January 2013 Newsletter

About:

Hope for Michael is a qualified 501 (c) (3) charitable organization which was established in August 2011 in honor of our son Michael who is Autistic. Our son is such a happy child. His ability to smile each and every day while living through a life filled with daily struggles has inspired our entire family. Our organizations mission is to provide assistance to families that have children with Autism in the NY Lower Hudson Valley areas through our Hope for Michael Relief Fund.

Accomplishments in 2012:

Two fundraisers were held to benefit the Hope for Michael Relief Fund. A Comedy night was held in June 2012 which featured two comedians. Headliner Phil Selman had everyone laughing during his performance. The Embassy Club in Dobbs Ferry NY was generous enough to donate their wonderful facility for this event.

In July 2012, Hope for Michael hosted a Dinner/Dance in the Bronx at the Redwood Club in Throggs Neck. Everyone in attendance had a wonderful time. DJ “Bobby” Perez spun some great disco dance tunes, while The Time Machine Band provided some rock/pop hits from the 70/80/90's.

Hope for Michael held its first Safety workshop in December 2012 which was offered free of charge to parents and caregivers of children with special needs. Guest speakers included representatives from the Putnam County Sheriffs Department, Mahopac Volunteer Fire Department and Heeling Autism; a Guiding Eyes for the Blind service dog program. Many topics regarding safety concerns were discussed.

Working closely with the Ossining Union Free School District and the Ossining Septo; our organization was able to provide complete cooked turkey dinners on Thanksgiving to many families that are struggling financially and have a child with Autism in Ossining.

Working closely with the Putnam Valley School District and the Ossining Union Free School District our organization was able to provide holiday Christmas gifts to struggling families with Autistic children in 2012.

We would like to thank everyone who has made contributions to our organization. Your generosity is greatly appreciated and is the reason why Hope for Michael is able to provide assistance to families in need.