2019-2020 Fiscal Year Annual Report, dated September 28, 2020

THIS HAS BEEN A YEAR! Truly an understatement, 2020 feels more like a decade and it’s only September. The pandemic has been so difficult on everyone, especially families with extra needs. Thanks to you, we were able to help many families in the most dire circumstances from homelessness to aggression to frustration and lack of in-home therapies and respite. From the bottom of our hearts, we THANK YOU!  I hope that everyone has a terrific day today enjoying our event.  100% of net proceeds are used to support our mission and “money raised here, stays here.”

It is an honor to thank you once again for your generous support of our 14th annual GAA golf outing! Your giving today directly supports people with autism. This past year was very challenging: we aided Autism New Jersey in providing families with Covid-19 support, as well as their advocacy with legislators in Trenton. Along with the Branching Out Foundation, we led local autism support groups and events for parents providing monthly meetings, literature, grants, camaraderie, and recreation. We took a large group of parents and educators to see Temple Grandin speak in Morristown. We partnered with the Crayola Experience for a sensory friendly Halloween event, and supported Branching Out Foundation for their fifth annual Sensitive Santa event. Through our formalized GAA Grant program, we funded in-home therapies and emergency grants to families, teacher training, iPads, educational materials, and donations to local schools and special needs organizations.  Thanks to you, we’ve granted over $1.2 million dollars in the past 13 years!

Thanks to your overwhelming generosity at last year’s golf outing, we were able to grant >$123,000 in fiscal 2019-2020:

*  $58,000 Autism NJ: Autism NJ diligently works and advocates improving the lives of people with autism.  ANJ provides information, advocacy, consultation, services, family and professional education, and works to enhance public awareness

*  $31,000 GAA Community Grants Program: Grants to autism programs and local families in need, incl. therapies, iPads, advocate support, family respite & emergency assistance, adult programs, and Parents of Autistic Children (POAC) sessions

*  $12,000 Warren County Autism Support Group: Facilitated and funded monthly family support groups, parent training, speaker sessions, books, and recreation events

*  $5,000 NJ Daredevils: Special needs ice hockey program that provides recreation possibilities to over 70 children with disabilities, supported by 10 coaches and 50 student mentors on the ice: “Hockey Is For EVERYONE”

*  $4,000 ARC of Warren County: Camp Warren improvements, a summer adult residential camp and summer day camp

*  $2,000 Phillipsburg High School Scholarships: Awarded locally at the high school level to sponsor special needs students to pursue a post-secondary education

*  $3,000 Branching Out Foundation: BOF annual local Sensitive Santa, autism support group, and basketball clinic

*  $2,100 Norwescap: Programming for special needs young adults for the Unique & Unstoppable Club and Empowered Parents Group at the Harvest Family Success Center

*  $2,000 Greenwich Township Board of Education: Funded teacher training, technology support, sensory integration equipment, grade school Junior Autism Ambassador Club, and local autism awareness fundraising & events

*  $2,000 Oxford School: Virtual learning technology grant for special needs students due to Covid-19

*  $2,000 Warren Glen Academy: Funds for positive behavior supports program

Again, on behalf of everyone helping today and supporting Greenwich Autism Alliance, THANK YOU!

Kelly Milazzo

The Greenwich Autism Alliance (GAA) is a 501( c )(3) tax exempt foundation and as such donations are fully tax deductible under section 170 of the code.  GAA EIN is 26-0192605, and 501 ( c )(3) tax exempt documentation will gladly be furnished upon request.