Serve the Spectrum Inc.
is a non-profit organization devoted to helping individuals with ASD and schools with ASD students to afford resources, tools, and services through our grants. We serve the greater Charlotte area.
Our Why
In 2023, the CDC reported that approximately 1 in 36 children in the U.S. is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Special services and needed care for an individual with autism can be very expensive, resulting in financial challenges for individuals and families.
According to Autism Speaks:
- Autism costs on average an estimated $60,000 a year through childhood, with the bulk of the costs in special services and lost wages related to increased demands on one or both parents.
- On average, medical expenditures for children and adolescents with ASD are 4.1 to 6.2 times greater than for those without autism.
- The majority of autism’s costs in the U.S. are for adult services – an estimated $175 to $196 billion a year, compared to $61 to $66 billion a year for children.
- Mothers of children with ASD, who tend to serve as the child’s case manager and advocate, are less likely to work outside the home. On average, they work fewer hours per week and earn 56 percent less than mothers of children with no health limitations and 35 percent less than mothers of children with other disabilities or disorders.
Our Mission