The Mellanby Autism Foundation Awards more than $50,000 in Grants to Help Support Families Living with Autism

 

JANUARY11, 2007 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

LOS ANGELES, CA (January 11, 2007) – The Mellanby Autism Foundation at The Giving
Back Fund announced the distribution of more than $50,000 in grants to various non-profit organizations that help support research into the cause and curse for autism, as well as support programs that directly provide services to autistic people and their families.

 

This represents the eighth grant cycle for the Mellanby Autism Foundation since its inception in 1998. The Atlanta Thrashers’ Scott Mellanby and his wife Susan established the Foundation in honor of their son Carter who was diagnosed that same year with autism.

Autism is a neurological disorder that impacts the normal development of the brain in the
areas of social interaction and communication skills. The disorder affects over one and a
half million people in the United States.

 

“Scott and I are blessed to have the resources available to us to give Carter the best care possible, and still we worry about his future,” says Sue Mellanby. “Each year we donate to organizations we hope will help ease the burden for other families and, perhaps, one day, through research, eliminate the need for autism foundations such as ours.”

 

The grant recipients include Pediatric Therapy Network in California, Opportunity Partners of Minnesota, Shema Kolainu-Hear Our Voices of New York, Giant Steps of St. Louis,
Missouri, Cradle Beach Camp of New York, Quest, Inc. in Florida, The Rich Center in Ohio, Kenny Rogers Children’s Center of Missouri, Team Activities for Special Kids in Missouri, and Friendship Ventures in Minnesota.

 

The Mellanby Autism Foundation review grant proposals during the annual grant cycle in
May of each year.

 

The Mellanby Autism Foundation is a member of The Giving Back Fund’s family of
charities. The Giving Back Fund, with offices in Boston and Los Angeles, has advised more than 50 high-profile individuals on how best to achieve their philanthropic goals.

The Giving Back Fund’s mission is to stimulate higher levels of commitment to philanthropy from high profile individuals and from the general public that they influence.