Autism Canada Annual Report 2010

autismcanada

f o u n d a t i o n

annual report 2o1o

meet jacob

memorial

recognition We would like to take a moment to remember those who have gone before us and to thank their families and friends for making donations in their honour.

Anabelle Craig Charlie Thompson Evelyn Irvin Garret Hawk Sasyniuk Jim Van Dyk Katherine Derewlany Katie Balakowski Larry Friesen Marilyn Griffith Mary Mattiussi Sean Castonguay

AUTISMCANADA | Annual Report 2010

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meet marvin

meet nathan 02

meet ivan

meet jordan

table of contents Vision and Mission

04

President’s Message

05

Executive Director’s Message

07

Board of Directors

09

Major Accomplishments

11

Executive Committee

11

Education Committee

12

Communications and Government Relations Committee

14

Fundraising Committee

17

Third Party Events

18

Donors and Sponsors

23

Treasurer’s Message / Financials

26

messages of Thanks and support

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For a full colour version of this annual report please visit

www.AutismCanada.org AUTISMCANADA | Annual Report 2010

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vision A vision statement defines what future success would look like.

mission A mission statement defines the organization: what it does and whom it serves.

Autism Canada’s vision is to Engage, Educate, Empower and Unite people to find a cure for Autism We support Canadians by providing biomedical and behavioural treatment information to help those affected by autism; We expand health care professionals’ knowledge and awareness of autism as a treatable illness affecting the whole body; We work to influence policy within governments to provide public health initiatives and policy changes; We enable research into the causes and treatments for autism.

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president’s message Cynthia Zahoruk It is my sincere privilege to report to you on behalf of the Board of Directors of Autism Canada. In reflecting over everything we accomplished in 2010, I am truly astonished at just how far we have come. There is still a lot of work to be done to ensure all families have full access to information on all treatments and services, but I am confident that we will get there and that we are on the right track. Autism Canada has the perfect combination of supporters in place to ensure continued success: a strong, committed Board of Directors, knowledgeable staff and loyal donors and volunteers.

The Board of Directors takes very seriously the trust you place in us to use your gifts to make a difference.

It is our primary duty to ensure we are accountable to you, our donors and the community members our

organization was designed to serve. It is for this reason that we produce an annual report that is made available on our website for all to see. We are very proud of our accomplishments, and you should be very proud of the impact your donations, time and talents have made.

One major function of the Board is to oversee the financial health of the organization. Despite a time of economic uncertainly, 2010 was a year of great accomplishments. The increase in donations of 25% over the prior year enabled us to reach 82,000 individuals through The Family Support and Resource Program; this does not include the hundreds we reach through conferences and resources we place in public libraries across Canada. The 25% increase in outreach directly correlates to the added revenues, proving that every dollar really does make a difference.

Autism Canada is an organization about hope. We are the only national autism organization that promotes autism as being a whole body disorder affecting many body systems. We know the vast majority of children who use a multi-disciplinary approach to treatment will make meaningful progress, and some will even recover.

The Board looks forward to working together early in 2011 on the development of our strategic plan and a refined set of goals to help us continue to make a difference in the future.

I thank and congratulate all of our Board Members, our Executive Director and staff, volunteers and donors for another wonderful year.

cynthia Zahoruk AUTISMCANADA | Annual Report 2010

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meet monica

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executive director’s message This past year has been a stellar time for Autism Canada. We have reached more people than ever before and are approached for assistance by many new groups. This is all the result of a wonderful, dedicated board of directors, staff, volunteers and generous donors.

The Family Support and Resource Program reached more than 82,000 people this past year, a 25% increase over the previous year. This program educates families about the multidisciplinary approach to autism treatment, sharing information on both traditional and emerging treatments. We respond daily to telephone calls and emails from parents and caregivers looking for hope, support and direction. While some are looking to have specific questions answered, others are just starting this journey and need much more direction. We are here to help.

For the first time, Autism Canada cohosted a conference in Alberta with Autism Calgary Association. It was a tremendous success, with over 350 conference attendees including parents, education and medical professionals, and government staff. The feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive.

Our plans for 2011 include webcasting the conference so more Canadians

Laurie Mawlam can access this valuable information.

The Canada Autism Spectrum Disorder Alliance, which we spearheaded in 2007 and in which we currently participate via the leadership committee, has grown to over 40 autism organizations across Canada. Working shoulder to shoulder with Autism Society Canada and the Geneva Centre for Autism, we are ensuring that the autism community presents a strong and unified voice to our Federal Government with the clear message that we need a National Autism Strategy.

