SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Pacific Autism Center for Education announced that their fundraiser, Over the Rainbow on November 13th to be held at the Palo Alto Crowne Plaza Cabana Hotel will be a celebration of their third annual capital campaign to fund their many children and adult programs and specifically PACE’s new Early Intervention program that opened in September 2004.
“1 out of every 150 infants will be diagnosed with autism in California! This is alarming especially in light of just thirty years ago, when the statistics were 1 in 10,000 diagnosed with the disorder,” says David Tollner, Executive Director of PACE. “It is by far the fastest growing developmental disorder in America as well as in California. If not diagnosed and treated early, these 1 out of every 150 infants will cost the state and school districts an extra $400,000 to $500,000 just to get the child through 8th grade and over $1,000,000 to get the child through to the age of 22 when the obligation of the state to pay for an education finally ends. And that is if the child is living at home. If the child lives in a group home, which is very common for persons with ASD, add another $1,000,000 to the cost to care for the child just through age 25. At PACE, our philosophy is: the earlier the diagnosis and treatment, the better for the child, and the better for the child, the better for our entire community.”
Donors for all of the programs at PACE are many but INTERO is one of the 10K sponsors for this Gala and NBC 11’s very own Sports Anchor, Raj Mathai will be the emcee and host for the evening. Sponsorships range from 10K to 1K and can be purposed through the month of October.
Marcia Goldman, PACE School Director, says, “Attendees for this year’s Gala can bid on a painting created by our students as well as tickets to the American Idol and Everyone Loves Raymond television shows along with a flight to New York to meet and have lunch with Soledad O’Brien of NBC,” and many other valuable items.
New board members, Geoff Davis, COO of DBC Real Estate Services and Maria Hermanussen, founder of Licensing Partners, both feel that “it is a great honor to be able to support PACE and its Early Intervention program and be a part of this exceptional fundraising event. It is the only way that progress can come to our community and we can be the leader in providing early treatment for these children.”
Over the Rainbow will take place the evening of November 13th at the Crowne Plaza Cabana Hotel in Palo Alto from 5:30 until 12:30. Since 1989, PACE has provided residential, vocational and educational programs and services for hundreds of children and adults with autism.
For further information on Over the Rainbow, PACE’s 3rd Annual Gala Dinner and Auction, including sponsorship opportunities, ticket information and donations, please contact the Pacific Autism Center for Education office at 408-245-3400 or visit the website at http://www.pacificautism.org/.
Pacific Autism Center for Education
CONTACT: Lynda M. Evjen of The Buzbee Group, +1-408-271-6500, orlevjen@thebuzbeegroup.com
Web site: http://www.pacificautism.org/