National Autism Center Receives $238,000 in Pledged Donations from U.S. Government’s 2010 Combined Federal Campaign

Randolph, Mass. — The National Autism Center is pleased to announce that it has received pledges of more than $238,000 as a beneficiary of the 2010 Combined Federal Campaign’s (CFC) multi-million dollar fundraising effort.

Funds raised will go towards supporting families and individuals whose lives are affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Contributions will help fund timely diagnosis and necessary assessments; therapeutic and educational support for parents and siblings; and dissemination of critical information about evidence-based practices for individuals with ASD.

“We are extremely grateful to the CFC campaign’s many supporters for helping us to provide families, educators, and service providers of individuals with ASD with the resources necessary to make informed treatment decisions,” says Lauren Solotar, Ph.D., ABPP, Chief Clinical Officer of the National Autism Center. “This generosity enables us to forge ahead with the Center’s critical work, which is giving hope and direction to people whose lives are touched by autism.”

Managed by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, the CFC is the world’s largest and most successful annual workplace charity campaign. Despite a very tough economic year in 2010 and a drop in charitable giving across the country, federal, military, and postal employees pledged more than $281.5 million to the CFC. The amount raised was the second highest in the CFC’s history and only less than half a percent below the record set in 2009 of $282.6 million.

Pledges made by donors during the CFC season (September 1 – December 14) support nonprofit organizations that have met the CFC’s public accountability standards and eligibility criteria. To be eligible to become a beneficiary of the CFC, the National Autism Center underwent a rigorous review and demonstrated that it met the highest standards of public accountability, and program and cost effectiveness.

The Independent Charities of America awarded a Seal of Excellence to the National Autism Center. Of the one million charities operating in the U.S. today, it is estimated that fewer than five percent are selected to be part of the Independent Charities of America. Moreover, fewer than four percent of these charities have received this Seal of Excellence.

The National Autism Center’s DBA is “Autism Center – Family Support, Diagnostics, and Advocacy for Effective Treatment.”