To The Membership

The Board of Directors of ASD voted in December to end our affiliation with the Autism Society of America, effective March 31, 2008. We have notified ASA of that decision.

The primary reason for this decision is that ASD wants to be able to ally itself with various national autism organizations on different issues and we feel we can best do that as a free-standing organization that is not identified with just one national organization. This means we will continue to support ASA initiatives and stands, but we may also support other organization's initiatives and stands as well. We are not considering becoming an affiliate of any other national organization at the present time.

ASD is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. We will maintain our name and logo so there will be no substantive changes for our members at this time. Those of you who are members have actually joined the Autism Society of America. Membership in ASD has been a "bonus" to that membership with no separate dues. That will remain the same through March 31, 2008. We are currently looking at potential membership guidelines and will make announcements prior to the March date. We will also honor all memberships made over the past 12 months to ASA and advise you as we always have about renewal.

We are also in the process of revising our bylaws and asking members to vote on those revisions in January and February. You can find a brief summary in the January edition of The Sun. It has not yet been mailed, but it is online.

Please feel free to send any questions my way, and to maintain your membership in ASA as well as ASD and other autism organizations.

Theda M. Ellis, MBA, M.Ed.
Executive Director
ASD
Putting The Pieces Together
5572 Kirkwood Highway
Wilmington, DE 19808
(302) 472-2638
(302) 472-2640 fax