Through our NeighborHeart™ program, families that care for children and adults with autism and other special needs may receive Quality Of Life Grants. These grants provide families with stipends that may be used for a wide variety of supports related to their family member in the Mid-Atlantic region. Grant information is found at: http://www.neighborheart.org/grants.asp [1].

In order to qualify for a grant, a family must:

Have a child with developmental disorders living at home.
Live in the Mid-Atlantic Region of the United States (i.e., Virginia, Washington D.C., Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York).
Submit receipts or other proof of expenses for the requested goods or services.
Submit documentation providing evidence of diagnosis and/or a letter of recommendation on behalf of your child from a doctor or teacher.

Grant Amounts
Helping Hands Grants will range from $100 to $500. Grants exceeding $500 may be available for special circumstances in which a specific need is expressed. Requests exceeding $500 require the submission of the previous year's federal income tax returns.

Grant Requests
You may apply to use the money for anything that improves the quality of life of your child. This may include the following possible uses:

Remediation
Occupational Therapy
Physical Therapy
Speech Therapy
Equine Therapy
Behavior Therapy
Security Improvements
Medical Travel
Respite Care
Membership Fees
Registration Fees
Educational Training and Seminars
Educational Advocacy
Vision Services
Other Medical Services

Distribution of Grants Criteria
Grants will be distributed by December 31, 2007 and will be distributed to families based on the following factors:

Income Level and/or Financial Necessity
Order in which application received
Requests for Grants greater than $500 will only be made if funds are available at the time of issuance.
The number of Grants distributed will be limited to the funds available at the time of issuance.