The Autism Research Foundation (TARF)

05/19/2015

Parents: Do you have favorite airlines for traveling?

We think there's a clear winner.

04/21/2015

Check out our new "Shop Now" button above to purchase our "I See You" autism bead from Beads for a Cause! Thankful for our partners at Confidence Beads for such a beautiful way to raise .

04/19/2015

TOMORROW IS THE BIG DAY! Keep an eye out for Maggie on the course tomorrow, and be sure to give her cheer if you see her!!

Make sure you donate before race day-- we are about $300 from our goal and you can help us get there!

Www.crowdrise.com/maggiesmarathon

04/18/2015

Race day is in just THREE DAYS!!!! Keep an eye out for our Marathoner, Maggie McConnell repping the Athletes 4 Autism and Autism Research Foundation Logos and bib # 31539 this year!

Make sure you donate at www.crowdrise.com/maggiesmarathon --- we have currently raised $1890, and are so close to passing our goal of $2500! With your help, we can do it!

04/14/2015

SIX DAYS TO BOSTON!

We have raised over $1275 for The Autism Research Foundation and Athletes 4 Autism, and with six days left before the big day we know we can pass $2000!

Visit www.crowdrise.com/maggiesmarathon today to make your donation!!!

04/06/2015

The Autism Research Foundation has paired up with DLey Jewels! We are excited to offer the chance to win some of designer Sarah Dudley's beautiful creations while supporting The Autism Research Foundation’s 2015 Boston Marathon Fundraiser! We will choose at least 5 winners, for the items of their choice! Rules to win:
1. Any donation of $5 counts as one entry, and every additional $5 is an additional entry. There is no limit to number of entries! On the donation form please include to indicate your entries!
2. Follow and share our social media ( and ) with the hastags and for an additional entry to win!
3. Repost the raffle image, tag our social media and two friends with our hashtags for an additional two entries.

Donations can be made at www.crowdrise.com/maggiesmarathon.

04/02/2015

They are almost to California, and on Monday, they are starting the to head back home to New York.

Along the way, they will thank special people in the community on our behalf and make a documentary of autism across the US.

Check them out: www.gofundme.org/thewalk and help spread with them by sharing this post!

We are Mary Beth and Dan Reardon, but these days we are better known as Mema and Pappy. We are setting out on a great adventure to start on foot in California and walk our way across the country back home to New York. We are using our life's goal of crossing the country to help kids with special...

04/01/2015

The Autism Research Foundation and Athletes 4 Autism are so excited to announce our very first "Athletes 4 Autism Ambassador", Emily James.

Emily James is a dancer and choreographer who was a finalist on So You Think You Can Dance, Season 11. Emily is a wonderful role model, both in her success as a dancer and through her personal initiative, UNLEASHED, a program she developed while in college to promote body positivity, health and personal expression through movement for women and girls. Emily says, "Dance has taught me so much about communication, self-esteem, and confidence. Dancing can help to to unleash emotions, feel in control, and develop confidence. I want to share this gift of dance with everyone-- there is something about dance that brings pure joy to people."

We are delighted to team up with Emily, and to work together to promote confidence, healthy living through movement, and inclusion regardless of ability for everyone!

Check Emily out on Twitter and Instagram:

Don't forget to donate to our fundraiser for The Boston Marathon to support A4A and other TARF Programs! https://www.crowdrise.com/maggiesmarathon

03/30/2015

The Autism Research Foundation has our first Boston Marathon Charity Representative-- Maggie McConnell!!

Maggie graduated from Wellesley College in 2014, and currently is working in psychology research at UCLA. She interned with us while at Wellesley, and helped to develop the Athletes 4 Autism program in 2011. Maggie has been passionate about inclusion and athletics her whole life, and has worked in several arenas to promote autism research, understanding,and acceptance of differences. Maggie says, “ One of the experiences closest to my heart was working with TARF to develop Athletes 4 Autism, an inclusion program aimed at increasing positive play opportunities, team building, and social skills for children with and without autism. Since sports have been such a monumental part of my life, I identified very closely with the need for all children, regardless of ability, to have positive experiences with sports. TARF and A4A provide the spaces and experiences for kids with and without autism to learn important social skills, make friends, and have fun. I can’t imagine a better way to honor this mission than to represent TARF as a runner in the 2015 Boston Marathon”

Please visit Maggie’s fundraising page for the marathon for more information, and consider donating today to help us meet our fundraising goal! All donations will go to continuing the programs that TARF and A4A offer, and towards the development of an all-inclusive autism campus.

https://www.crowdrise.com/maggiesmarathon

Thanks for donating, and stay tuned for more exciting announcements coming later this week!!!!

03/23/2015

When you purchase any jewelry from Beads for a Cause, our charity earns a donation. Show your support for any cause you choose -- autism, cancer, domestic violence, etc. -- and still give funds back to our autism research.

It's amazing what we can all achieve as charities helping charities.

http://www.beadsforacause.com/collections/iseeyou-autism =1018_3_banner_2

03/23/2015

The for is kicking off on April 6th in the spirit of Autism Awareness Month.

Join our effort by walking some extra miles every week and sharing your numbers!

03/20/2015

A Note from a Thankful Parent:

"While [my 25-year-old son] is still "autistic", the foundation you helped me build for his treatment plan was such that he was able to learn adaptive skills that allowed him to fit into and thrive in "normal" society.

It was not easy, but he did it and I am very proud of him. I wanted you to know that your work really does make a difference in lives many years later because I am sure you don't hear it often enough. Thank you."