The Dockery Foundation is Autism Education….One Person at a Time.  That is our motto.  And that doesn't mean just children who have autism.  Like so many other people, our first impression of autism was the movie “Rain man”.  Until Chase was 7 years old and autism came into our lives, all we knew was he didn't learn like other children.  Because of this, he struggled at school which put a huge strain on our family. 

After the shock of this diagnosis wore off, we realized that we had to play catch up.  We researched.  We spent money.  We did our best to help Chase play catch up.  If only we had known the symptoms of autism before-hand.  What to look for, a support group, etc.  These things were unheard of in the Mid-South when he was first showing signs of autism.  But, other families can learn from our misfortune.  With the statistics being as high as 1 in 166 children having a form of Autism, there are a lot of families that need help.  Parents, grandparents, teachers and siblings living in the Mid-South need our help.  For some of these children, an act of something as simple as holding a pencil is incredibly difficult for them. 

The Dockery Foundation would like to develop and fund different programs in the Mid-South for families who have been affected by autism and related disorders.  Our pilot program, Art for Autism, is our first step.  We have seen first hand how art can impact the lives of children with autism.  For children like Chase, art is a way for him to gain confidence and express himself in ways he cannot do in a typical classroom.  For other children who are profoundly autistic, art could open the door to communication.  Ask a parent how important that would be to them? 

Art for Autism is only our first step.  We have many plans for The Dockery Foundation down the road.  But as everyone knows, it all begins with a single step.  We are asking for the help and support of all our friends in the Mid-South to make this happen for these children.