. Thanks to everyone."

Autism Speaks is dedicated to promoting solutions, across the spectrum and throughout the lifespan, for the needs of individuals with autism and their families through advocacy and support; increasing understanding and acceptance of autism spectrum disorder; and advancing research into causes and better interventions for autism spectrum disorder and related conditions. Autism Speaks enhances lives today and is accelerating a spectrum of solutions for tomorrow_.