AUTISM SPEAKS INC
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June 16, 2013
This organization continually ignores autistic people, despite their efforts to contact the organization and petition against it. The Autism Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), made up entirely of autistic people, is strongly against this organization.
I put below that this organization has no impact because they have no positive impact; unfortunately, their negative impact has gotten autistic people killed and murderers excused.
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Will you volunteer or donate to this organization?
No
How much of an impact do you think this organization has?
None
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2013
April 23, 2013
1 person found this review helpful
As an autistic person, I have been and continue to be disgusted and offended by Autism Speaks. I don't understand why people continue to support an organization that uses cruel and extreme stereotypes to generate fear and pity of autistic people. If they were a worthwhile charity to donate to, they wouldn't need to resort to such awful tactics to get people to donate to them. They stigmatize and harm the very people they claim to be helping, and they refuse to listen to what autistic people have to say. The way they portray autism, you would think that we are not people, but are monsters, and that is unacceptable. There are decent autism charities out there (ASAN, for example), but Autism Speaks is not one of them.
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Will you volunteer or donate to this organization?
No
How much of an impact do you think this organization has?
A lot
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2013
December 14, 2012
I know many people with Autism and I donated for support of those with Autism. They do many wonderful things like a walk to raise awareness.
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Was your donation impactful?
Definitely
How likely is it that you would recommend that a friend donate to this group?
Definitely
How likely are you to donate to this group again?
Definitely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
1 person found this review helpful
November 19, 2012
1 person found this review helpful
I am a father of 2 children with ASD. I have raised funds for Autism Speaks and have donated my money, time, and energy to supporting this organization for the past 3 years. Where to begin? For everyone that looks at the $350,000+ salary of the CEO and the ‘mismanagement of funds’ as egregious offenses, please consider the idea that 350k is less than 0.7% of the revenue for the organization ($350,000 ÷ $50,314,235 = .006956) in 2010. Choose a bank CEP if you desire a target for outrageous compensation. In order to attract quality leaders, all organizations MUST compensate. If you disagree then feel free to go to your HR department and tell them that you will gladly work for only what you need to survive – don’t fret, I know it sounds ridiculous and I’m glad you are taking the blinders off now. Incentive = motivation which will lead to accomplishing the mission. Don’t forget that key employees (i.e. board members with connections to Rx) usually know the roadblocks to success and how to get over/under/around/or THROUGH these roadblocks. I am definitely not a fan of the Rx oligopoly, in fact it makes me sick just thinking about getting sick. This organization needs people on the inside of these Rx companies with influence, political acumen, and experience in order to achieve their mission. Remember that men who do great evil also know how to cure them! For those of you that lament about your money not remaining in your area – this is the true lynchpin to the problem of finding a “cure”. That attitude right there! My money has to remain in my community – how is that beneficial to our global ASD community? This organization is attempting to undo that very problem on a scale that surpasses your understanding of tactics and strategy. Have you ever heard the term “divide and conquer”. Military commanders going back to mystical times have used the fragmentation of the enemy as the primary way to alienate and utterly destroy the opposition. As long as you maintain that “my money – my community” attitude, you are making it far easier for the enemy (society) to conquer you and your cause. You are only helping to defeat us and our attempt at uniting under a common cause.
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Will you volunteer or donate to this organization?
Definitely
How much of an impact do you think this organization has?
Life-changing
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
4 people found this review helpful
July 24, 2012
4 people found this review helpful
When my grandchildren were first dxed, I walked and donated. The more I learned about the organization, the more disillusioned I became. I no longer donate to this organization since most of its funds are used for research that does not help families at all. Most of the money donated goes to exorbitant administrative salaries and to research on causes that will generally not HELP children at all. Only about 5% of their money helps actual people in the communities where the money is raised. Note that they denied an accommodation to a mom of a special needs child who was hired and then asked if she could work at home one day per week. When they said no, she made other arrangements for her son, but then Autism Speaks withdrew their job offer. It seems to me that working one day a week from home is quite reasonable and not a big hardship on any corporation. Aside from that she made other arrangements and she had already turned down another job. Imo, these people do not listen to anyone as they are arrogant and think they know it all. They don't. I had high hopes that when they appointed Jon Elder Robison to their board, things would change, but they have gotten worse, not better.
