Charities, in particular, autism charities, do many outstanding things which contribute to improving the future, sustaining the present and amending the past, through hard work and tested determination. That’s why It may surprise you to learn that there are many people out there who disapprove of any form of charity; with some going as far as to condemn anyone who does.
This isn’t because these people are bad or that they want to see the world burn, but it often comes as a result of, what has felt like, a barrage of recent scandals involving many high-profile charities and there less than reputable use of the donations. These few rotten apples are spoiling the barrel of other charities; creating a landscape where public trust in charities is drastically falling which is something today’s article aims to rectify.
Autism charities provide Scientific Research:
When it comes to autism, it wouldn’t exactly be a stretch to say that there is still more that we don’t know compared to what we do know. That’s why, for many of the autism charities out there, a large percentage of any funds raised will be spent trying to answer the growing number of questions surrounding autism.
This is crucial for the autistic community, as a better understanding of what it is that we all share, can help to improve things like diagnosis waiting times, subsequently allowing for earlier intervention and support to be put in place for those in need.
However, saving time isn’t the only benefit of funding medical research, as many autism charities are also using donations to look into state of the art treatments and strategies which can help tackle some of the more sucky things associated with autism such as anxiety, epilepsy and sensory issues.
Unfortunately, I can’t pretend that all autism research is done with the community’s best interest in mind though, as it should be mentioned that there are a handful of autism charities out there who will happily waste public provided funds by considering outdated concepts, like a link between autism and vaccines.
As always, the best way to avoid supporting the wrong team is to research, research, research… but if time isn’t on your side and you’re certain about supporting a charity that has a more research focused manifesto, then I would recommend checking out Autistica in the UK or the Organisation of Autism Research in the US (rated #1 autism charity by Charity Navigator, for its careful and sensitive use of donations).
Autistic charities provide Autism Support:
From offering support for families with autistic members, to increasing the level of independence an autist can have, the phrase “supporting autism” can mean a variety of different things (including, *sigh* offering a ‘cure’ for autism). For this reason, it’s crucial to consider what kind of support is on offer, when looking to donate to an autism charity, as some may resonate with you more than others.
For example, a great charity that offers incredible ‘support’ for autistic people, is Ambitious about Autism (the same charity many of the autistic presenters from ‘Am I Autistic?’ can be found). As, since 1999, amongst other things, they have endeavoured to both train autistic employees and help companies create an autism-friendly workplace (and they’re not doing a half-bad job either).
On the other hand, instead of focusing on improving negative areas of the autistic community, The Art of Autism celebrate the often overlooked achievements to help raise awareness and inspire fellow autists and their families who may be struggling with a diagnosis.
Neither of these charities deserve more attention than the other. It’s all down to personal interest and preference.
(Photo Credit: Michael Tolleson)
Why I fundraise for the National Autistic Society:
On that note, one charity where you can be sure that your donations are going to be put to good use is the National Autistic Society. They have shown time and time again, through their various activities, that they will always have the autistic community’s best interests at heart.
For example:
- Operating a free autism helpline
- Hosting multiple autism conferences
- Holding training courses on all things autism
- Campaigning in Parliament for autism rights
- Recognising and celebrating autism works throughout their social media channels and award ceremonies
- Contribution and helping the production team behind ‘Are You Autistic?‘
- Taking the gem that is Autism Awareness Day and extending it across an entire week
In fact, I believe so firmly in the National Autistic Society that, in the past, I have fundraised by abseiling down the ArcelorMittal Orbit, given up transport for an entire week (which was NOT easy when I had a job and university!) and freely penned articles contributing to the sites already outstanding resources.
This isn’t my way of encouraging you all to ignore the previously mentioned autism organisations for the N.A.S. . Instead, this is my way of showing that, when it comes to autism charities, there are more ways which they contribute to daily neurodiverse life than you might have first thought, just as there are more ways which you can return that support than you might once have known.
(Photo Credit: National Autistic Society)
Carry on the Conversation:
That’s all from me today, so now I want to hear from you: what are your favourite charities? What makes them so incredible? (these don’t have to be autism related).
Also, if you have any fundraising activities coming up in the future, be sure to shout about them in the comments below!
As always, I can also be found on Twitter @AutismRevised and via my email: AutisticandUnapologetic@gmail.com.
If you like what you have seen on the site today, then show your support by liking the Autistic & Unapologetic Facebook page. Also, don’t forget to sign up to the Autistic & Unapologetic newsletter (found on the side bar on laptops and underneath if you are reading this via mobile) where I share weekly updates as well as a fascinating fact I have found throughout the week.
Thank you for reading and I will see you next Saturday for more thoughts from across the spectrum.
