Since 2007, Toys“R”Us, Inc. has served as the national sponsor of the Walk Now for Autism Speaks program, which includes more than 80 fundraising walks in communities across North America. This year’s Walk events, which take place through November, attract hundreds of thousands of participants who contribute to the fight against autism.

With 1 in every 110 children diagnosed with autism, this heartbreaking disorder affects countless families, including Toys“R”Us, Inc. employees. As such, teams from regional Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us stores join with those impacted by autism, their families and friends, and professional caregivers in the Walk Now for Autism Speaks events. Even Geoffrey the Giraffe is there to show his support!

Walkers and spectators at each event also can play with the “Ten Toys That Speak To Autism,” which were identified in collaboration with Autism Speaks and the National Lekotek Center. Attendees have the opportunity to experience items that can help children with autism develop language, creativity and social skills, among others, while playing alongside siblings and friends. Additionally, attendees can meet and take photos with Geoffrey the Giraffe or sign up to receive birthday wishes from the company’s iconic mascot through Geoffrey’s Birthday Club.

Last year, Autism Speaks raised more than $24.5 million through its walk events. All proceeds from Walk Now for Autism Speaks will support the organization’s work to increase awareness about autism, fund innovative autism research and family services and advocate for the needs of individuals with autism and their families.

Although the Walk season has already begun, there are still many opportunities for you to participate. For a complete schedule of upcoming events, please visit www.WalkNowForAutismSpeaks.org.

In the nine weeks since the launch of our program, we’ve already raised more than $1.7 million. Before our fourth annual campaign concludes on April 30, we need your help to raise additional funds for Autism Speaks. We urge you to visit your local Toys“R”Us or Babies“R”Us store or go online to Toysrus.com/AutismSpeaks to donate any amount, starting at $1, to help solve the autism puzzle.

One hundred percent of all donations collected will support Autism Speaks in its work to increase awareness of autism spectrum disorders; fund research into the causes, prevention and treatments for autism; and advocate for the needs of individuals with autism and their families.

If you haven’t donated yet, we encourage you to do so now. Click here to find a store near you or visit Toysrus.com/AutismSpeaks to donate. You can also ask your friends and family to make a contribution.

On Saturday, March 20, employees from Toys“R”Us Merritt Island in Florida and their friends and family drove two hours each way to participate in the Walk Now for Autism Speaks: Treasure Coast event in Jansen Beach, Florida. Although the drive was long, it was well worth it.

Like countless others, these Toys“R”Us employees know people whose lives have been impacted by autism, including the store’s assistant manager who has a son on the spectrum. Participating in the Walk is one of the many ways they advocate on behalf of their colleague as well as show support the autism community. In addition to the Walk, these employees work hard to collect donations at Toys“R”Us Merritt Island as part of the company’s in-store fundraising campaign to help Autism Speaks in its efforts to solve the puzzle of autism.

Everyone who attended the Walk from Toys“R”Us Merritt Island had fun, and ear-to-ear grins were seen all around. The Toys“R”Us team was incredibly proud of the money they raised for Autism Speaks and were moved when they saw, first-hand, some of the families who benefit from the organization’s efforts to fund research, advocate on behalf of impacted families and grow awareness for the disorder. Of course, the children at the event had a blast when they met and took pictures with iconic mascot Geoffrey the Giraffe as he led the Walk. Between all the laughter, high fives, hugs and smiles, it was hard to tell who enjoyed the event the most.

To find a local Walk Now for Autism Speaks event near you, please visit www.WalkNowForAutismSpeaks.org.

My wife Corinne and I, as well as our other children Alison and Ryan, have developed tips to help us overcome challenges that autism tries to put in our way. The biggest issue was Greg’s inability to communicate his needs and desires. This caused as much stress for him as it did for us. One of the ways we conquered this hurdle was with music, which helped Greg crack the “shell” that surrounded him. He enjoys music wherever he is, especially the oldies radio station he listens to during long car trips. You should hear his great rendition of Pretty Woman – just like Roy Orbison to his father’s ears! To this day, Greg’s love of music helps him communicate and expand his vocabulary. It has also benefited the rest of the family, as Greg’s love of music inspired his siblings. Now, Alison sings in the Tanglewood Festival with the Boston Pops, and Ryan will be pursuing a vocal master’s degree in the Fall!

