A Place to Call Home | Autism Charlotte

ABOUT THIS PROJECT

Since inception in 2006, Autism Charlotte has operated programs in various schools and several other community sites. However, in March 2020, as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic, our schools and those sites were forced to close, leaving Autism Charlotte with no place to deliver services. With no idea how long schools would remain closed, overwhelmed by the expectations and realities of remote learning, uncertainty, and fear of the negative impact their children would experience as a result of school closures, the families we serve cried out for help. Autism Charlotte quickly responded. We were able to secure an exclusive use agreement for temporary space at a local church, where we provided full-day, in-person, educational, social, and personal skill development services to students on the spectrum throughout the entirety of the 18-month shut down.

While forced to pivot and do business differently than we ever had, we found that delivering services in our own space offered a number of unforeseen benefits, including continuity for our students; removal of limitations that are inevitable when operating in multi-usage space; increased impact and stronger outcomes for students; and better support for program staff. Autism Charlotte therefore made the strategic decision to move away from what was in many ways a fragmented service delivery model offered in multiple locations, spaces that were not always optimal for those we serve, to creating a place and space uniquely designed and intentionally operated solely with needs of students with autism in mind....a place they can call home.

In the Fall of 2022, that vision will be realized with the opening of our Academy for Students with Autism, located in Southeast Charlotte (Off of Sardis Road), the only facility of its kind in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg region. Our new home is currently under renovations, and we are thrilled to share a 3D video animation of the space, that with your help, our children will be walking into this fall.

This new space will not only allow us to improve our services and increase our impact with those we have historically served, but we are expanding our service delivery continuum to include pre-school and parent support programming as well. Our services will continue to primarily focus on educational, social, and personal skill development with core programming including:

Stage One Academy: A pre-school program that prepares students with autism (ages 3 to 6) to successfully enter the traditional school environment.
Extended Learning: An afterschool/summer program that helps improve academic, social, and developmental outcomes for school-age children with autism.
PATHS: An instructional and experiential program that prepares and supports teens/young adults with autism as they progressively navigate towards adulthood.
iCan Bike: Builds confidence, improves independence, and promotes health by teaching children with a range of disabilities how to ride a bike.
Parent/Family Support: Provides information, education, referrals, and social connectivity for families navigating the world of caring for a child with autism.
University & Community Outreach: Promotes autism awareness, acceptance, and inclusion through internships and volunteerism.

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

With 1 in 44 children in this country affected by autism and extremely limited existing resources, we recognize that this is an ambitious but very necessary undertaking. However, we also recognize that we cannot do it alone. Autism Charlotte is therefore actively seeking corporate, business, faith/civic partners and individual donors and philanthropists to join our efforts. We have launched the A PLACE TO CALL HOME CAMPAIGN, with the goal of raising $500,000 for programmatic start-up and to lay the foundation to continue serving local children and families affected by autism for many years to come.

SPONSORSHIP/GIVING LEVELS

$100,000 Name Pillar (Payable over 5 years)
$50,000 Stage One Academy Pillar (Payable over 3 years)
$25,000 Extended Learning Academy Pillar (Payable over 2 years)
$25,000 Paths Academy & Youth Center Pillar (Payable over 2 years)
$25,000 Sensory Center Pillar (Payable over 2 years)
$25,000 Playground Pillar (Payable over 2 years)
$20.000 Program Office Pillar (Payable over 2 years)
$20,000 Business Office Pillar (Payable over 2 years)
$15,000 Kitchen/Food & Nutrition Pillar (Payable over 2 years)
$10,000 Therapy Room Pillar (Payable over 2 years)
$10,000 Signage Pillar (Payable over 2 years)
$5,000 Discovery Zone Pillar (Payable over 1 year)
$5,000 Equipment & Supplies Pillar (Payable over 1 year)
$5,000 Rent Relief Pillar (Payable over 1 year)
$1 to $5K Patrons (Payable over 1 year)

GET MORE INFORMATION

Please email us at info@autismcharlotte.org to request a private meeting or to receive an invite to one of several information sessions to be hosted by our CEO, Valerie Iseah, over the next several months.

ACT NOW!

To help make Charlotte's first ever Academy for Students with Autism a reality, join our A Place to Call Home Campaign, an unprecedented effort to effectively respond to the needs of one of the most vastly underserved population in our community, today!

DONATE or PLEDGE your support and become a Pillar in providing local children and youth with autism....A PLACE TO CALL HOME!