What I Am Thankful For – 2020 Edition

Happy Thanksgiving, TACA families and friends. Writing this during the month of November has me grateful for a few things:  It’s Thanksgiving, despite the tough times we are facing, we have a lot to be thankful for.  We are seeing resilient families do more with a lot less help. Despite missing therapies, medical appointments, and community, we are STILL seeing children still make progress beyond their diagnosis. I have so much gratitude for this community.

November is a special month for TACA. This past weekend marks TACA’s 20th year of service! That is a significant milestone. I can’t believe how fast the past 20 years have gone.  There is a lot to be thankful for in this accomplishment (we will share more about our 20th year and how we’re going to acknowledge this anniversary later this month).

As team TACA wraps 2020 up, I’d like to express heartfelt gratitude to some really great people who help make the magic happen:

• TACA volunteers and staff. They are incredible and tireless, always looking to help others learn more about autism and spread our message of hope. I appreciate their sacrifices and continued dedication. These superheroes truly are The Autism Community in Action!

• TACA’s Board, Ambassadors, Physician Advisory, and Committees for their incredible support and deep compassion for TACA’s mission. This year, they doubled down and worked harder to help keep TACA in place.

• OUR SUPPORTERS! Without TACA donors, we would be lost. This is a giving group of friends who are driven to keep TACA here as long as families need us.  There are so many causes needing support, and they stand with TACA. Saying thank you is not big enough.

• Our stars: the families TACA serves and their children. Thank you so much for caring, driving answers, and for sharing your stories of healing and treatment.  I am in awe of your strength and courage to continue to strive for the best possible outcomes for your children. Thank you for working so hard. Nothing stops you. Ever.

At TACA, our focus is on families living with autism today, not tomorrow. Resources that help, guidance that leads to answers with whatever challenges we face together, and a community that helps you navigate the journey with a multitude of caring families like yours.  Nothing else matters at TACA except for the families we serve and the 600++ new families who find us each month, needing our help. We soldier on.

As a reminder, we have some tools that will help you survive and succeed this holiday season:

1. Looking for tips on how to celebrate the Thanksgiving Holiday?  You can find some here.
2. How about a recipe that will impress your guests, as well as keep your family healthy while dodging common allergens?
3. Need COVID tools to help your family? You can find some here.
4. Need help advocating for your child’s educational and therapeutic services during quarantine?  This blog has information about IEPs and answers to questions about services during COVID.
   

This phase we call COVID-19 will pass. Stay strong and keep up your great work to move autism forward.

TACA will continue to serve families until we are no longer needed.

Wishing you a wonderful, safe, and fun Thanksgiving!

Sincerely,

Lisa