Welcome!

The Albany Chapter of the Autism Society of America serves people living with Autism in the greater Capital District and their families.

Our mission is to promote lifelong access and opportunities for people on the autism spectrum and their families so they can be fully participating, included members of their communities. We do this through advocacy, public awareness, education, compassionate support and research related to autism. Our primary focus is on public awareness, education and compassionate support.

We currently hold 3 monthly support group meetings (one in Albany, one in Saratoga, and an Adult Aspie Social Group). Times and locations are posted on our website in the Upcoming Events Section to the right of this column. Helping children, adults, families, educate the providers and providing support all along this path, are all in the forefront as we move ahead together.

Executive Director-Full Time          

                                           
The Albany Chapter of Autism Society of America is seeking its first executive director. Responsibilities include:

•       Overseeing mission, strategic plan, and the implementation, and evaluation of programs and services;
•       Maintaining knowledge of issues and policies affecting individuals with autism spectrum disorders and their families;
•       Communicating and advocating within the community;
•       Supervising staff and office operations.

Qualifications include demonstrated leadership skills in non-profit management including fund raising, financial management, public speaking. Master’s degree or equivalent prior experience. 
Detailed job description at www.albanyautism.org. 

Send cover letter, resume, references to Search Committee Chair, Albany Chapter ASA, PO Box 3847, Schenectady, NY 12303 or info@albanyautism.org

CLICK HERE FOR DETAILED JOB DESCRIPTION

ASA TO PROVIDE FUNDING TO NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS

The Albany ASA is pleased to announce a new funding source from our Chapter. We are interested in funding special projects that will expand supports and services to individuals with autism spectrum disorders across the life span who reside in the 12 counties that the Chapter serves (Albany, Chenango, Columbia, Delaware, Greene, Otsego, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Warren and Washington counties). Preference will be given to projects that are innovative and collaborative efforts among agencies, professionals, and individuals and have the potential to continue beyond the grant period.

For grant request process information click here. For the application click here.

Please note that the deadline for submissions has been extended indefinately. Applications will be accepted as long as there is money left in our budget allotted for these grants. If you have any questions, please contact our office at 518 355-2191 or info@albanyautism.org.

Save the Date! Sunday, September 21, 2008

Albany Chapter's 5th Annual Walk/Run for Autism

The Albany Chapter is pleased to announce that we have begun the planning of our Annual Walk for Autism and 5K Run in September 2008 and would love to have you participate. It will be held in Central Park in Schenectady again and the Walk Committee has begun to meet.

If you are interested in helping on the Walk Committee or on the day of the Walk/Run, please contact Elaine Hickey Walk/RunChair, at eareah2000@aol.com contact the office at 355-2191 or info@albanyautism.org. There are so many different ways that we all can help, and this family friendly day is one way that we work together to help those in the community who care for children and adults with autism spectrum disorders.

Below is information on how to register on-line for this Walk, in addition to sponsorship opportunities, information table registration, donation information, etc.

We will also have a t-shirt decorating contest as in past years. Decorate your t-shirt and the best will win a prize!!! Any questions please contact Kristina Engel at info@albanyautism.org.

Thank you once again to all our previous sponsors, walkers, friends and supporters. We hope you will become involved again this year.

Register Here!

Walk 2008 Sponsor Letter

Walk 2008 Sponsor Form

Walk 2008 Information Table Form

Walk 2008 Donation Letter

2008 Walk Flyer

Golf Tournament Hosted by The Mallozzi Group

The Mallozzi Group is proud to announce their 4th Annual Golf Classic to benefit the Albany Chapter of the Autism Society of America. This event will be held on Monday, September 8, 2008 at the beautiful and challenging Western Turnpike Golf Course in Guilderland, New York.

The Golf Classic is a way for us to celebrate our relationships with vendors, customers, friends, and co-workers, and give back to the community who has supported us through the years.

