Non-Profit of the Month: April 2007 - Walk Now and Race for Hope

Actually, two non-profits in this month's post.

Have a friend who works with a school district. One of the conditions she sees in some (too many) students is autism.

Walk Now is being held in various cities on various dates to raise funds. Check out the page to see if there is one in your city that you might participate in or support someone who is.

Here is the cause in the words of my friend:

I am participating in WALK NOW to help find a cure for autism. Autism is the second most common developmental disorder in the United States affecting one in every 150 children born today. Despite some promising discoveries, the cause of autism is unknown and a cure does not exist. Research is crucial. Every 20 minutes another child is diagnosed with autism. Not only must we find ways to improve the quality of life for children and adults with autism, but we also must find a cure, and soon.

WALK NOW is our chance to make a difference in the fight against autism by raising money for autism research and heightening public awareness. I see and evaluate young children with autism on a daily basis so this is close to my heart.
.....
Cure Autism Now has been committed to finding a cure for autism since its founding in 1995. The organization is one of the leading private funders of biomedical research in autism, providing nearly $39 million for research grants, education, outreach and scientific resources, including the establishment and ongoing support of the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange (AGRE). All donations from WALK NOW support Cure Autism Now's mission to find the causes, effective treatments and a cure for autism. In 2006 WALK NOW raised $6.5 million for autism research.

Please join me in my fight against autism. Thank you for making a difference in the lives of the more than 1 million Americans living with autism today.

Another friend of mine works at a school and here is his story about his participation in the Race for Hope:

I will be participating in the Brain Tumor Society's 10th Annual 5K Race for Hope in downtown DC. A teacher and a parent from our school community are getting together a team of people to participate in this race and would love your support. Proceeds from the race go toward brain tumor research. Our team is called the Drew Nealley Team. For those of you who aren't members of the Grace Episcopal Day School community, Drew was a first grader at Grace last year. Drew had surgery to remove a brain tumor during the school year, but a week before school started this fall, we lost him. I will be racing in his memory and honor.

I will also be running for a teacher at our school that had a brain tumor removed this pass summer and she will be participating in the race in May with the rest of her family, as will Drew's family and many teachers and families from our school community. I invite you all to support us by going online to Race for Hope and donating to The Drew Nealley Team. Better yet, if you are in the area, please feel free to join us on the team by signing up online and spreading the word about the race.

Check out these two events and please consider supporting these efforts:
Race for Hope
Walk Now