Hey, thanks for visiting my fundraising page!
Anyone that knows me knows that autism is a cause near to my heart. My little brother, Eduardo, was diagnosed with autism 12 years ago, when he was just 2 years old. While Eduardo’s autism diagnosis hasn’t been easy, I'm forever grateful for all of the lessons he’s taught (and continues to teach) me. He's opened my mind to a new world of learning and development, one that is atypical but nothing short of extraordinary. He's taught me how to be more patient, thoughtful, and empathetic to others. And most importantly, he's taught me the importance of fighting for the rights of and support for those who need it most, while introducing me to a world of others who are devoted to doing the same—like the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation.
As a result, my family and I have attended many Doug Flutie Jr. sponsored events and are active in various special education programs across Massachusetts. For those who aren't familiar with the Foundation, they are an amazing non-profit organization that not only sponsors events for individuals with autism, they support assistive technology grants to aid individuals in need of communication support (as many people with autism, including Eduardo, are non-verbal), they provide safety equipment (e.g. tracking devices for wandering children), they offer scholarships to adaptive learning summer camps, and distribute millions of dollars every year to families, schools, and community partners. All of these important and impactful avenues are only possible through grants and donations — yet services for autism, despite being costly, are an incredibly underfunded area.
Without programs like these and the amazing individuals who run them, Eduardo—and so many others like him—wouldn't have the same opportunities for exercise, fun, and laughter as other children have. I'm thrilled to be running the NYC Marathon with Dougie's Team so that these remarkable children and adults can continue to benefit from the programs and services put on by the Foundation.
I hope you're able to join me in support of the Foundation — any and all contributions are truly appreciated.