Please contact Peter Brown, General Manager of the Clubhouse at the Western Turnpike or Frank Benedict at 518-456-9837 to confirm your participation. Price is $95.00 per person includes golf and cart.

Schedule of events:

Registration and breakfast -8:00am

Tee-Time-Shot Gun Start - 9:00am

Beverage and Stations on the Course

Lunch at the Turn --11:00 am to 12:30pm

Open Cocktail and Hors d'oerves Hour-3:00

Buffet Dinner, Awards, Prizes --4:00pm

SPECIAL NOTE: DAD'S GROUP

The Chapter would like to inform the public that our Dad's Group will be discontinued. We would like to thank Rich Melendez for facilitating this group, while he could, and wish him luck with his family and future endeavors. If you are interested in a Dads Group, please contact Jim Swart at Parent to Parent at 381-4350x26 or jmswart1@verizon.net. So glad to know that Jim has offered to make this ever-important connection with Dads of children with special needs.

ALBANY COUNTRY CLUB-WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION ANNUAL FASHION SHOW/BENEFIT TO ASSIST ALBANY ASA

The Albany Chapter of the Autism Society is pleased to let you know that the Albany Country Club's Women's Association held a Fashion Show and Benefit on April 6, 2008 at the Country Club and raised $500 for the Chapter! The Chapter's Board, staff and members would like to thank Jodi Mongin and Jill Doyle, as Women's Association President and Treasurer, respectively, for your assistance and support to Albany ASA. Below is a photo of Jill, Evelyn DelBrocco, Chapter Office Manager, and Jodi Mongin, as Jodi presents the check to Evelyn. We were so happy to work with you and are grateful for the financial donation. If you would like to contact the Country Club, please call them at 765-2851.

Glennpeter Jewelers Donation to Albany ASA

During the month of April, which is Autism Awareness Month, we were pleased to have the Glennpeter Jewelers in Rotterdam, New York, help the Chapter. All month long, the store offered a gift bag for $10, which included a $25 gift certificate and jewelry cleaner. Random bags had small gems in them. Glennpeter donated the profits from the sale of these bags, in the amount of $540, to the Albany ASA. Below is the photo of the Chapter receiving the check. Thank you so much for your donation, customers of Glennpeter Jewelers and the store for your support!

Peer Mentoring Program at Mohonasen High School

To help celebrate National Autism Awareness Month (NAAM) in April, Mohonasen High School, in Rotterdam, under the direction of Martha Mallon, sponsored a Peer Mentoring program for children with autism spectrum disorders and their typically developing peers to help create awareness, acceptance, tolerance and consideration. Some of the activities during this program were a “Fact-of the day” over the public address system during morning announcements the week of April 21 – April 26, and an Open House for students and faculty where the students talked about their work in the Peer Network.  Students also sold ribbon pins, bracelets, lanyards, puzzle pieces, magnets, etc. to contribute to autism research.  Congratulations to Mohonasen School District, their Special Education Department, teachers, students and all who supported this wonderful program.

CHAPTER STAFF JOIN JIM CARREY, JENNY MCCARTHY IN WASHINGTON FOR "GREEN OUR VACCINES' RALLY

Cindy Barkowski and Heather Walker, the Chapter's Administrative Assistants, had the priviledge to attend the "Green Our Vaccines" Rally in Washington on June 4, 2008. What a powerful experience as more than 8,000 parents, grandparents, teachers and caregivers marched past the Health & Human Services Building, heard speakers such as Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Jim Carrey and Jenny McCarthy, the Mom of a boy with autism, as we asked our Government officials to look at the vaccine schedule and slow it down. There were families there who lost their children to vaccine injury and we were just asking for more studies, support and less media portraying one-sided views. Below is a picture from the day. We hope that more of you can join us in the future to support this crucial issue.

OMRDD's Platform to Address Autism Crisis

click here to view OMRDD document

click to view OMRDD document

REMEMBER, WE WANT TO SHARE.....

