STAATSBURG — The leadership team and trustees of Anderson Foundation for Autism in Staatsburg announced Tuesday that Bring on the Spectrum in Albany is among four recipients of the foundation’s first-ever grantmaking cycle.
Bring on the Spectrum, a nonprofit organization, offers a range of social, recreational and lifestyle activities for individuals of all ages and abilities. Its Capital District location includes a sensory gym and community space in which various gatherings and events are hosted. The grant award from Anderson Foundation for Autism is $6,000, and will fund an initiative for secondary education students aspiring to build careers that support autistic and neurodivergent individuals.
“Bring on the Spectrum looks forward to offering this innovative program to high school students in the greater Capital Region,” Bring on the Spectrum founder Lisa Audi said. “We would not be able to undertake this initiative without the support of the Anderson Foundation for Autism.”
Anderson Foundation for Autism’s full list of 2024 grant recipients includes: $5,000 to BluePath Service Dogs, $6,500 to Project Ready, $4,200 to Flower Petals Adaptive Dance Studio and Bring on the Spectrum with its grant award of $6,000.
“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,” Chair of Anderson Foundation for Autism’s Board of Trustees Kevin Kollar said. “All are very deserving 501©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 said that Bring on the Spectrum — and all recipients of grant awards — will be required to report outcomes to Anderson Foundation 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,” CEO/Executive Director of Anderson Center for Autism Patrick Paul said. “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.”
Anderson Center for Autism, founded 100 years ago 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 Plain and Latham, and The Anderson Center Clinic in Latham.
For further information about Anderson Center for Autism and Anderson Foundation for Autism, visit andersoncenterforautism.org.
Learn more about Bring on the Spectrum at bringonthespectrum.org.