Steps of Hope 2013 - Step It Up for Autism!

March 3, 2013

Each step is a promise to enhance the lives of the 1 in 88 individuals living with autism in Minnesota.

Steps of Hope dollars directly support local families and individuals living with autism, from birth through retirement. Donations stay in the community by funding the Autism Society of Minnesota’s (AuSM) innovative programs and services.

For 41 years AuSM has been a valuable information and support resource for individuals, families, educators and professionals touched by autism. Click here to visit the Steps of Hope Grants page to learn how your dollars promote a better life for those living with autism in your community.

Walk with us on March 3, 2013!

Follow these steps to get started:
1. Register for Steps of Hope 2013.

2. Start your online fundraising by setting up your Steps of Hope team fundraising page. Click here to set up your Steps of Hope team fundraising online page. Complete this step to maximize your fundraising efforts and to keep tabs on how close we are to reaching our 2013 goal! Be sure to use your team name on your fundraising page so we can link your registration info with your fundraising totals.

3. Create your own community. Inspire your family, friends, co-workers, friends, book club, school district, and more to join your Steps of Hope 2013 team. Set a goal and support each other to meet it. During registration, enter your team name and reference it each time you add a new team member. Then you can keep in touch, check on each other and share success stories.

4. Enter your offline donations on your Steps of Hope team fundraising page (that you created in Step 2). This way your team will know how you're doing any time, anywhere. It also will increase your chances of winning our appreciation prizes, awarded in the weeks and days leading up to Steps of Hope 2013. Click here to learn more about the Steps of Hope 2013 grand prizes - more weekly prizes will be posted soon!

5. Get your Steps of Hope 2013 T-shirt when you raise $100. Each team member who raises $100 gets his or her own shirt, so be sure each of your team members registers and references your unique team name. Only registered team members who raise $100 are eligible for Steps of Hope 2013 T-shirts.

6. Define yourself! Each Steps of Hope 2013 team should bring a poster promoting their team on the day of the walk. Get creative and show everyone what AuSM means to you. Be sure to incorporate your team name into the design. This walk is all about community and telling everyone who we are!

7. Join us on Sunday, March 3, 2013 for this incredible family-friendly event. Ridgedale Center hosts the walk before the stores open on Sunday morning. Walk at your own pace! Along the walk route you will find many resources ofering products and services that support individuals living with ASD. Family-friendly activities include poster making, face painting, fun hair and more. There will be music, snacks and a chance to meet a sports team mascot! The walk will begin at 11 a.m. with the help of KFAN and ends with a rally at 12 p.m.

Take this opportunity to learn about AuSM's programs and services, all designed to enhance the lives of those living with autism. Learn about AuSM Support Grants, funded by Steps of Hope dollars.

Help Build an Autism Library in Ghana, Africa
New this year, we will be accepting new or gently used autism books to help build an autism library for parents with children on the spectrum who have little or no resources in Ghana, Africa. All donated books will be mailed to the Rural Integrated Relief Service in Ghana, Africa. Click here to learn more about this organization. Become a sponsor and donate funds for the book postage. Click here for more information about sponsorship.

Visit www.ausm.org for details on this fun day. Step it up for autism!