Thanks to grants received from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation and Canada Summer Jobs, Autism Canada was able to hire students and recent graduates in

the areas of web and graphic design, marketing and communications, and fund development. The passion and education these students bring to our organization has been a real asset in accomplishing projects and supporting the autism community.

I wish to thank everyone who supported Autism Canada over the last year. Thanks to a dedicated board, staff, volunteers, donors, corporations, foundations, government funding programs and the professional council of Holly Benson, we had our most successful year ever.

Working passionately for the cause,

Laurie Mawlam AUTISMCANADA | Annual Report 2010

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meet robbie

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board of directors

CYNTHIA ZAHORUK PRESIDENT / FOUNDING DIRECTOR Cynthia Zahoruk Architect Inc Architect

SAM DECARIA VICE PRESIDENT / FOUNDING DIRECTOR Anew Building Corporation President

VUSUMZI MSI SECRETARY Vusumzi Msi, Prof. Corp.

Barrister & Solicitor

DON BLANE TREASURER Wealth Management Taxation Manulife Financial Director

DR. LUC DUCHESNE DIRECTOR / FOUNDING DIRECTOR Forest BioProducts Inc President & CEO

DR. WENDY EDWARDS DIRECTOR Pediatrician

MAVIS HORNER DIRECTOR B.A., RHN (Holistic Nutritionist)

SENATOR JIM MUNSON DIRECTOR EMERITUS Member of Canadian Senate

AUTISMCANADA | Annual Report 2010

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meet nicholas

meet RILEY

meet daniel

meet hunter

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major accomplishments $10,000 research donation The Kilee Patchell-Evans Autism Research Group

executive committee The Executive Committee is responsible for reviewing and making recommendations on governance, policies, nominations for the board and staffing. Ensuring all board responsibilities were being executed to the highest standard was the focus of this year. This is especially true given the growth of human resources, issuing a greater number of receipts and an increase in general following and interest in our work. Some of the accomplishments of the Executive Committee for 2010 include:

Strategic Planning

Autism Canada proudly presented the Kilee Patchell-Evans Autism Research Group with a cheque for $10,000 this year.

The research group provides a unique environment to study the basic mechanisms involved in the causes and possible treatments of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).

A multidisciplinary approach is used which combines the skills of both clinical and basic neuroscientists involved in the study of brain development and behaviour.

Specialists in a variety of research areas such as epilepsy, neurotransmitter systems, environmental toxins, sex hormones, dietary and bacterial factors have collectively combined their various expertises to the study of autism associated impairments in brain development, repetitive, anti-social and addictive behaviour, learning and memory.

Realizing that strategic planning is an integral part of staying focused on our mandate, the Executive Committee met promptly at the beginning of the year. As a result of our great strides from the previous year, our strategic plan would be a continuation of goals and activities from the previous year.

Governance To ensure consistent management and cohesive policies, the Executive Committee reviewed policies related to decision-rights, performance appraisals, nominating new directors and communication strategies.

Human Resources Staffing increases, as a result of the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation and Canada Summer Jobs, resulted in examining decision making on policies related to increasing permanent staffing.

AUTISMCANADA | Annual Report 2010

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major accomplishments education committee The Education Committee is responsible for spreading the message that Autism is not just a brain disorder but a whole body disorder with treatable features. We believe in looking beyond the behavioural diagnosis of the disorder and treating the individual with medical problems.

Website The Autism Canada website is the premiere resource for information on Autism Spectrum Disorders. It delivers abundant information on the disorder, a directory of traditional and emerging treatment options, news, promising research, our annual conference and other events.

Social Network CHANGING THE COURSE OF AUTISM CONFERENCE 2010 (CALGARY)

family support and resource program This program educates families on the multidisciplinary approach to treatment with a special focus on biomedical interventions. Parents and caregivers are looking for hope, support and direction in helping their child. We provide inhouse support, free books, a directory of treatment resources, references to health care professionals, respond to telephone calls/emails daily, and a strong support network for parents. In 2010 over 82,000 people accessed our resources. This is a 25% increase over last year. We anticipate even further demand of this program in 2011.

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Calgary Conference For the first time ever Autism Canada took our conference outside of Ontario.

