As scholar W.T. Purkiser once said: “Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.” In the New Year, we will be busier than ever. We will be focusing on the issue of wandering and keeping our three million children, teens and adults with autism safe.

We will also be focusing on the growing autism adult population and family concerns over lost services, employment and housing. We will continue to educate and promote awareness of exactly what the whole body disorder can mean for the individuals affected and their families.

We will fund cutting-edge research and strive to ensure that the benefits of that research make it into the homes of our families. And, we will advocate for autism insurance in every state as well as passage of the ABLE Act so families can save tax-free for their loved ones with autism. We will be fighting for re-authorization of the Combating Autism Act, which is at a crucial point since the funds expire in August. The Combating Autism Act is our primary source of federal funding for research and must be preserved.

With these challenges and opportunities in front of us in 2014, we look forward to working with you to deliver even more for our community. Thank you again for being such a vital part of our mission.

Warmest Regards,
Liz Feld