Talk About Curing Autism (TACA) provides real help for children with autism and their families.  We educate, empower, support and connect families with the resources they need to secure the best possible outcome for their children.

Below are our key accomplishments from 2008:

1. TACA was founded in November 2000 in Orange County, California with 10 families meeting in the Ackerman living room. In June 2008 TACA moved into its office headquarters in Costa Mesa, California to provide support throughout the nation to families reaching out for help.  In 2008 the number of families TACA serves has more than doubled – from 6,500 to almost 14,000. 

2. TACA continues to provide 95% of program services at no cost to families. Information on TACA programs and mission can be found at www.tacanow.org.

3. TACA launched new chapters in California, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, North Dakota, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

4. TACA coordinators handled more than 1,000 phone calls and more than 4,000 e-mails from families across the country looking for support.

5. TACA doubled the number of educational meetings across the country from 100 in 2007 to more almost 200 in 2008.  These meetings were held in 17 locations across the country.

6. Distributed 4,250 free Autism Journey Guides to families at TACA meetings.  More than a quarter million “My Child Has Autism Cards” were also distributed.

7. TACA held our 6^th Annual one day Medical Conference featuring Dr. Jerry Kartzinel and Dr. Dan Rossignol.

8. TACA was prominently featured in a front page Orange County Register article.  More than 50 media reports featured TACA in 2008.  TACA representatives were also interviewed on a variety of local and national news programs on a variety of topics.

9. TACA published two printed newsletters distributed to more than 30,000 people.

10. TACA participated as a partner in the Autism Collaboration, a group of organizations that have joined to coordinate parent-driven research and other efforts in a united effort – www.autism.org.

11. For the first time in TACA’s history, we sponsored more than $40,000 in research through the Autism Collaboration parents as partners in research program which is focused on finding treatment options for families.

12. In addition to our national Yahoo! Group, TACA expanded its online services to include a Facebook cause with more than 5,000 members, and Live Chat feature on the TACA website for families looking for help.

13. TACA added a new board member, Pat McIlvain.  Pat is the Vice President of Sports Marketing for Oakley, Inc.  In his present role, Pat is responsible for all athlete endorsement, event sponsorships and brand engagement within all sports globally.  Pat has  a 9-year-old son with autism.

14. TACA provided almost 200 mentor introductions for new families to obtain support and guidance from an experienced TACA family.   TACA also held seven new parent seminars across the country.  TACA mentors attended national conferences and were available to the more than 9,000 attendees to provide one-on-one support.

15. Hosted the Second Annual TACA Leadership Conference where 60 key TACA staff were trained and updated on best practices for serving families
    
    

16. Through its partnership in AutismCares, TACA provided financial assistance to 35 families in crisis to help with emergency needs and to 95 families who were victims of Hurricanes Ike and Gustav. Fourteen additional families were provided with treatment scholarships to assist with medical care for their children. 

17. This holiday season TACA adopted 75 families from across the U.S.  We were helped by Northrop Grumman, National Charity League and more than a dozen volunteers and staff members who helped us shop, pack and ship (with the generosity of Kirkman Labs) to more than 400 people a holiday package of cheer, grocery gift cards and a small gift for the children.

18. TACA was one of four autism organizations that orchestrated the largest autism and vaccine rally, Green Our Vaccines, in the country. More than 8,000 people marched in Washington, D.C.  TACA secured support and attendance from 50 autism and child-related non-profit agencies.

19. TACA Parent Support and Media Relations Manager, Rebecca Estepp, attended the Omnibus Vaccine Court Hearings in Washington, DC and provided specific support for military families living with autism. 

20. TACA is a founding sponsor of the Age of Autism web site, the nation's first daily Web newspaper for the environmental-biomedical community.

21. TACA increased fundraising efforts by more than 35% in 2008, from 2007, with diverse funding sources that can be replicated annually.

22. TACA was the beneficiary of 30 special events – two were hosted by TACA, and the remainder were developed and managed by others in the autism community.

23. Received a $300,000 grant from Pacific Life Foundation to begin three new programs for families in 2009.  TACA was also awarded $50,000 from Buchanan Street Children’s charities through a matching grant that was supported by The Mill and the Orange County Community Foundation. 

24. Continued relationship with Jack FM radio that resulted in frequent radio spots featuring Lisa Ackerman on autism and TACA.  Jack’s Third Show, a concert benefiting TACA, raised $50,000.

25. TACA 6th Annual Family Picnic was our largest ever, with more than 1,900 in attendance and more than $110,000 raised.

26. Held the second annual Ante Up for Autism gala and poker tournament in Newport Beach, California, hosted by Lance Armstrong and Jenny McCarthy. This spectacular evening raised more than $300,000 with 400 people in attendance.

