Autism Awareness Night
The first ever Autism Awareness Night was held in 2004, featuring local autism walk chairs (then with the National Alliance for Autism Research) and Dr. Ralph Wilps, clinical psychologist. The goal was to bring together families as well as members of the community as a means of raising Autism Awareness during the month of April. This event has grown tremendously over the past four years - in fact, in 2007 alone, over 350 people attended! This annual event brings in immediate families as well as extended family members, neighbors, doctors, teachers, aides, and other paraprofessionals. Each year has a focus or theme; past years have included psychologists, parents of children with Autism, and a speech and language pathologist. Autism Awareness Night is usually held at the end of April. For our 4th Annual Autism Awareness Night, we were proud and honored to host Dr. Nancy Minshew, world-renowned researcher and chief investigator with CeFAR (Center for Excellence in Autism Research), and Jeff Hudale, a self-advocate living with Asperger’s Syndrome. Our focus was the latest advances in Autism research.

The 5th Annual Autism Awareness Night, held April 2, 2008 was an incredible event that supported the community during the 1st International World Autism Awareness Day. Ms. Rebecca Klaw, founder of ASK (Autism Services by Klaw), explained to the audience how babies and toddlers learn and process their environment. Her presentation aided parents and professionals in understanding a child's deficits early on, and the role of the adult in development and teaching.

We would like to sincerely thank our sponsors - the DPW Bureau of Autism Services, and Autism Speaks. We also thank our exhibitors - ABOARD, CeFAR, University of Pittsburgh, Autism Speaks, and ASK - for bringing their valuable information. Finally, thank you to the FBR Monroeville management team for organizing our social skills group for the evening. We appreciate the hard work of all of the volunteers who worked at Autism Awareness Night.

Save the date! We have secured Diane Williams, Assistant Professor at the University of Pittsburgh and Research Investigator at CeFAR, as our speaker for 2009!

Walk Now for Autism

Autism Speaks ... and we are listening!

Led by our team captain, Rick Murray, the FBR H.O.P.E. (“Helping Others’ Potential Expand”) for Tomorrow Team is comprised of dedicated staff and families whom together have raised over $160,000 for autism research. Our team has hundreds of walkers, and grows each year. We are proud to share that for the past two years, the FBR H.O.P.E. for Tomorrow Team has been the #1 fundraising team in the region!

The message of “H.O.P.E. for Tomorrow” is for the community to stand united as we struggle to understand the puzzling mystery of Autism, and search for the answers that families so desperately seek. We wish to inspire hope in each family we touch – encouraging them to never give up in the fight against Autism.

The Walk Now for Autism is held each year at Heinz Field, usually the first Saturday in June. Visit http://www.walknowforautism.org/pittsburgh, to learn more about the Walk, or to sign up as a walker, to register a family team, or to join a team. You are certainly welcome join the FBR H.O.P.E. for Tomorrow Team!

We hold a number of fundraisers and “in-house kickoffs” each year to inspire staff and families to support the team. Look for events and opportunities all year long – check our Calendar of Events for details!

This year's walk was held on a very hot, yet thankfully very sunny, June 7th at Heinz Field. If you were unable to participate in the walk day festivities but still want to make a difference, you still have time! Donations are accepted until July 31st, 2008 and will be credited for this year's walk.

Where does all that money go? We're happy to share that with you. Last year, over $600,000 of the $1.2 million raised in our region returned to the Pittsburgh area for local researchers who work tirelessly to unlock the mystery of Autism! Monies also support other research being conducted around the world, community grants, and family services to name a few ways that your dollars are working. For those unaware, the Family Services committee created its one of a kind "100 Day Kit" for newly diagnosed families. Learn about this and the other efforts of Autism Speaks by visiting their site, www.autismspeaks.org.

Where Else is FBR?
We’re all over the place! Other events that you can find FBR participating in include: 

ABOARD Annual Conference
ABOARD, Autism Help Network, and FBR Bridges to Hope's Inaugural Family Swim Night
ABOARD Gala and Casino Nite, benefiting ABOARD and the Center for Excellence in Autism Research (CeFAR)
Autism Awareness Day at PNC Park - Co-Sponsored by Autism Speaks, Athletes Against Autism and the Pittsburgh Pirates with support from FBR Bridges to Hope and the Autism Society of Butler County
Butler County Kids FREE Expo
Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community (in support of ABOARD)
Kidapalooza
University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg - Annual Health Fair 

You may have seen us in print! FBR has been featured in:

All 4 Kidz Magazine
Daily News - McKeesport
Pittsburgh Parent Magazine
Tribune-Review
Union-Finley Messenger
Valley News Dispatch

Coming Soon: FBR's Family Support Coordinator, Catherine Hughes, is a guest columnist  for Summer 2008 for the Autism Help Network's "Autism Globe!"

New - 4/21/08! FBR is featured during Autism Awareness Month:
www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribunereview/s_563228.html
Past Articles:
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/search/s_509774.html
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_329928.html
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_330156.html

Workshops and Seminars
FBR hosts a number of workshops and seminars throughout the year. Some are hosted through support groups, while others are a separate structure, presented to a larger audience.

Calendar of Events

Do you have questions about our calendar of events? Please contact Cathy Hughes, Family Support Coordinator, at the Autism Services Office, 1-866-4-FBR-ASD or at autismservices@familybehavioralresources.com. We'll direct you to the right contact person(s) for more information!