It was a pleasure to co-host this event with Autism Calgary Association. With over 350 people in attendance, this two-day event was a great success.

Clinician Workshop In conjunction with the Calgary conference, practitioner training was available to medical professionals.

The workshop was designed to show how to identify and treat biomedical abnormalities, which affect neurodevelopment and behaviours. Dr. Wendy Edwards hosted the workshop and shared how the role of diet, supplements, medications and other modalities are used in the treatment of autism.

After just a year and a half, Autism Canada has 2,500 Facebook Fans following us. We pride ourselves in providing the most up to date information on autism-related research, therapies, and articles in both the mainstream media and peer-reviewed journals, as well as linking to ASDrelated videos. If you are not a fan, we invite you become one today.

Twitter is yet another way to spread awareness and information in Canada.

Along with our Facebook posts, we have been actively tweeting for over a year to over 300 followers.

Newsletter Once our only outreach medium, besides our website, the e-newsletter covers all critical announcements and news. Even with the rise of social networking, we encourge our followers to subscribe to our newsletter as well.

“Overall, in one Dad’s opinion, I think the Autism Physician Handbook is an amazing reference for parents, physicians & caregivers. You’ve done an amazing job on this.”

“The thought of diagnosing a child with autism can be daunting to physicians.

This book - filled with clever illustrations and easy explanations - is a great tool for physicians and other care givers trying to deal with this issue. Thank you to the Help Autism Now Society and Autism Canada for putting together a very helpful resource that can easily be used by anyone involved in the early detection of autism.”

Dr. Wendy Edwards Pediatrician Chatham, ON

ryan “I have gone through the Autism Physician Handbook materials and found the information presented to be a truly excellent and a very creative visual resource for physicians, educators and other caregivers working with young children.”

Dr. Suzanne Lewis Clinical Professor University of British Columbia

“With the generous help and tireless work of the Help Autism Now Society, Autism Canada has been able to bring this important resource north of the border.

Autism PhysiciAn hAndbook Canadian Edition

Complete with an extensive list of Canadian and international resources, the handbook will certainly allow thousands of families to get the help they need.”

“I feel that this Physician’s Handbook is an outstanding resource that should not only be used specifically by doctors but as information for the general public.” jennifer

Laurie Mawlam Executive Director Autism Canada Foundation

Autism Resource Materials Autism Canada maintained their book donation program by placing books into public and resource libraries across Canada. A special focus was placed on Northern Ontario for October, Autism Awareness Month. Blake Lemieux, Assistant Manager of Development, visited Sault Ste Marie, Timmins, Sudbury and North Bay libraries to donate books and set up book displays.

Rewards of Friendship Article – In celebration of World Autism Awareness Day, April 2 The article Rewards of Friendship, written by Executive Director Laurie Mawlam, was distributed to school boards across Canada. This article was originally published in The Autism File Magazine and has been an inspiration to parents, educators and students.

It is timeless and can be found online at www.AutismCanada.org

autism physician handbook – Canadian Edition The launch of the handbook was a real success. It is filled with over 100 illustrations showing the common characteristics of autism in toddlers, the CHAT Checklist, and a listing of resources. We have received rave reviews and plan to get it to print in 2011. We wish to thank Linda Lee from Help Autism Now Society for making this possible.

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major accomplishments Communications and Government Relations Committee The Communications and Government Relations Committee is responsible for development and implementation of plans for effective communication amongst key stakeholders including government officials.

World Autsm Awareness Day on Parliment Hill 2010 (ottawa)

World Autism Awareness Day Together with other members of the Canadian Autism Spectrum Disorder Alliance (CASDA), Autism Canada celebrated April 2, 2010 with Members of Parliament, Senators and others from the autism community.

Thanks to the support of Senator Jim Munson, CASDA delivered the message that our Federal Government needs a National Autism Strategy.

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Letters to Members of Parliament On March 1, 2010, after our Federal Government returned from prorogation, Autism Canada wrote a letter to all Members of Parliament and Senators asking them to make autism a priority as they moved forward in 2010. A copy of that letter was shared through our newsletter, Facebook and Twitter.

A second letter was sent to all Members of Parliament on November 29, 2010, by the Leadership Committee of CASDA. This letter informed Members of Parliament about our activities, which included the recent launch of CASDA’s website and our position paper. Our call to action is to support a federal plan or National Autism Strategy. We are committed to reaching out to Members of Parliament with a unified voice to advance the collective message of the autism community.

