How one mom - and her community - raised over $4,000 for autism awareness
April was national Autism Awareness Month, but for a South Elgin mother of three, every day is autism awareness.
LorriAnn Hoan's youngest son, Hunter, 6, was diagnosed with autism four years ago. Because of the tremendous help the Autism Society of Illinois has provided to her family, she wanted to reciprocate.
Hoan came up with "Pennies for Autism," a fundraising effort that included putting milk jugs in schools to collect loose change. She got the idea from a teacher at Corron Elementary School in St. Charles who did it last year for "Autism Speaks."
The goal was to raise about $100. The result was much better than Hoan expected. About $3,929.83 better, to be exact.
Hunter attends Munhall Elementary School in St. Charles, which has classrooms dedicated to teaching autistic children. From April 1 to 17, classrooms at Munhall and other schools in the area took on the challenge to fill milk jugs with pennies for two weeks. The classroom which raised the most money would be rewarded with a pizza party.
"I just thought the pennies was a great idea because you're not asking - especially in today's financial climate for parents - for a lot of money," Hoan said. "Everybody has a jar of pennies somewhere."
That sentiment seemed to be shared by the many who donated. An unexpected bonus was that not only were people giving pennies, but they also were dropping in silver coins and shoving dollar bills into the jugs as well.
Hoan says one donor told her, "You know, I have this big jug of pennies and I can't think of a better place for them to be."
Hoan also tells the story of Alex, the boy who lives across the street. Alex, she said, "brought down his piggy bank full of quarters, put them all over the floor and his mother asked, 'What are you doing?' 'Miss LorriAnn passed out fliers today and I want to do this for Pennies for Autism. This'll help Hunter, right?'" Hoan remembers thinking, "Oh my goodness, that's so sweet."
Hoan is a lunch mom at Anderson Elementary in St. Charles and had the chance to talk to kids during lunchtime to explain what autism is and what the Autism Society of Illinois is and does.
She was amazed at the little ones who would come up and hug her and say, "I asked my mom for pennies," and the ones who knew her son Hunter would say, "We know this is for Hunter."
Hoan says she has been overwhelmed with the generosity the community has shown to help out with the fundraiser. A request for one poster turned into 50 posters and dozens of fliers to stuff in kids backpacks from a local printer. She asked a friend employed by Dean Foods if she could get a few new milk jugs for the fundraiser. Dean's responded by shipping her two cases of jugs and an offer to supply 1,000 Popsicles as a treat to all the children in both Munhall and Anderson elementary schools.
As word of the fundraiser spread, Nick's Pizza in South Elgin and Crystal Lake contacted Hoan and offered to supply the pizzas for the party.
Elgin State bank offered to set aside time on a Saturday morning to count and keep track of all the money collected by doing a spreadsheet so the classrooms would know exactly how much they raised.
There were 54 jugs in all, the bulk of them being in 46 classrooms between Munhall Elementary and Anderson Elementary. The rest were sprinkled around to local schools and centers that work with autistic children. Those pennies, silver coins and dollars added up to $4,029.83.
In addition to the classroom collections and locations around town, Hunter himself went out about six times going door-to-door for donations with his aide, Kelly DiFulvio.
Because he is nonverbal, Hunter used a special device with a prerecorded message asking for donations so he could communicate with his neighbors. After ringing the doorbell, Hunter would press the picture of a boy waving with the word "Hello" on it. As pennies would drop into the jug, he would get very excited, loving the sound of the metal thudding against the plastic.
"There has not been one person that has not given him something," says LorriAnn. "It is amazing how the community has come together to support Autism Awareness Month."
The winner of the pizza party was Rita Henning's fourth grade class at Munhall Elementary, which raised the highest amount totaling $306.10.
Dante Macaluso, 10, said of the fundraiser, "I know it's going to a good cause so I donated change to it."
Karen McDonough, Executive Director of the Autism Society of Illinois was able to attend the pizza party and as the total amount raised was read aloud to the class by Hoan, tears welled up in McDonough's eyes.
"It's so incredibly touching to see kids that are only in the fourth grade care so much about another individual or group of kids in their community that they would raise so much money," McDonough said. "I was extremely surprised because that, you know, $4,000 is a lot of pennies. So we were extremely shocked and pleased and the whole board of directors at ASI is absolutely thrilled and touched by this gesture."
<p class="factboxheadblack">Autism: what it is, how you can help </p> <p class="News">The month of April was dedicated to raising awareness of the developmental disability as far back as the 1970s, but it hasn't been until the past few years that it has received more attention. </p> <p class="News">According to the Centers for Disease Control Prevention, it affects 1 in 150 births today, a number that has scarily been rapidly increasing over the past few years. It is estimated that roughly 1.5 million Americans have some form of autism.</p> <p class="News">Not to be mistaken for a mental illness, autism is a complex developmental disability that affects individuals at varying degrees of intensity. It is often diagnosed withing the first three years of life. </p> <p class="News">As described by the Autism Society of Illinois, the condition "is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. Both children and adults with autism typically show difficulties in verbal and nonverbal communication, social interactions, and leisure or play activities."</p> <p class="News">Though Hunter's "Pennies for Autism" drive is over, donations to fight the disease and help families are always welcome and can be sent to:</p> <p class="breakhead">Autism Society of Illinois</p> <p class="News">Attn: Karen McDonough, Executive Director</p> <p class="News">2200 South Main St., Suite 205</p> <p class="News">Lombard, IL 60148</p> <p class="News">(630) 691-1270</p> <p class="News">E-mail: <a href="mailto:info@autismillinois.org">info@autismillinois.org</a></p> <p class="News"><a href="mailto:kmcdonough@autismillinois.org">kmcdonough@autismillinois.org</a></p>