Monthly Milestones | SEPT 2019
Back to School!
Wishing the best of luck to all parents, students and educational professionals who have recently started a new school year!
As you take on a new academic year, know the Milestones team is here to provide personalized support in reaching your goals, whatever they may be. The free autism Helpdesk is always one call away and our family consultation services can assist you in creating a clear, informed plan for your child or students' success.

Last but not least, remember Milestones' free Tool Kits for practical tips and resources to take challenges most commonly faced by people with autism . Our School, Homework and Afterschool Activities Tool Kits are perfect for the fall season!
Need a specific resource? Want to learn more about our services? Contact the Milestones free Helpdesk with your questions!
Milestones Community Calendar


Looking for a certain kind of event or program? Visit our community calendar each month to find events and supports in your area!
Join us
Saturday, October 26, 6:30pm
Executive Caterers at Landerhaven

Honoring:
Stephen L. Rudolph
HW Financial Advisors
Board Champion
Lynn T. Singer
Case Western Reserve University
Community Leader
Leslie Rotsky
Milestones Autism Resources
Exceptional Service
As an uncle to two nephews with autism,  Stephen Rudolph  is committed to improving autism services for families like his own, and has assisted Milestones in growing the Annual Fund by 300% over the last four years. He is President and Founder of HW Financial with over 25 years of experience in comprehensive wealth management, investment management and helping clients prepare for and live in retirement. Steve believes in a personalized approach for each client and has used that approach at Milestones to improve donor cultivation and stewardship.

With extensive experience in higher education and advocacy,  Lynn Singer  is a true pillar of the impressive academic community here in Cleveland and a champion of multiple under-served populations, including the autism and LGBTQ community. She currently serves as a distinguished professor of population and quantitative health sciences, pediatrics, psychiatry and psychology at the School of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University, and as Chair of the Steering Committee for the International Center for Autism Research and Education (ICARE). As Chair, Lynn has worked alongside local autism providers, including Milestones, to translate the center’s work into clinical practice and better support local families affected by autism.

As Milestones Conference Director,  Leslie Rotsky  has grown the Milestones Autism Conference into a leading national autism event that delivers evidence-based education and professional development to hundreds of attendees from across the country every year. Leslie is inspired by her family every day, a family whose experience with their son Jacob's autism has shaped her career and passion into what it is today. Leslie's past ten years of commitment to Milestones are synonymous with her dedication to families like her own. Through the conference, Leslie strives to empower other parents as they navigate the joys and challenges of autism.
Featuring FOX 8's Autumn Ziemba
Autumn Ziemba is an Emmy and Associated Press award-winning journalist who joined the Fox 8 team in 2009. You can now watch her anchor the weekend edition of Fox 8 News in the Morning.

Autumn and her husband, Mark, are the proud parents of two children: Maren and Simon, a small but mighty cancer survivor on the autism spectrum. It was their son’s diagnoses that spawned their advocacy for children with special needs and those fighting pediatric cancers. Autumn is currently active with multiple local agencies that work to support families affected by both autism and pediatric cancer.
Join us for a spectacular evening of cocktails, dinner, live auction and a dessert reception to
support the Milestones free autism Helpdesk, a service which supports families and individuals with ASD in finding the vital resources they need to succeed.
Can't attend this year?
You can still support the Annual Benefit by making a donation of your choosing at milestones.org . All contributions stay local and will help ensure the sustainability of Milestones' core programs.
For more information, please visit our website or contact development@milestones.org .
Upcoming Events
NAMIWalks Greater Cleveland
September 14

Did you know 20% of teens ages 13-18 have or will have a serious mental illness? Or that 43.8 million adults experience mental illness in a given year? Milestones will be in attendance for the 17th NAMIWalks event to support and meet families affected in our community. Check-in starts at 9am and the walk begins at 10am.
Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities Provider & Resource Fair
September 14

Meet the Milestones team and dozens of other agencies in the Northeast Ohio area to learn about recreational, educational, medical, vocational, and legal resources available to you and your family.

CWRU Sparties Running Program
September 15-24

The Sparties Running Program is a FREE program for children with ASD in the Greater CLE area. This program connects student athletes trained by Milestones with local children and teens on the spectrum to encourage community and a passion for exercise.
Ask the Expert - 6 Tips to Prevent Wandering for Children on the Autism Spectrum
As Ohio mourns the deaths of two young children on the spectrum who wandered away from home, Milestones is focused on informing families of strategies and tools that can be used to prevent wandering. On our blog, Holly Reimann, MA, CCC-SLP from Peak Potential Therapy offers valuable guidance for creating a safer environment at home.
Help! How Can I Ease Back-to-School Anxiety?
Getting back into the groove of a new school year can be tough for the whole family, especially for families who have young children with anxiety. Milestones Teen/Adult Manager Haley Dunn shares some practical strategies to reduce that back-to-school dread.
Straight from the Source - Why Stimming is an Essential Part of My Life With Autism
Repetitive, self-stimulatory behaviors, otherwise known as stimming, are commonly used among individuals on the autism spectrum. This month, Milestones Administrative Assistant Molly D. Dann-Pipinias shares how stimming plays a vital part of her daily life when coping with her surroundings and emotions.
Support the Milestones Annual Fund
Photo by New Image Photography
Your support can make
a difference.
Help Milestones impact the lives of families right here in Northeast Ohio by donating to the Annual Fund today. Your gift will directly support our core programming, helping families impacted by autism at every age, stage and ability.
Remember Milestones as you shop on Amazon!

Visit  smile.amazon.com and select Milestones Autism Resources as your charitable organization. The Amazon Smile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases to Milestones. It costs you nothing extra to give!