#TripleYourRipple for
Mark Your Calendars for November 30th
Giving Tuesday, coming up on November 30th, is a global day of giving that provides people with an opportunity to come together to give back to the causes they care deeply about.
This year, the majority of our efforts will be focused around changing the employment landscape for adults on the spectrum.
Age 22.
That is the age that adults on the spectrum lose all state and educational services.
Becoming an adult can be a difficult transition for anyone, but the realities faced by people on the spectrum as they enter adulthood are significantly harsher. The lofty task of finding programs that will provide adequate support throughout this transition - especially when it comes to entering the workforce - is a massive undertaking.
About 85 percent of adults on the spectrum are unemployed or underemployed.
The annual cost for caring for the 1.5 million people in the U.S. with autism has been estimated from $35 billion to $60 billion (Autism Society, 2011), with the lifetime cost to care for a person with autism at $3.2 million. Two-thirds of these costs occur after the age of 18 and are directly related to unemployment.
The autism community deserves better.
This year, Make Waves is committed to tripling all donations for Giving Tuesday. Our #TripleYourRipple campaign is about creating a ripple effect. Whether your donation is big or small, everything counts, and together we can Make Waves for autism.
The proceeds for Giving Tuesday will be equally divided between Ernie Els for Autism, First Place Transition Academy and The Autism Society of America:
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The Autism Society connects people to the resources they need through education, advocacy, support, information and referral, and community programming.
The Autism Society strives to empower individuals who experience Autism and their families to make informed decisions in the planning and delivery of individualized, evidence-based services and support. Each individual and family has the right to choose the services that best meet their individual needs.
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Els for Autism offers three options for employment programs: the Work Experience Program, the Vocational Rehabilitation Program and the Employment Enhancement Program (EEP).
The Work Experience Program prepares participants seeking employment in a variety of employment industries. This 10-week training program allows participants to learn industry specific work skills in order to demonstrate their ability to add value to core business operations.
The Vocational Rehabilitation Program is designed to assist in securing and maintaining integrated, competitive employment. This includes services provided both before and after job placement. Services can include developing employability skills, assisting with job development, providing job leads, assisting with the interview process, and job coaching.
The Employment Enhancement Program (EEP) can help fund services for Ernie Els clients to help them find and maintain competitive employment and participate in meaningful internships that have a high likelihood of resulting in competitive employment.
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The First Place Transition Academy, operated by the Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC), is a structured two-year program designed for adults with autism that helps build crucial independent living and career-readiness skills. During the Transition Academy’s two-year program, participants live in their own private bedroom in a four-bedroom suite on the first floor of First Place–Phoenix. They benefit from career services ranging from volunteer work and internships to employment.
#TRIPLEYOURRIPPLE
Together, we can Make Waves for Autism.