Canadian Autism Spectrum Disorder Alliance (CASDA) Position Paper and Website Launch In July, 2007, Autism Canada spearheaded CASDA to lobby our Federal Government to develop and implement a National Autism Strategy.

Since CASDA’s inception, Autism Canada has been an integral part of the Leadership Committee along with other leading autism organizations.

Together we are ensuring that the autism community presents a strong and unified voice to our Federal Government that we need a National Autism Strategy.

This year CASDA launched a bilingual website with its position paper.

Meetings with Senior Federal Officals In a conference call with Scott Tessier, Chief of Staff Office of the Minister of Health, CASDA inquired into the status of the autism portfolio and identified areas that we believe need attention.

Mr. Tessier committed to facilitating a face-to-face meeting with key federal players and CASDA representatives to move the discussion further.

On June 9, 2010, the Leadership Committee of CASDA, including Laurie Mawlam, met with senior federal officials in Ottawa.

These officials included: •

Scott Tessier, Chief of Staff, Office of the Minister of Health

Please visit www.asdalliance.org And Become a member!

•

•

•

Kimberly Elmslie, Director General, Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Control, Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) Nathalie Gendron, Assistant Director, Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction, Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) Gavin Brown, Acting Director General, Health Care Policy Directorate, Strategic Policy Branch, Health Canada.

The meeting was a platform for CASDA to share our vision and mission, and to hear about recent developments towards a National Surveillance System.

House of Commons Subcommittee on Neurological Diseases On December 9, 2010, Autism Canada presented and provided a written submission to this subcommittee. Our message was three-fold; autism is a whole body disorder, recovery from autism is possible, and more support and attention needs to be given to the novel research being done at the Kilee Patchell-Evans Autism Research Group at the University of Western Ontario.

Autism Canada also presented on behalf of CASDA a position paper.

AUTISMCANADA | Annual Report 2010

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meet brittany

meet phillip

meet corey

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major accomplishments fundraising committee The Fundraising Committee plays a vital role in ensuring that Autism Canada Foundation’s fundraising goals are achieved. This committee is responsible for the identification of potential sources of funding and initiating relationships with potential donors and ensuring that present and future relationships with donors are cultivated and maintained. The committee is also responsible for policy and practices as it relates to fund development.

Memorial Donations During a family’s time of loss, more people are requesting donations to Autism Canada in lieu of flowers.

The knowledge that donations will be used to support programs and services that benefit people living with autism is a comfort.

Direct Mail Campaign The 2010 campaign was designed and coordinated by Humber College Fundraising and Volunteer Management student Lara Roccatani. This year we introduced monthly giving, which makes it easier than ever before to give.

get involved Autism Canada needs you!

It's easier than you think to get involved in helping

Prospect Research

us! Everyone has interests,

For the third year, a student from the Masters of Library & Information Science program at the University of Western Ontario was placed with Autism Canada.

Mellissa D’Onofrio-Jones gained an understanding of our operations, the role that fundraising plays and did prospect research specifically for Autism Canada. The leads provided by Mellissa have resulted in funding dollars that we are tremendously grateful for.

skills and a little spare time that can add up to a big difference.

Contact us: (519) 695-5858 info@autismcanada.org AutismCanada.org/getinvolved

Third Party Events Thanks to the wonderful support of volunteers across Canada, third party events are an integral part of our receipts. Please see pages 1821 where we celebrate some of the wonderful events that took place in support of the autism community.

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major accomplishments third party events Third-Party Fundraisers are crucial to Autism Canada’s efforts in accomplishing our mission critical activities. The services we provide would not be possible without the generosity of volunteers across Canada who take time out of their busy lives to contribute to our cause.

Although we cannot acknowledge all of the third-party events in this section, we would like take this opportunity to thank everyone who participated – from organizers to volunteers to participants.

Their hard work has contributed immensely to improving the lives of Canadian families and their children living with autism.

Third Party events vary in size and scope – whether it is a bake-sale, open-mic concert, choral performance at a church or golftournament, each event is an integral part of raising funds to support children with autism.

An important component of our ThirdParty Event fundraisers, beyond raising funds for our organization, is the awareness these events provide in communities all over Canada.

