Autism auction provides information, raises funds to help local families

FSU’s Early Child Autism Program (ECAP), in conjunction with the Emerald Coast Association for Behavior Analysis, will host the Seventh Annual Auction for Autism Awareness from 6-9 p.m. Friday, April 14, in the Holley Academic Center Lecture Hall at FSU Panama City. Admission to the family-friendly event is $30 at the door, which includes food, refreshments and tickets for the auction. Children ages 12 and younger are free.

“Our local community is incredibly giving, and each year we are more and more impressed with the support we receive in helping our local children,” said Amy Polick, Ph.D., ECAP director and psychology faculty at FSU Panama City. “Every day at ECAP we have children learning new skills and making great strides in their fights against autism, and without events like this we would be unable to have these success stories.”

All proceeds benefit FSU ECAP’s Butchikas Scholarship Program, which provides funding to families in need of ABA services who do not have insurance or financial means to afford therapy. About one-third of the program’s clients are able to receive free therapy through the scholarship program.

The auction will also include information about autism services in Bay County and surrounding areas.

ECAP is a non-profit 501(c)3 early intervention and community outreach program that provides Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services to local children with developmental delays or disabilities. It is the only local nonprofit ABA program to provide in-home, in-school and in-clinic services. ECAP currently helps about 40 children (aged 2-21) learn language, cognitive, self-help, academic, social and communication skills.

For more information about the event, call 770-2241. For more information about ECAP, visit pc.fsu.edu/ecap.