27. Sponsored our first Law Day to educate parents about their child’s legal rights. This event was attended by more than 300 parents.

28. Our website, tacanow.org, received almost 900,000 visits with more than 5.5 million pages of support and information provided to users.

29. The first TACA e-newsletter was sent in January 2002. In 2008 we more than doubled the subscribers, bringing the total distribution list to more than 15,000 autism parents and professionals.

30. Almost 250 additional books were added to libraries in TACA locations for families to utilize at no cost.

31. TACA held three marriage and family counseling groups in Orange County and Los Angeles with each including 10 people over 8 weeks. In a post-group survey participant’s consistently felt that attending the group improved their martial relationships.

 

For additional information please contact us.

Looking back at the TACA 2008 accomplishments makes me tired! I am still in awe of the efforts, the number of families served, and what Team TACA completed in the past 12 months.

With 14 full-time and part-time TACA staffers, contractors, and almost 200 volunteers, TACA was able to deliver on our mission to assist more families than ever before. I am extremely grateful to this talented and flexible team of caring people.

TACA is not about a person, it is a philosophy of community -- families with autism helping families with autism.  Every volunteer and TACA staffer lives by this philosophy day in and day out. Our emphasis is on helping families to achieve key goals, feel a part of a community, and for their children to become the best they can be.

Once a year, I get to recognize and thank the amazing TACA team – the little engine that could and does. Here is a list of team members who do so much, along with a little note about each individual and how they continue to assist TACA and the families we serve:

• Becky Estepp: parent mentoring and media relations from California to DC with a smile

• Moira Giammatteo: assisting in time, best practices, and funding TACA’s Families in Crisis and scholarship funds, as well as growing the list of Autism Angels for products and services to families in need.

• Jen Lundy: empowering and managing the ever-growing list of TACA chapters and the amazing volunteers.

• Susan Kristie: the list of ways that Susan serves families is too long to type here. Her flexibility in being  the TACA “Swiss army knife” to help serve our mission is priceless.

• Diana Barstad: accounting and fiscal responsibility with a huge heart.

• Stephanie McIlvain: coordinating events that shine and help fund TACA’s Mission.

• Lynne Arnold & Melanie Vanciel: the amazing tag team for the TACA web site, Autism Journey Guide, and communications read across the U.S.

• Lynne Arnold & Jen Lundy: their desire to help advocate for TACA families and ability to understand the maze of special education law is a monumental and much-needed task.

• Elizabeth Kilpatrick: developing campaigns and objectives that help us fund TACA’s Mission and professional image.

• Diane Gallant: always providing the personal touch in supporting families.

• Holly Bortfeld:  Supporting families with humor, tough love, and practical tips for families on a budget.

• Roxanne Hall: the smiling face that answers the phone and ships SHOP TACA.

• Mari Nalbandian: our newest addition in educating TACA’s Spanish-speaking friends.

• Zeke Zielzinski: the talented graphics designer who creates memorable images and messages.

• TACA Volunteers: Sharon Swafford, Julie Ward, Jerry Lundy, and Julia Berle -- their countless hours and activities without pay are greatly appreciated. We would be lost without their gifts and input for TACA families.

• Kim: Volunteer editor for the TACA eNews – you make us look good!

• TACA Board: Glen Ackerman, Casper Zublin, Jr., & Pat McIlvain, who help guide, shape and fundraise TACA in explosive growth.

• TACA Donors: who believe in our mission and greatly assist us in accomplishing our goals. Because of these kind and generous community members, TACA exists today to serve families without a membership fee.

• TACA’s parents of recovered children: continuing to speak and be a beacon for new families is heart warming. These families could leave autism in their “rear view mirror,” but choose to stay and help other TACA families understand that big dreams can turn into realities. Thank you for continuing to motivate TACA families to help their children!

• Our volunteer coordinators for 17 locations and their almost 200 volunteer mentors, librarians, helpers, family and friends. We would not be here without your tireless support and amazing desire to give. Thank you.

And lastly,

• Your kids: the reason we are here.  Their futures are bright.

I rarely get an opportunity to thank my family for humoring me in an obsession that won’t go away. Huge thanks and my love to my wonderful husband Glen, beautiful and talented daughter, Lauren, and a boy named Jeff – they are the best gifts anyone could ever have.

At TACA, our goal is to continue to serve this community in need. With 2009 and the historic changes and economic challenges facing every family, including TACA’s family, we will work harder and continue to deliver the TACA Mission for the families we love to serve.

Your friend on the journey,

Lisa A, Jeff & Lauren’s mom, Glen’s wife

Talk About Curing Autism (TACA) provides general information of interest to the autism community. The information comes from a variety of sources and TACA does not independently verify any of it. The views expressed herein are not necessarily TACA’s. TACA does not engage in lobbying or other political activities.

go to home page