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The Ladies Blazer Charity Golf tournament Leslie Gould presents Don Blane and Laurie Mawlam with a cheque for over $42,000. The Ladies Blazer Charity Golf Tournament is held annually at the Westmount Golf and Country Club in Kitchener. Since the golf tournament inception in 1982, the women at the heart of this event have donated in access of $500,000 to charities in the Kitchener–Waterloo area. The funds donated will benefit Autism Canada’s Family Support and Resource Program and the newly formed “Blazer Fund” to assist families.

The Foot’s Bay Charity Art Festival In its third year, the Foot’s Bay Art Festival, held at Foot’s Bay Marina on Lake Joseph, Ontario, attracts some of the finest artists from across Canada.

Host Ellen Cowie is at the heart of the event and is passionate about making a difference for those with autism in honour of her nephew Aaron. Artists donate 25% of their sales from the weekend long festival. Thanks to the artists, generous sponsors and visitors, over $25,000 has been raised over the last three years.

Elisa’s El Camino de Santiago Walk Elisa’s El Camino Walk was a heartfelt 800 km journey that raised awareness and funds for Autism Canada. As Elisa walked through Spain, she reflected on the similarity of this walk with her grandson Ayden’s autism. Elisa’s walk raised over $5,000 and priceless awareness.

Taste of Asia

MODERN NIAGaRA GROUP INC.

At the 2010 Taste of Asia street festival, Toronto Multicultural Youth Council ran a food booth for Autism Canada. Its goal was to help raise autism awareness to people of different ethnicities. We wish to extend a thank you to Karen Ng, Janice Huang, and Fred Yufan Wu for their great work in organizing this event and their continued dedication to youth.

They raised over $500 for the cause.

In 2010, Modern Niagara Group Inc., a prime mechanical contractor in Ottawa, designated Autism Canada as their charity to support. The tournament was held at the Canadian Golf and Country Club. At the end of the day, $8,000 was raised. It was a wonderful day for staff and clients.

AUTISMCANADA | Annual Report 2010

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meet joshua

meet caleb & christopher

meet patrick 20

major accomplishments third party events...continued hpg golf tournament Trevor and Andy Mader present Cynthia Zahoruk with a cheque for $15,000 on behalf of HPG Sales, a division of Hydronic Parts Group Ltd. With offices in Toronto, Hamilton, London and Ottawa, this family-owned and operated business has donated over $35,000 to Autism Canada with the support of their customers and suppliers. Helen and Doug Mader have been true champions to the cause. We thank you for being such an integral part of changing the course of autism.

Alyssa’s Esprit Triathlon

Gordon FOOD SERVICES

Wedding Day Autism Awareness

Last September, Alyssa set her sights high to compete in her first triathlon and raise funds and awareness for autism.

Alyssa’s family and friends supported her through donations to Autism Canada.

On completion of the Esprit Triathlon in Montreal, Alyssa raised close to $1,000 and priceless awareness.

GFS British Columbia Inc. had a lot of fun with their Accounting Pie Toss & Raffle Fundraiser. Together they raised a total of $3,415 for Autism Canada.

Pictured with a pie and big smile on his face is GFS British Columbia Inc. President, Dean Noble. Thanks for being a great sport for a great cause.

Samantha and Mike included Autism Canada in their wedding by requesting donations at their reception to have them kiss. Samantha works with children with autism and wanted to incorporate raising awareness into her special day. We wish Samantha and Mike many years of happiness!

AUTISMCANADA | Annual Report 2010

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meet lucas

meet leo 22

meet noah

meet zander

donors and sponsors Autism Canada would like to thank all of our donors and sponsors in 2010. It is because of your support that we are able to accomplish so much. The listing in this section represents all donors and sponsors from January to December 2010 and is recorded as their accumulated donation over their giving history.

Donors are listed alphabetically, with companies and organizations listed first followed by individuals.

Thank you for believing in us.

$20,000

+

Hydronic Parts Group Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation

$10,000+

hsi Solutions Westmount Ladies Blazer Golf Committee

$5,000+

Alice & Murray Maitland Foundation Ellen and Brian Cowie Mavis and Steve Horner

$2,000+

$500+

Algoma Office Equipment Anew Building Corporation Bailey Metal Products Limited Daylight Energy Ltd. Deloitte & Touche Foundation Canada GFS British Columbia Inc. Manulife Financial Modern Niagara Ottawa Rick Campovari Plumbing & Heating Spectrum Supplements

Active Mechanical Ltd. City Wide Financial Group Conestoga Cold Storage Ltd. Economical Mutual Insurance Co. Emcad Consulting Engineers (1995) Inc. Fife & Associates LLP Gateman-Milloy Inc. Hunt’s Healthcare Inc. Laprise Farms Ltd. Linamar Corporation Mann Engineering Ltd. MYC - Multicultural Youth Council Peerless Boilers/PB Heat, LLC Regina Properties Ltd. Steed & Evans Ltd. United Way Of Greater Toronto United Way Ottawa Waterloo Manufacturing Ltd.