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
suggest that they start listening to parents and to autistic adults
More feedback...
Was your donation impactful?
Unlikely
How likely is it that you would recommend that a friend donate to this group?
No
How likely are you to donate to this group again?
No
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2006
What specific problem, purpose, priority, or project prompted your gift?
at the time, my grandson was newly diagnosed and autism speaks had a lot of visibility.
What would you tell others about this organization?
Run for the hills. If you want to donate to an organization that actually helps autistic people, donate to the Autism Association of America. The Red Box program will actually help keep autistic children safe.
1 person found this review helpful
April 1, 2012
1 person found this review helpful
As a former volunteer for AS I was extensively involved in their fundraising efforts for 3-4 years. I also left their organization when I saw the salaries paid. In the 2010 fiscal year 16 executives were paid BASE salaries ranging from $122,473 to $387,712! YIKES! It is hard for me to justify supporting such an organization who have deep and extensive ties with BIG PHARMACY. if you research their executives, board members, and research projects there are MANY ties to pharmaceutical companies.
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Would you volunteer for this group again?
No
For the time you spent, how much of an impact did you feel your work or activity had?
None
Did the organization use your time wisely?
Badly
Would you recommend this group to a friend?
No
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2010
1 person found this review helpful
March 15, 2012
1 person found this review helpful
I am the parent of a young adult with Autism. Over the years, we have donated and participated in fundraising and the walks. It saddens me that all that time, effort and money raised are being wasted trying to find a 'culprit' for Autism. How does that benefit that countless number of children and adults with this condition, not to mention their families? I read that an executive in 2009 left the company because of their mission statement. What about supporting and assisting the thousands of individuals in leading the most productive life possible? Statistics prove that individuals with Autism are the least likely of any special disability to achieve employment with less than 30% of the population working. And once your child turns 21, FORGET IT! Services stop and you are left hanging. This organization needs to re-focus its efforts on helping families and individuals in the spectrum and needs new leadership, starting from the chairman and working its way down.
More feedback...
Was your donation impactful?
No
How likely is it that you would recommend that a friend donate to this group?
No
How likely are you to donate to this group again?
No
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2011
2 people found this review helpful
March 8, 2012
2 people found this review helpful
I wish I could give it 0 stars. Horrible, HORRIBLE organization that seeks to erase autism and autistics from the gene pool. That's call EUGENICS. I thought it would be a support group for me and other autistics, but attending one meeting saw myself being treated like an un-person, told I was inferior, that I couldn't eve belong unless I was "fixed", etc. If you are a parent of an autistic, DO NOT GO TO THIS ORGANIZATION. EVER. There are plenty of pro-autistic and pro-neurodiversity organizations that won't treat your child like a burden or a "thing" to be fixed.
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How would you describe the help you got from this organization?
None
How likely are you to recommend this organization to a friend?
No
How do you feel you were treated by this organization?
Badly
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2011
1 person found this review helpful
December 16, 2011
1 person found this review helpful
An international association that is aligned with our mission to help every individual and family member impacted by autism, with support through resources and information. We are an exhibitor at some of their walks and we have employees who volunteer to walk, in order to help with fund raising. They are also vendors at some of our conferences.
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Would you volunteer for this group again?
Definitely
For the time you spent, how much of an impact did you feel your work or activity had?
A lot
Did the organization use your time wisely?
Very Well
Would you recommend this group to a friend?
Definitely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2011
August 20, 2011
I am personally involved with this organization. I volunteer with other educators and loved ones of those struggling with ASD. Autism Speaks offers free services to newly diagnosed families as well as reaches out to the community to advocate. I personally have handed out the materials and educated several doctor offices, therapists and schools on the free services Autism Speaks offers.
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
Professionally and personally
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
nothing
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