The Autism Foundation of the Carolinas (AFC) is the effort of individuals with an interest in assisting families in the Charlotte area who have children on the autism spectrum or have some type of related developmental/neurological impairment. It is the desire of AFC to help families affected find solutions and provide funding for them. In addition, AFC is dedicated to developing programs to enhance and improve their lives. Below is our mission statement.
Our Mission
Our mission is to assist children with autism spectrum and related disorders to achieve fulfilling, productive and independent lives by:
- Providing families and caregivers access to information and resources regarding programs, services, therapies, and alternatives to help their children.
- Providing financial assistance to families and the institutions that support the development of these children throughout their lifespan, and
- Increasing the knowledge and understanding of these children, their needs and their families’ needs through community awareness and educational programs.
The AFC has developed relationships with major organizations that currently provide support to our target population. These collaborations will allow better identification of service gaps and will result in more effectively meeting the needs of these children and their families.
Did You Know…
- While ASD is typically diagnosed in children, it is a disorder that affects individuals of all ages throughout their lifespan.
- 67 children will be diagnosed today
- A new case is diagnosed nearly every 20 minutes
- How does funding for autism compare to other childhood disorders & diseases?
- Leukemia 1 in 25,000 Funding: $300 million
- Muscular Dystrophy 1 in 20,000 Funding: $160 million
- Cystic Fibrosis 1 in 5,000 Funding: $75 million
- Juvenile Diabetes 1 in 500 Funding: $140 million
- Autism 1 in 150 Funding: $15 million
Sources
http://www.fightingautism.org/idea/reports/NC-Autism-Statistics-Prevalence-Incidence-Rates.pdf
http://www.fightingautism.org/index.php
Autism Society of America
Autism Society of North Carolina
Autism Speaks
Centers for Disease Control Prevention
US Census Bureau
IDEA Data Warehouse