Don & Audrey Blane Sherry Taylor Drew Senti Rasa John and Anna Van Dyk

$1,000+

BDO Dunwoody LLP BMO Bank Of Montreal Cynthia Zahoruk Architect Inc. Gemcast Manufacturing Inc. Hogg Fuel & Supplies Investors Group, Pickering, ON Madorin Snyder LLP Msi Barrister & Solicitor Quiet Desperation Studio Ltd. R. E. Hansen Industries Inc. Wendy Edwards Tom and Laurie Mawlam Jane Richardson and Raymond Murrill Kyoung and Anita Shin Paul Stathopoulos Jerry Van Dyk Harry and Marion Zahoruk

Dianne Bassett David Brander Marilyn Brooks-Coles John Craig Dara Fahy K. Wilkinson and K. Franken Charlotte Frolke Dowdall and Evelyn Hudson David Hunt Eddie Le Page Bob and Martha Mawlam Jeff Miller Paul Mann Peace Purakai William Shaver Neil Shaw Lucie and Alex Stephens

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donors and sponsors

meet charlie

meet gracee & grayson

$100+

$250+ Best Western - St. Jacobs Country Inn Blue Marigold Inc. Chestnut Park Reality Conbraco Industries. Canada Cowan Insurance Group EMCO Corporation Ernst & Young LLP Franke Consumer Products General Auto Glass Hardware Strategies Inc. Heffner Lexus Toyota Ingram Micro Linamar Corporate Social Club LJ White Mechanical Inc. Marsland Centre McElhanney Land Surveys Ltd. MJF Heating & Air Conditioning National Bank Financial Pab Holdings Ltd. Quarry Integrated Communications Inc. Queensway Auto Body Ltd. Scholar's Choice The Alexandra Luke Gallery Union Boiler Company Of Hamilton Limited United Way Of Peel Waterloo Nissan Westmount Ladies Golf Committee Zevest Development Corp.

Andrew Benyei Richard and Susan Blair Joseph Bruno Dr. D.E. Carruthers Irene Colella Sylvia Corthorn

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Matthew Cowan Nancy DeCaria Christy Donnelly Christopher and Cathy Dymond Mark Eckler Ralph Forbes Alexia Gladdy Ada and William Hallett Pamela Hallisey Caleb Hayhoe and Jeanne Mychailow Marg Hooper David Hudson Mark Jamrozinski and Kimberly Davis Mark Librach Benita Lynch Michelle McCool Josephine McCran Geoff and Mindy McHardy Yvonne McKinlay John Miller Roger and Mary Moser Larry Murray Simon O'Keefe and Julie Cole Lina Paolucci Dale Pettit Karen Rajpaul Helen Smith Dr. Paul Sharkey Cecile Tringale and Steven Brouillette Tom Uznanski and Marg Welker Bob and Andrea Van Nes David Ward Brian Wong William Young

Able One Systems Inc. Albany Pump Company Limited Amber Steel Services Amy, Appleby & Brennan Arabella Magazine Arnon Corporation Automodular Corp.

Big Heart Homecare BladeRunner Boone Plumbing and Heating Supply Inc. Borden Ladner Gervais LLP Carlington Contruction Inc. Catholic Women’s League Challenger Motor Freight Inc. Coldwell Banker/ Peter Benninger Realty Deverall, Calma & Associates Dubrick Radtke Real Estate Ltd. Fairview Acura Of Kitchener G & L Insulation Co. Inc. GSN Dreamworks Inc. Heer’s Decorating & Design Hemmerich Hearing Center Ltd. Henry Walser Funeral Home Ltd. Jaywal Mechanical K - W Actuarial Services Inc. Lee LLP Mastron Mechanical Contracting LTD. McIntyre, McMurray Miller Thomson LLP Mollison, McCormick, McIntyre & McGee Morty’s Pub Nowak, Pitcher, Fitzpatrick Ontario Seed Co. Ltd. Paca Industrial Distribution Pharma Plus Drugmart Ltd.

