Mission
Metro Friendship Foundation provides scholarships for individuals (ages 4 to 22) with high-functioning Autism and related conditions to access appropriate interventions and services.
About Us
Metro Friendship Foundation (MFF) is an independent, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Scholarships are provided for children to young adults diagnosed with Autism and other related disabilities for essential life skills. This therapy will enhance their personal relationship skills and enable them to participate successfully in their schools and communities. MFF is guided by a volunteer board of directors from communities throughout the Twin Cities area.
A Growing Need
Autism and other related conditions are complex neurobiological disorders that typically last throughout a person’s lifetime and affect a person’s ability to communicate and interact with others. This condition is known as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and is diagnosed by a physician. Harvard School of Public Health estimates that direct costs for individuals with ASD range from $29,000 to more than $43,000 per person per year. Parents living with children with ASD have strong financial concerns for their families.
- Cost of caring for the child can drain family financial resources
- Cost of caring for the child can drain family’s future finances
- Cost of raising this child financially impacts raising other siblings
Without early intervention in social skills training, many individuals with ASD may never achieve economic self sufficiency.
Digby Tantam synthesized the result of two studies focusing on adults with high functioning Autism and found that only 17% were employed. These individuals are often very bright but are unemployed or underemployed primarily because of social skills deficits, sensory issues, problematic behaviors and poor communication skills. (Smith Myles, B., & Simpson, RL, Aspergers Syndrome: A Guide For Educators and Parents)MFF Volunteer Board of Directors
President: Debra Jensen
Vice President: Cedric Cleminson
Treasurer: James Cegla
Secretary: Cedric Cleminson
Angela Bell
Dawn Brasch
Janet Gressman
Bob Lovejoy
Debra Schipper
Rebecca Yurick
Links to Related Organizations
Autism Society of America
www.autism-society.org
Autism Society of Minnesota
www.ausm.org
Autism Speaks
www.autismspeaks.org
Celebrate the Spectrum
www.CelebrateTheSpectrum.com
Fraser
www.fraser.org
West Metro Learning Connections
www.wmlc.biz
Give to the Max Day is November 16, 2011