It’s a sobering fact that autism has increased by 600% over the past two decades, now affecting 1% of the U.S. population. We need to know why this is happening, and we need to know now. The funds and awareness raised through our partnership with the “R”Us family, have allowed us to examine more closely the etiology, biology, diagnosis and treatment for autism. Plainly, we are looking to solve a mystery. Research and programs we fund today will one day allow us to answer these questions:

• Why does someone get autism?
• What are the biological problems associated with autism?
• How do we know if someone has autism?
• How can we help individuals with autism?
• How do we translate autism science into practice?

Finding the answers to these questions has been put on the fast track. But we could not begin to do this without considerable resources. The “R”Us family has been a supporter of our organization since 2007, and we are tremendously grateful.

Additionally, donations received from Toys“R”Us are beginning to filter into our communities. To date, Autism Speaks has provided $1.9 million in funding for Family Services Community Grants to help programs across the country expand existing programs and create new ones that demonstrate true innovation. These grants aim to promote services that enrich the lives of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and focus on several special areas of need: Education, Recreation/Community Activities, and Young Adult and Adult Services.

We thank Toys“R”Us and all our corporate sponsors and donors for helping us get closer to achieving our goals and those of the autism community.

Mark Roithmayr

President, Autism Speaks

The hope for a cure resides in the innocent faces of children living with autism. When you look in their eyes, or feel the warmth of their smile, you see the beauty within. What you don’t see is autism, its frustrations and challenges, or the impact it has on their lives and their families.

As part of our annual campaign to support Autism Speaks, we worked with renowned photographer Thomas Balsamo to capture these young faces of autism. Featuring nine extraordinary students at Princeton Child Development Institute in Princeton, NJ, who each live along the highly complex autism spectrum, Balsamo created a powerful series of portraits that communicates each child’s true personality.

The moving and motivational images, titled “Faces of Autism,” appear on our in-store signs supporting the fundraising and awareness efforts, as well as on our dedicated campaign website Toysrus.com/AutismSpeaks.

Please click here to see the “Faces of Autism” gallery or to make a donation to help solve the autism puzzle.

Over the years, I’ve also met other children with autism through my involvement with the Walk Now for Autism Speaks events. If anyone ever wondered why it was important to support this cause, the smiling faces of the children you meet at these events are the reason to get involved. Each year, I want to do more to help solve the autism puzzle. Beyond participating in my local Walk events, I’ve rallied colleagues to get involved and raise funds. In 2009, my department raised approximately $8,000 for Autism Speaks!

As for Kevin and Liam, they have made remarkable improvements in their abilities to communicate and embrace their environment. I eagerly follow their progress via letters and photos, and I revel in their successes.

A simple donation to Autism Speaks to support the good work they do can positively impact the life of a child with autism. I am proud to work at Toys“R”Us and participate in the company’s fundraising campaign to benefit Autism Speaks. I wish everyone would get involved in some way – you’ll be glad you did!

Dragana Trivic

Sales and Operations Planning

Toys“R”Us, Inc.

Wayne, NJ

While autism becomes top-of-mind for many of us in April, it is a daily reality for countless families who live with the often devastating emotional and financial implications of this disorder. Autism is increasingly prevalent and now affects 1 in every 110 American children.

One way you can make a difference in the life of someone with autism is by donating to Autism Speaks during the nine-week fundraising campaign in Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us stores and online. Funds raised will be used to support the organization’s efforts year-round. From increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders and funding research into the causes, prevention and treatments for autism, to advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families, Autism Speaks is dedicated to the fight against autism 365 days a year.

Commemorate National Autism Awareness Month and World Autism Awareness Day by visiting your local Toys“R”Us or Babies“R”Us store or Toysrus.com/AutismSpeaks to donate and support the work done each and every day by Autism Speaks to help solve the autism puzzle.

“One day you will see. This will become a blessing. You will understand why this happened to your family, and you’ll look back and not wish to change one thing.”

These are the inspirational and uplifting words a mommy-friend shared with me at what was the lowest time in my life: 2000, the year we were told our son had autism. All I could muster to say back to her was, “Yeah…right.”