meet marlena

Power Vac East Precision Management Services Retail Advantages Inc. Roof Management Consultants Scarborough Town Centre Schlueter Chevrolet Hummer Ltd. Schlumberger Canada Sloan, Strype & Associates SOS Physiotherapy St. Stephen Catholic School TechTown Dentistry Terry Reidel Consulting The Redemptionists Thermec Insulation Services LTD. Total HVAC Inc. Trinity College Health Outreach Twice Is Nice Clothing & Selectables Twin Cities Dry Storage Ltd. United Way Calgary Victoria Star Motors Inc. Walmar Ventilation Products Watershed Tree Services Waterworks Wolseley Canada Inc. - Shared Services West York Nursery Ltd. Olga and Ross Allan Stuart Ansky Michel Arial Jamie and Paula Arnold Afsaneh Asayesh Nancy and Gary Bajurny Katherine Balme Jan Banasch Troy Barker

Greg Bavington Larry Bellehumeur Mary Lou Bilton George Booth Peter and Beth Brady Helen Braithwaite Toni and David Buratto Adam and Gayle Burke Jutta and Rudi Butz Suzanne Carpenter Paul Casey Gerry Clarke & Cindy Miles Deborah and Norman Heather Colhoun Colleen Conway Wendy Cooper Chuck Corrigan Margaret Cowie Dr. Blaine Cruikshank Joseph D’Costa Vito and Maria De Caria Dr. Jeffrey Diefenbacher Domenic DiMuzio Roberta Dubiner Eade Duncan Steve Dunlop Frances and Gord Eagleson Dr. Arnold Fleming Larry and Lynne Fowke Roslyn Gaby Dr. Leigh Goodall Ena and Gordon Garmaise Dlane Gilpin John Hague Samantha Hart and Michael Pace Martin Healey Dr. Garry Howatson Andre Hughes Matt Hurlburt Dr. Charles Irwin John Jazwinski Jack and Mardi Kersell Christine Aubry and Jason Kitchen Aswani Kumar Cherukuri Christa Kunze Dr. Desta Leavine Stephen Lehman Larry Librach Lawrence Loomes Susan and Michael Macek Jennifer MacLachlan John and Cynthia Macaninch Lana and Shawn McGuire Burton and Hilary Moon Paula Moura Joseph Kelly Arthur Jones Bob Ritzer Brian Fisher Carl Weldon Wayne Farhood James Evans Jim Thorne Paul Hagarty

Phil Taylor Andre Anderson Howard Butler Mary MacTavish Mary Murdoch Pat Hannenberg Sandra Pearen Trudy Bryant Barbara Buchanan Natalie Mercure Shirley Filiatrault Brendan Murray Jamie Navin Margot and Roland Nimmo Harpreet Pannu Sheri Penner and Scott Moore Sam and Alice Perniac Gary Petker Antonio Petrelli Mary and Rick Post Carole Prussin Blank Brad and Cindy Puddephatt Carolann and Marcel Raab Raymond and Vedica Girdharry Carl Reinelt Trent and Carol Robinson Cathren Ronberg Dean Roosdahl Milan Roy Judy Rumble Rob Shortreed Dan Silverman Charlette Skinkle Willliam Slinger Norman and Mavis Smith Gregory and Ann Sovan Mike and Hennie Stork Helmut Thobaben Pauline Thompson Maria Tingey Kathleen Wagner Dr. Paul Wallace Marion Weingarten Lisa Weller Ken Williamson Nancy Wilson Jeanne and Steve Withers Irene and Terrance Wolff Carol Wolkoff Linda Cheung and Paul Wong Douglas Woods Richard Zakaib Paul and Brenda Zannetos

While we were unable to list our donors who contributed under $100.00, please know that all donations make a difference.

AUTISMCANADA | Annual Report 2010

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treasurer’s message It has been my pleasure to continue to serve as Autism Canada’s Treasurer for 2010. It was our best year yet, as we saw significant increases in our revenues in all areas, especially in third party events.

We continued to apply funds from the Northern Ontario Heritage Funds Corporation to strategically hire key staff positions, including a Development Manager, a Web and Graphic Designer and a number of student positions.

The auditors of MacNeill Edmundson LLP have completed their financial audit and below is our Statement of Receipts and Disbursements by source for 2010 with comparable figures for 2009.

