Staatsburg, New York…The leadership team and trustees of Anderson Foundation for Autism announced today the names of grantees for the Foundation’s first-ever grantmaking cycle.
The 2024 grant recipients are as follows: Bluepath Service Dogs (grant award: $5000), Bring On The Spectrum (grant award: $6000); Flower Petals Adaptive Dance Studio (grant award: $4200), and Project Ready (grant award: $6500).
Said Kevin Kollar, Chair of Anderson Foundation for Autism’s Board of Trustees: “Anderson Foundation’s Executive Committee reviewed many grant applications which demonstrated a shared commitment to our cause, and we are thrilled to have selected the aforementioned organizations for our first-ever set of Anderson Foundation grant awards. All are very deserving 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations whose work closely aligns with Anderson Center for Autism’s mission of ‘optimizing the quality of life for individuals with autism.’ Each group has already made meaningful contributions to our field, and we are confident that they will continue to do so for years to come.”
Kollar noted that all recipients will be required to report on outcomes, and that the Foundation has reserved up to $50,000 in total for its 2024 grantmaking cycle.
Explained Patrick Paul, CEO/Executive Director of Anderson Center for Autism: “When we first launched the Foundation, our objective was simply to create a ‘rainy day fund’ for Anderson Center for Autism that could bridge gaps between financial needs and resources. Thanks to the generosity of families, community members, businesses, and philanthropists, this fund has grown to a level that now allows us to help support the good work of other organizations as well. Within weeks of kicking off our grantmaking program, we received many impressive proposals, and the Executive Committee of Anderson Foundation’s Board got to work evaluating those applications and making decisions.”
Eliza Bozenski, Chief Development Officer at Anderson Foundation for Autism, added: “It is deeply rewarding to know that funds from Anderson Foundation for Autism can now help others deliver programming that optimizes the quality of life for individuals with autism, just as our team at Anderson does every day. We are especially pleased to have gotten our grantmaking effort underway in our Centennial year; it is symbolic of how far we’ve come as an organization, and what lies ahead for the next century as we work with others to build and sustain the initiatives that will support this population – now and for generations to come.”
Anderson Center for Autism (ACA), founded in 1924, which also receives funds from Anderson Foundation for Autism, offers evidence-based educational, vocational, residential, and consulting/training programs, drawing students and residents from all over the United States to experience its school and residential offerings. Its affiliate, Anderson Center International (ACI), hosts scholars from countries throughout the world for a 12-18 month training program at Anderson’s Staatsburg campus (today, that includes 26 scholars from 10 countries). During this experience at Anderson, scholars gain the education needed to improve schooling, workplace environments, and overall therapy and care for people with autism upon returning to their home countries. Another Anderson Center for Autism affiliate, Anderson Center Consulting and Training (ACCT), has, among other activities, delivered training needed for over 150 businesses to gain designation as being “Autism Supportive.”
Anderson also runs Early Learning Academy programs (in Pine Plains, NY and Latham, NY) and The Anderson Center Clinic (Latham, NY).
“Our own programs are growing and evolving every year – and as we step into the next century of Anderson’s story, we want to do our part to help others expand their work in the field as well. It is an exciting time and I really believe the best yet to come,” said Bozenski.
Grant applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and can be submitted using this link: https://forms.gle/dvhpeCPNR6mER5z89 . For more information, contact Eliza Bozenski, Chief Development Officer of Anderson Foundation for Autism, by calling (845) 889-9594 or emailing at EBozenski@AndersonCares.org.
Or visit https://www.andersoncenterforautism.org/afagrants/ for further details.
For more information about Anderson Center for Autism, visit andersoncenterforautism.org. Learn more about Anderson Foundation for Autism at andersoncenterforautism.org/giving/.
About Anderson Center for Autism
Our mission at Anderson Center for Autism is to optimize the quality of life for individuals with autism.
About Anderson Foundation for Autism
Through grantmaking, fundraising, and marketing initiatives, Anderson Foundation for Autism helps support, sustain, and expand upon Anderson Center for Autism’s efforts to optimize the quality of life for individuals with autism.