The Albany Chapter is happy to share all our photos from our events with you. It is an opportunity to see the programs that your generous donations help to provide. If you would like to see our photos and share in the fun, please go to Albums and click on the event you are interested in. If you have photos that you are interested in sharing, and have permission to post them, please send them to us at info@albanyautism.org.

Have you moved lately or have a new e-mail address? If so, please make sure you remember to let us know. You don't want to miss all the information and we want to keep in touch with you. Please either e-mail to info@albanyautism.org or call Cindy at 355-2191 with your update. Make sure you stay connected to the Albany ASA!

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In Memory of Bernard Rimland

To honor the late Bernard Rimland the Autism Research Institute (ARI) is selling puzzle pieces to fund research. Each puzzle piece costs one dollar, and can be purchased through the Albany ASA by calling 355-2191. The Puzzle Pieces will also be available in the ARI’s booth at every DAN!, Mini-DAN! and other major conferences. This project will continue until One Million Dollars are raised!

The goal of this project is to provide funding for research into possible environmental triggers of autism and to develop and validate effective treaments for individuals with autism.

http://www.autism.com/families/stories/huggins.htm

Educational Law Update

The Regulations of the Commissioner of Education have been amended to conform to IDEA 2004 and the final federal regulations to implement IDEA 2004.  The Commissioner's regulations, which were approved as an emergency action by the Board of Regents at their June 2007 meeting, are effective July 1, 2007.

http://www.vesid.nysed.gov/specialed/idea/announce7107.htm 

National Anti-Bullying Week

The link below will lead you to some documents that may be helpful to share with your school and your child. By the nature of their disability our children are perfect targets.  For more information go to http://www.pacer.org/bullying/bpaw/index.asp  

Three New Video Presentations

The following video presentations are now available on the Autism Research Institute's homepage:  Dr. James Adams' recent talk titled 'Results of a DMSA Treatment Study.' This lecture was presented recently at the Defeat Autism Now! Conference in Garden Grove, California (Oct. 2007). For those who remember, ABC's Primetime Live aired a story about this research project last year while the study was ongoing.

ASA President Lee Grossman's talk at the Defeat Autism Now! Conference in Garden Grove, California (Oct. 2007) is the second video.  Lee is President of the Autism Society of America (ASA), and he discusses some of ASA's initiatives and ASA's association with the Autism Research Institute.

The third video is Dr. Andrew Wakefield's keynote address at the Autism Society of America's National Conference in Phoenix, Arizona (July, 2007).  Dr. Wakefield discusses the research on gastrointestinal problems associated with autism.

To view the videos go to www.autism.com.

Events Calendar

Everyone is welcome at our events. To find out about our next meetings and events of interest to the autism community, check the Events Calendar.

Albany ASA Library

Ways you Can Help

Now you can raise money for the AlbanyChapter just by searching the Internet atGoodSearch.com.

You use GoodSearch.com like any other search engine — the site is powered by Yahoo! — but each time you do, money is generated for us. Here's how it works:

1. Go to www.goodsearch.com
2. Type "The Albany Chapter of the Autism Society of America" into the "I support" box and click on "verify"
3. Search the Internet just like you would with any search engine
4. Since GoodSearch shares its advertising revenue with charities and schools, every time you search the Internet at GoodSearch, you’ll be earning money for our chapter

The second way is by shopping on-line through iGive.com.

You could give up to 26% or more of each everyday purchase you make at no extra cost to you.

It doesn't cost a cent to join and once you're a member, every time you shop the Mall at iGive.com we can get a percentage of each purchase you make.

Just think of it ---- free money for the Albany Chapter of The Autism Society, your choice of over 600 nationally known online merchants like Barnes & Noble, Eddie Bauer, Home Depot, GAP, Best Buy, Lands' End, PETsMART, and you can even use e-Bay too! Your privacy is guaranteed, plus money-saving deals and specials every day!

We hope you can't resist!

Join www.iGive.com/Albanyasa now.