The growth in our revenues allowed us to complete many key initiatives, including reaching more families than ever before through The Family Support

and Resource Program and our annual conference in Calgary. We also made a significant contribution to the important research being conducted by The Kilee Patchell-Evans Autism Research Group lead by Dr. Derrick MacFabe at the University of Western Ontario.

We continue to manage our expenses aggressively to minimize our administrative costs. Looking to the future, we will continue to ensure your donation dollars are used to support change for the autism community, whether by helping a parent who just received “the diagnosis,” educating professionals to autism as a whole body disorder or influencing policy within our government.

receipts

26

We also continue to be accountable to you, our supporters, by providing easy access to our annual financial report on our website. We have also partnered with Imagine Canada and agreed to follow their Ethical Fundraising and Financial Accountability Code, ensuring your contributions are handled responsibly.

Having finished the year in our strongest financial position ever, we are more confident than ever that we will continue to provide services and resources to more and more Canadians in 2011 and beyond.

We thank you for your continued support and look forward to supporting you in 2011.

Don Blane, CMA Treasurer and Parent

disbursements

38%

Special Events

35%

Family Support

35%

Donations

21%

Fundrasing

20%

Grants

20%

Education

5%

Corporate Donations

11%

Advocacy

2%

Memorial Donations

8%

Administration

5%

Research

Statement of Reciepts and Disbursements Year Ended December 31, 2010

2010

2009

Special Events

$84,037

$52,942

Donations

$78,383

$63,628

Grants

$43,512

$18,136

Corporate Donations

$11,116

$10,000

Memorial Donations

$4,477

$11,535

Merchandise Sales

—

$1,828

$221,525

$158,069

Family Support and Capacity Building

$65,573

$52,331

Fundraising

$38,938

$24,268

Education

$38,514

$34,239

Advocacy

$20,013

$9,515

Administration

$14,794

$12,657

Research

$10,000

—

$600

$1,183

$188,432

$134,193

Receipts

Disbursements (Schedule 1)

Equipment

Excess of Receipts over disbursements from operations $33,093

$23,876

$830

—

$33,923

$23,876

Other income Public Service Bodies’ Rebate

excess of receipts over disbursements

AUTISMCANADA | Annual Report 2010

27

messages of thanks and support “Thank you Autism Canada for your donation of $10,000 in support of the Kilee Patchell-Evans Autism Research Group at The University of Western Ontario. Your generous gift will help to promote transformational discoveries through medical research.”

Kevin Goldthorp, The University of Western Ontario

“With Autism Canada’s generous donation of books, we were able to fill out our collection of autism literature in our library Every book Autism Canada donated has been signed out several times and we are very thankful for your organization’s contribution to our autism community here in Sault Ste. Marie.”

Roxanne Rissanen, Sault Ste. Marie Public Library

“Autism Canada’s philosophy of approaching autism as a whole body disorder through a multidisciplinary approach and providing information and resources through conferences, etc. has enabled us to help our son leave behind the physical

“Autism Canada is a fantastic resource for parents. Thanks to the therapies they discuss, primarily diet and early relationship-based intervention, our son is now recovered and happily enjoying school, friends and a beautiful family life.”

Vivi Harder, Parent

“We are so fortunate to have found Autism Canada.

Through them we have found therapists and read up on biomedical treatments and therapies for our daughter.

Without them I know my daughter would not be making the gains that she has made.

Thank you Autism Canada!”

suffering and narrowed options associated with impairments, and appreciate the gifts and creativity that accompany his autism.”

Steve & Mavis Horner, Parents and Director

“The Calgary conference provided us with practical guidelines on how to successfully advocate for our 14-year-old-son – something that remains as important to us today as it did when we started on this journey.”

“I reached out to Autism Canada when I couldn't find answers elsewhere. It continues to be my first resource and I continue to be impressed by its ability to be the authority on all things ‘autism’.”

Elisa McFarlane, Grandparent

Kim Montague & Mark Eckerle 28

Colleen Johnson, Parent

meet nico

AUTISMCANADA | Annual Report 2010

29

P.O. Box 366 Bothwell, Ontario N0P 1C0 Phone: (519) 695-5858 Fax: (519) 695-5757 Email: info@autismcanda.org Registered Charitable Organization: 86587 8466 RR0001

www.AUTISMCANADA.org