Autism Speaks Create & Donate Card Drive

So many people have been sending me emails, and asking questions about the card drive. I thought I needed to make an official post about it. Let me start from the beginning. A while back I had the pleasure of meeting this fantastic woman named Christine. She had visited my blog, and the name of her blog was so interesting I had to check it out (Scrap It Forward). When I went to Scrap It Forward's blog, I realized what the blog was really about. It was about helping other people, lifting people up, all in all trying to make a little piece of our neighborhood better through scrapbooking. I was intrigued so I emailed her. She sent me a wonderful email back, and expressed that she had a son that was autistic and that she was doing some fundraising for Autism Speaks. As soon as I finished reading, God tapped on my heart. I felt Him telling me to get involved. I didn't know how. In fact, I myself have never been personally affected by having someone close to me having autism. So, I went to Autism Speaks to research it a little further. What I found was an organization dedicated to finding a way to combat autism through research, education, and support. Much of what I read was foreign to me. In the past, I had watched the specials on television about autism, and I heard about another child being diagnosed with autism. But I realized at that point I knew nothing about it. According to Autism Speaks, "1 in 150 individuals is diagnosed with autism, making it more common than pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined. It occurs in all racial, ethnic, and social groups and is four times more likely to strike boys than girls. Autism impairs a person's ability to communicate and relate to others. It is also associated with rigid routines and repetitive behaviors, such as obsessively arranging objects or following very specific routines. Symptoms can range from very mild to quite severe."

Autism Speaks is committed in helping to try and uncover what causes autism, finding some kind of prevention, and also working towards treatments for autism. Ultimately, to find a cure for it. They are the nation's top private funder of autism research.

Since I have been researching this, I have met so many people who say, "My son has autism", "My best friend's daughter has autism","I work with children with autism". This are precious children. They are all a gift from God, and each is here for a purpose that only He may fully understand. In this time of financial instability, and economic crisis, people can not always donate monetarily. God not only led me to become involved, but then He provided me with a way. I thought 'what if we could get a lot of people together and have them Create & Donate'. What we are trying to do is get people to donate handmade cards, any sentiments, any occasion, any colors. There will be crops and benefits where the cards will be sold. Hopefully, we will receive enough that we will be able to have retailers, online and not, sell them also. Can you imagine what we could do if we all pulled together to do this? Most of us have the supplies just laying around, and more have handmade cards just collecting dust. The money will go to Autism Speaks so that they can continue in their research.
This is a wonderful benefit with such purpose. Anyone that is interested in participating in the Create & Donate Card Drive, can email me at dwycough7@aol.com. I will be more than happy to give you any additional information that you would like. Also, please email if you would like the address where to send the cards.
I wish to thank you for reading this, and thank you for your extreme generosity. I have been in contact with quite a few people already, and I just pray that the numbers just climb higher and higher. With a little of your help, and a little of your time, this card drive can be an amazing fundraising opportunity. If you know of anyone that would be interested, please pass this information on to them. Thank you again.
Many Blessings~~~Danielle Wycough


UPDATE 2/15
Scrap It Forward has posted a card challenge for the Create & Donate Card Drive as well. There has been some confusion over this. I came up with the idea for the card drive after talking with Christine. The entire purpose was to help Christine raise money for Autism Speaks, by selling handmade cards. Scrap It Forward is posting the card drive to encourage participation through their web site as well. Any of the cards received, either by sending the cards to SIF or to me, will end up going to the same place....into the hands of Autism Speaks. It does matter which place that you send it, what matters is your willingness to help us in this venture. I have cried each day for the last week. I have received email after email from people who say, "I have a child with Autism. Thank you." I am so overwhelmed with emotion because of the response the card drive has generated. To date, we have received a few hundred cards, and I have been contacted by many people who are sending cards also. To each of you who have helped, either by physically making the cards or praying for the success of the card drive, I am humbled by your generosity and kindness. There is only one thing I know to say, and it doesn't even seem like enough.

thank you.