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DO YOUR LEGISLATORS KNOW ABOUT THE "AUTISM STREETS" IN THEIR DISTRICT? For those who live on "Autism Street" the holidays pose some unique challenges...
Let's share those stories! Send your legislators a Christmas card and share with them a short, kind, sincere and possibly even humorous message about your experiences with Christmas on "Autism Street".
In addition to your address, add AUTISM STREET next to your name on the return address portion of the envelope. Let's see how many cards from Autism Street we can get to our legislators this year!
Find your legislators by entering your address here: http://www.le.state.ut.us/GIS/findDistrict.jsp
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For those of you that get WRITERS BLOCK when trying to write a card, here is a sample note. Feel free to copy this note or to make up your own.
Dear Senator/Representative Doe,
I am writing to you from Autism Street. I have a _______ [child, friend, student, cousin, grandchild, etc] that lives with autism. I love them very much. The unusual routine and hustle of the holidays can be very hard on a person with autism. As you celebrate this season of giving, please hold a place in your heart for those affected by this disability. Thank you for your support and understanding.
Sincerely,
Jane Constituent
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Hundreds of autism families and supporters have already experienced the joy, comradery and empowerment that comes with standing up against insurance discrimination toward people living with autism. You can too! For a good read about one volunteer's experiences, visit the following blog post: A Change in Perspective, by James Vaughan. AUTISM VOTES Registering for Autism Votes gives us access to a powerful database system that can target communication for specific districts. If a certain legislator is standing in the way, we can send a message to that district calling them to specific action to help resolve the issue. Please make sure you and everyone you know is registered. You can register at the following link: Autism Votes. PERSONAL CONTACT WITH LEGISLATORS
The UAC has either held or scheduled a total of 66 meetings with legislators. Please review the upcoming meeting schedule and attend any that are in your area. You can RSVP for any of these meetings at the following link: UAC Meeting Schedule.
In meeting with legislators, you DO NOT need to be a legislative expert. You really only need to know one thing: YOUR STORY. Make sure that you are polite and thank them for their time.
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LEGISLATIVE MEETINGS
Ogden Residents
Meeting with Senator Stuart Reid (Senate District 18)
Date/Time: Tuesday, December 13 � 6:00pm - 7:00pm Location: Weber County Library (Auditorium), 2464 Jefferson Ave, Ogden, Utah PARK CITY / WOODRUFF / RANDOLPH / MOUNTAIN GREEN / MORGAN / COALVILLE / PINEVIEW WANSHIP / PEOA / OAKLEY / KAMAS / FRANCIS Residents
Layton Residents Date/Time: Tuesday, December 20 � 2:00pm - 3:00pm Location: Destination Homes, 67 South Main St, Layton 84041 South Jordan / West Jordan / Midvale Residents Meeting with Representative Ken Ivory (House District 47) Date/Time: Thursday, January 5 � 7:00pm - 8:00pm Location: Taylorsville Library, 4870 S 2700 W, Taylorsville, UT 84118 North/West Salt Lake City Residents
Meeting with Representative Jennifer Seelig (House District 23)
Date/Time: Thursday, January 5, 2012 � 7:00pm until 8:00pm Location: 1284 Valentine Street. SLC Bountiful Residents
Location: Bountiful Library MAKE SURE YOU RSVP SO WE KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE TO PLAN ON ATTENDING! If you cannot attend but would like your story heard you may send a letter to utahautismcoaltion@gmail.com and we will make sure your legislator gets a copy of your story. |
2011 Utah Autism Info:
* 1 in 77 children in Utah is diagnosed with autism
* Autism is a treatable disorder. Children who receive evidence based treatment can improve and even recover * Utah is one of 23 states without autism legislation in place * Many children in Utah do not have access to evidence-based treatments for autism * Data from states with autism insurance legislation indicate that related premium increases were only $.44 - $.83 per member per month (Data provided by the Utah Registry of Autism & Developmental Disabilities and Autism Speaks) |
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THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO!!!
As always, THANK YOU for all you do.
The UAC Volunteer Philosophy is: "We accept WHATEVER help you can give WHENEVER you can give it and say THANK YOU. Period.
NEVER underestimate the power of your individual contribution. Give what you can and feel good about it. That's all we ask. :)
We welcome any and all collaborative efforts. Please contact us for details on how you can help!
Sincerely,
Mirella Petersen
President, Utah Autism Coalition 801-896-7796 |
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Photos courtesy of Heather Gardner. You can visit her website here.
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TO OUR NEW MEMBERS!
We appreciate you joining our group and want you to know that you ARE valuable to our mission. We really try to keep correspondence to a minimum and need your support especially on important call to action alerts for state and federal legislation. Thank you again for joining our effort! If you have questions or know an individual or corporation who wants to donate, please email me!
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The Utah Autism Coalition is a non-profit, parent driven advocacy group dedicated to supporting initiatives and other programs that enhance the lives of individuals with autism and their families.
www.utahautismcoalition.org
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