Developing typically alongside his twin sister, at 19 months, like a needle scratched abruptly off a record, our son RJ had stopped responding to and connecting with us. A mainstream exclusive pre-school kicked our little man out deeming him “unteachable.” A developmental pediatrician told us it was unlikely he’d become “meaningfully” verbal in any appropriate way, that he wouldn’t mainstream in school and it’d be a miracle if he made any real friends. As for his future: according to her, he’d be incapable of living on his own or have a meaningful job. Then it came like a flaming spear in the gut: He will never say, unprompted, “I Love You, Mommy.”

Painful times with not much hope in sight. So you can imagine, how, in the face of all of this negativity and hopelessness, the well-meaning words from my mommy-friend sounded so utterly unfathomable and unbelievable at the time. I tried, but could never envision a scenario where I could classify this “curse” (what I used to call autism) as a blessing.

…Now… a decade later.

During our annual family trip to New York last summer, we finally understood it.

My husband, our four kids and I were standing in line for the Ferris wheel at Toys“R”Us Times Square (Peete family NY trips are not complete until we ride it - several times!) when a family approached us and said: “Sorry to bother you, but we just want to thank you for giving us hope for our daughter.”

There, in front of us, was a father holding his beautiful 9-year-old daughter with autism. His wife by his side was holding the hand of a younger daughter seemingly neurotypical. Dad was struggling with holding his daughter – she was heavy and squirming with a pacifier in her mouth. But he was all smiles. So was mom. They were just authentically grateful to have the chance to thank us for sharing our story and went on to tell us that by sharing some of RJ’s milestones, his mini-defeats over the laundry list of ‘nevers’ we were told that day in 2000, that it helped them keep their heads up and forge ahead. They mentioned that with the 80% divorce rate autism brings, that they’ve been inspired and encouraged by our ability to weather this storm together.

We then had a great big “double-family-Toys“R”Us-group-hug” and in that moment, I got it. I got exactly what that mommy-friend was saying all those years ago. At that moment, I was actually glad autism descended upon us so that we could put a smile on the face of that couple as well as the countless others, giving them a template of hope to help them through this journey. It felt so good. And, dare I say it: “Thank you” autism for helping us find our life’s call to service.

Don’t get me wrong – we still experience colossal moments of difficulty. RJ is 12 years old entering puberty; there have been some discouraging regression after all of the encouraging milestones. But this battle has given my husband and me so much conviction, so many spiritual rewards and abundant opportunities to tangibly ease the pain of others. In a word: a Blessing.

Holly Robinson Peete

Autism Speaks Board Member

www.hollyrod.org

At a time when 1 in 110 children, and a staggering 1 in 70 boys, are being diagnosed, Autism Speaks’ mission to fund global biomedical research into the causes and treatment of autism; to promote public awareness and understanding about autism; to lobby for insurance and increased federal spending; and to offer much needed services for affected families, is more crucial than ever. Thanks to our ongoing relationship with the “R”Us family over the past three years, we are getting closer to achieving our goals.

Toys“R”Us has been an invaluable partner to our organization. Not only are they the National Sponsor for our Walk Now for Autism Speaks program, their employees have also stepped up to the plate by forming their own Walk teams. Additionally, each spring the “R”Us family launches a nine week point-of-sale campaign throughout its stores nationwide, to overlap with Autism Awareness Month in April. As a result of all these efforts, the “R”Us family has raised $5.5 million dollars for vital research and services for our families, and raised awareness of autism around the country by promoting our organization and the signs of the disorder.

In the past five years, and in no small part due to our relationship with the “R”Us family, we have accomplished a great deal. We have played a pivotal role in the passing of a United Nations-sanctioned World Autism Awareness Day recognized each April 2; committed $131 million dollars to scientific research through 2012; lobbied for national insurance reform, and celebrated the passing of autism insurance legislation in 15 states, with bills pending in an additional 23 states; distributed over 5,500 100 Day Kits in English and Spanish free of charge to newly diagnosed families to help them navigate the first months after a diagnosis; and celebrated the fact that overall autism awareness has increased an unprecedented 43 percent.

We are so pleased to expand our partnership with the “R”Us family. Together with the ongoing commitment of our friends, we are getting one step closer to solving the heartbreaking and puzzling mystery of autism. Thank you for your support!

Suzanne and Bob Wright

Founders, Autism Speaks