⭐ Funding & Donation Transparency

At Autism Is Our Lives, our mission has always been simple: share real stories, build understanding, and create a space where autism is seen with honesty, respect, and hope. Everything we do — from writing posts to building games, videos, and resources — takes time, tools, and support.

Because of that, we believe in being completely transparent about how this site is funded and how your donations are used.

❤️ Our Giving Promise: 10% to Autism Charities

Beginning January 2026, we will donate 10% of all revenue — including

  • direct donations,

  • store purchases, and

  • community support

to established autism charities that actively support autistic individuals and their families.

Our current charity partners include:

  • Autism Speaks (autismspeaks.org)

  • Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC) (autismcenter.org)

  • Additional charities we discover over time

We want the community involved in this process.
If you know of an autism charity that deserves recognition or support, please email us at autism@autismisourlives.com. We’re always open to learning about organizations doing good work.

🔧 How Your Support Is Used

Every contribution helps us continue telling stories, building tools, and keeping this platform alive. To maintain transparency, here is exactly how donations and revenue are allocated:

🟦 60% — Website, Tools, and Creation Costs

This portion covers the actual operation of Autism Is Our Lives, including:

  • Website hosting, security, and maintenance

  • Software and applications used to create content

  • Video and game capture tools

  • Graphics and design resources

  • Hardware upgrades and equipment needed to improve production quality

  • Subscriptions and services that help the site run smoothly

Your support directly keeps the site functioning, creative, and growing.

🟧 30% — Family Activities, Outings & Autism Community Engagement

This portion is reserved for experiences that allow our family — and sometimes our broader community — to create meaningful memories and share real-world autism moments.

These may include:

  • Birthday parties and celebrations

  • Family outings, sensory-friendly activities, and trips

  • Autism community events

  • Local gatherings or donation-based activities we host

  • Opportunities to show what autism life actually looks like outside a screen

These moments help generate the stories, photos, and experiences we share with you.

🟩 10% — Donations to Autism Charities

As stated above, this portion is donated quarterly, beginning January 2026.
All donations will be publicly acknowledged on this page so our community can see the impact they helped create.

📅 Quarterly Donation Schedule

Starting Calendar Year 2026 (CY26), donations will be totaled and distributed:

  • January

  • April

  • July

  • October

Each quarter, we will post:

  • the total amount contributed

  • which charity received the funds

  • why we selected them

Transparency isn’t just a value — it’s a promise.

🤝 This Community Shapes the Future

Your support — whether financial, emotional, or simply through reading and sharing — helps keep this platform alive.
Every donation, every purchase, every encouraging message helps us continue creating resources and raising autism awareness from our lived experience as a neurodiverse family.

If you ever have questions about how funds are used, or suggestions for charities or community initiatives, please reach out anytime at autism@autismisourlives.com.

Thank you for being part of our journey.
Thank you for helping us make a difference.

— The Autism Is Our Lives Family