Pompano Beach – June 14, 2018 – Alsco Pompano Beach, a branch of Alsco Inc. recently made a contribution to Faith’s Place Autism Outreach, who hosts an annual Gear-Up for Autism event to help children with autism. This year’s event was held in Miami on April 28th. Autism now affects one in 68 children and is one of the fastest-growing developmental disorders in the United States, per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data for 2014 and 2017.
The Gear-Up for Autism event provides an environment where approximately 75 children living with autism can enjoy a day at the park. The children get to play multiple sports, eat a special lunch, and be given their favorite sport’s equipment and a pair of running shoes to take home.
Staff at the Alsco Pompano Beach applied for and received a non-profit gift/grant through the Steiner Foundation, which was created by Alsco in 1969 to allow Alsco branches to become involved in and help support various non-profit charities and projects in their local communities. Alsco Pompano Beach is proud to support this year’s event.
“There are a lot of challenges for children with autism and we’re excited to be able to help support an event that gives them a fun and exciting experience in their lives,” says Robert Call, general manager, Alsco Pompano Beach branch.
As its primary mission, Faith’s Place Autism Outreach, located in Miami, Florida, helps ease some of the financial barriers for families who have young children living with autism by providing scholarships to ensure these children receive early intervention and needed therapies to develop their fullest potential. For more information, to volunteer, or to make a donation, visit www.faithsplace.org. The original “Gear-Up for Autism” event was created and planned by former classmates Diego Ramos and Sebastian Ortiz in their sophomore year at Christopher Columbus High School. However, before the event could be held in summer 2017, Sebastian passed away in December 2016 after a battle with cancer. The 2017 event was a joint effort with the SebastianStrong Foundation and honored his life as well as helping others diagnosed with autism.