Thank you from all of us at NAA!

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Dear NAA Members, Families and Friends;

All of us at The National Autism Association would like to take this

opportunity to thank our members, our community, our supporters, and friends

for your help in making 2006 a successful year in the fight against autism.

In December 2005, we lost founding board member, dear friend and fearless

autism advocate, Liz Birt. Her spirit continues to inspire us everyday.

We're 100% certain she has been standing alongside us throughout this past

year. This time of year is often referred to as the Season of Giving. It's

become true for our community through a new fund established by a special

friend to not only our organization, but to all families dealing with the

autism diagnosis of a loved one. The generous benefactor, who wishes to

remain anonymous, has created the Liz Birt Hope for the Holidays Fund to

provide $1,000 each December for the next five years to families that are in

dire need of financial assistance. We think this is a beautiful tribute to

Liz, and one that she would enthusiastically embrace. We hold in our hearts

endless gratitude and admiration for Liz and the creator of this fund in her

honor.

In 2006, we were able to contribute nearly $30,000 to needy families

affected by autism through our Helping Hand Fund. With your generous

donations, many autistic children were helped with biomedical interventions

and therapies.

Also with your phone calls and letters, the first-ever autism research

legislation, the Combating Autism Bill was passed. With it, the

environmental component to the autism epidemic was acknowledged and

directives into critical areas of biomedical and toxicological research were

outlined. We will continue to need your advocacy assistance in 2007 as the

bill reaches the Appropriations Committee. It is our goal to have as much

money allocated to environmental research as possible.

NAA, along with your help, has paid $33,500 of our $145,000 commitment to

researcher Burbacher at the University of Washington for studies into

the effects of mercury exposure upon the brain of infant primates. The

results of these studies, due in the Fall of 2007, will help us better

understand mercury poisoning in children and we hope will lead to successful

treatments and a cure.

We are extremely grateful for the three grants awarded to NAA during these

last few weeks of 2006. The American Legion Child Welfare Foundation has

granted nearly $15,000 to distribute our conference DVD collection to

autism-related organizations around the country. Two groups in each state

will be given these DVD sets so they can share this valuable information

with local families affected by autism. Additionally, NAA received two

generous grants to assist us in our continued funding of research into

mercury's effects on the brain: $10,000 was granted from Speedway Children's

Charities and $20,000 from the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation.

In August of 2006, we added an important position to our staff, Chapter

Development Director, which was filled by Maddy of our home office in

Nixa, Missouri. has worked to form two new chapters in Cleveland and

Boston, and is in the process of adding chapters in several locations

including Chicago, Atlanta, central California, and Minnesota.

Also in 2006:

* Our " All Access " Program allowed us to distribute 17 computers and

three month's Internet access to needy families so they can learn how to

help their autistic child through research, biomedical interventions and

advice from other parents.

* An Environmental Autism Research Roadmap and Suggestions for NIH's

Autism Research Matrix were completed by SafeMinds and NAA as a result of

our Environmental Factors in Neurodevelopmental Disorders Symposium held in

August 2005. The papers were distributed to Congress and prominent

scientists, and presented to the National Institutes of Health at the

November 2006 Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC). Presenting

the research regarding the link of environmental factors (including mercury)

in the development of autism was a groundbreaking achievement for the autism

community! NIH is finally acknowledging environmental triggers in the

causation of the autism epidemic. Our presentation was well received by

researchers and policy makers in attendance and we hope will lead to

better-targeted studies at NIH to directly help our children.

* We held our first " One in 166 " Autism Walk in Boston, thanks to the

hard work and enthusiasm of Whelan, founder and president of NAA's

Boston chapter.

* A Golf Tournament for autism research was held at Summit Chase

Country Club in Snellville, GA on October 30th under the direction of NAA

Secretary Adrienne Rousseau.

* We held our first Poker Tournament in Atlantic City, NJ on November

2nd, thanks to event organizer Amy Becker . Proceeds from this

exciting event went to our research and Helping Hand funds.

* We once again received an overwhelming response to our photo

contest. Each and every photo submitted was wonderful, once again confirming

that our children are truly beautiful. It was extremely difficult to

select the finalists who light up the pages of our 2007 " Faces of Autism "

calendar that is now available in our online store. We thank all the

families who shared their precious photos with us.

* NAA presented our views on the Vaccine Safety Datalink CDC

" Verstraeten " Study at Public Comment at a meeting at the National

Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) in May. In November,

NIEHS released their paper regarding the viability of using the VSD in

future research.

* NAA represented our members during public comment at two meetings of

the Advisory Council of Immunization Practices at the CDC. We are requesting

mercury be immediately removed from all vaccines and that the effects of

Thimerosal be addressed formally in upcoming ACIP agendas.

* NAA was represented at the Neurotoxicology Conference in Little

Rock, AR in September. By representing the autism community there, we hope

that more toxicologists and other researchers will chose to study autism to

better target treatments for our children.

Coming up in 2007:

*

NAA will work to make sure the money needed to fund the Combating Autism Act

is appropriated, specifically the money we need designated to NIEHS.

*

We will introduce our newest program, Family First, designed to offer

marital support to couples in the autism community.

*

NAA hopes to expand its Helping Hand Program so that more children in need

can receive assistance.

*

Our second National Autism Conference that is shaping up to be even bigger

and better than our first will be held November 9 - 11 in Atlanta, Georgia.

*

Whelan is planning the 2nd " One in 166 " Walk to be held in May, again

in the Boston area.

*

NAA's Third Annual Golf Tournament.

*

NAA's Second Annual Poker Tournament.

*

NAA feels very strongly that autistic children's biomedical and therapy

interventions should be covered by insurance. So far, this has been an

uphill battle fought mainly by overworked families and on a case-by-case

basis. But there is strength in numbers! NAA wants to unify the community

behind an effort to include this vital help to families in a new Federal

Autism Services Bill that we will be working on. We have already had several

meetings with Capitol Hill staff regarding this much-needed legislation and

will provide updates as we have them on our advocacy efforts.

*

An Autism Omnibus Hearing is scheduled in Washington, DC in June regarding

the thousands of cases in the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. Families

of suffering children have waited years for this hearing. NAA will be

present providing you with news as it occurs on this very important event.

*

More state chapters will be added with your help.

Your continued support will help us reach our 2007 goals. Many donations are

being made in honor of individuals with autism, which is a nice idea for

family members and friends on behalf of your child. If you or your loved

ones wish to make a contribution before 12/31/06 to receive a tax deduction

this coming April, please click here.

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)

Again, thank you for such a wonderful year. You have certainly proven that

when we work together, anything's possible.

As we look to 2007, let us vow to make it an even better year of successful

advocacy, on-going research to help our children and giving to families in

need.

Sincerely,

The Officers and Board Members of NAA:

Rita Shreffler, Executive Director

Fournier, President

Ann Brasher, Vice President

Adrienne Rousseau, Secretary

Bothwell, Board Chair

Bono

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son

Roe Dubrowsky

Sheila Ealey

Lori McIlwain

Jim Moody

Lyn Redwood

Think Autism. Think Cure. TM

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