About Us

We are currently working in Washington County, Maryland, and surrounding tri-state area in Berkeley County, West Virginia and Franklin County Pennsylvania at this time.

• Providing Relief for Autistic Youth Inc is a very new organization to the Washington County area, located in Williamsport, MD.



• Currently three of the four Board Members are parents of Autistic children.



• As of November 30, 2010 the IRS has approved our application for non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization status, We have a Public Charity Status of 170 (b) (1) (A) (vi) assigned to us by the IRS. Our Tax ID Number 80-0435464.



• History:
  
  Providing Relief for Autistic Youth, Inc. was founded June 2009 by Matt & Missi Dittman after their son Andrew was diagnosed with High Functioning Autism the year before. The Dittman’s found it very hard to find information about local services for their son and started working to provide a solution to this problem so other families within the Autism Communities would not have to deal with the trouble of finding the services that their loved one with Autism might need.
  
  In May 2010, the first official meeting of the Board of Directors was held. We currently have four Board Members working to provide information and resources through our website, fundraising events, family friendly events, workshops, building partnerships with local businesses and service providers to help build a better community for individuals with Autism.
  
  
• Partnerships:
  
  During 2011 P.R.A.Y has built partnerships with the following businesses to help bring more events and awareness to the tri-state area.
  
  1) Maryland Police and Correctional Training Commissions: P.R.A.Y is developing a working relationship with MPCTC to help provide them with information on Autism and help with the developing of a training video to educate all Maryland Law Enforcement Officers.
  
  2) Monkey Joe’s of Hagerstown: Monthly event for special needs children under the age of 12 years old
  .
  3) Pathfinders of Maryland: Working to bring workshops to Washington County, MD for education and information for families of individuals with Autism. We are hoping to start these workshops the beginning of 2013.
  
  4) YMCA of Chambersburg & Waynesboro PA, and Hagerstown, MD: to provide an evening of swim time for all special needs individuals and their families; all ages.
  
  5) Washington County Public School System: P.R.A.Y. has developed an open door policy where we can provide the school board with new updated information and they can contact us with important information as well.
  
  
• Mission:
  
  Our direction is to strive to be a reliable source of information for services, resources, and support to individuals with Autism and their families in Western Maryland and the Tri-State area, and to be a beacon of hope for opportunity to expand and improve the services available.
  
  
• Services:
  
  Some of the areas of services that we are providing information and referrals for are: financial and family support, therapy service providers, family training, CPR training, information on having an individual with an autism spectrum disorder, as well as autism awareness training for emergency service providers.
  
  
• Current Service Area:
  
  We are working to provide information and activities within the following counties for special needs individuals: Berkeley County, WV, Franklin County, PA, and Washington County, MD.
  When the group started our main goal was to help the families that had a family member(s) under the spectrum in the Western Maryland area. Once we started researching and talking with families, we found that not only the Board Members of Providing Relief for Autistic Youth, Inc. but many other families in Western Maryland do not just go to Maryland looking for assistance. We go to West Virginia and Pennsylvania for services, support groups, meetings, and trainings. Since the section of Maryland we are in is sandwiched between West Virginia and Pennsylvania it makes sense for us to work together to best serve this community.
  
  
• Fundraising Events:
  
  At this time we are holding events and fundraisers in all three states.
  
  Some of our upcoming fundraising events will be held at the following locations:
  
  Uno’s in Hagerstown & Frederick, MD
  Tony’s Pizza in Williamsport, MD
  Chick-Fil-A in Hagerstown, MD, Martinsburg, WV, & Chambersburg, PA
  Bob Evan’s in Hagerstown, MD (Both locations), Chambersburg, PA & Martinsburg, WV
  
  
• Some of our annual events:
  
  September – Yard Sale
  October - Knob Hall Winery (in planning)
  November – Holiday Vendor Show (November 10, 2012 @ Ramada Plaza by the Valley Mall in Hagerstown, MD)
  
  
• Where does all the Money Go?
  
  We have parents, groups, and businesses contacting us asking how they may help.
  The money we raise from our fundraisers goes to setting events up and running them along with training of the individuals who work with our special needs children/adults in all three states. One of our long-term goals is to be able to provide education, services, and financial assistance to the families in the areas mentioned above.
  We are very thankful for the progress that has been made along with the support we receive.
  
  
• Open Door Policy:
  
  All of us on the Board believe in an open door policy. Please feel free to contact us with any questions and/or concerns you may have.
  
  
• Volunteer Opportunities:
  
  P.R.A.Y. is in need of volunteers to help us become a stronger organization. If you would like more information about how to become a volunteer and what areas of volunteer service we are in need of, please e-mail Trish Ieraci our Public Relations Director at trish_ieraci@prayinwesternmd.org
  
  
• Our Current Needs:
  
  We are in need of the following items to help us provide services to the tri-state area:
  
  1) Monetary Donations
  2) Donation of Office Supplies
  a. 8x11 white paper
  b. 8x11 cream color paper
  c. All-In-One Business type Ink Jet Printer (must be able to print 2-sided)
  3) Topic Ideas for Workshops
  4) Ideas for Family Friendly Events
  
  
  Again we would like to you for your continued support of our fundraisers, events, family friendly activities, and providing us with new resources to add to our growing list! We have been able to add over 30 new resources in 2012 to our website. We also have a Facebook page, please search “Providing Relief for Autistic Youth” and “LIKE” our page so that you can stay connected to what is going on, and view information that we post that pertains to the Autism Community.
  
  
  Thank you,
  
  The Board of Directors
  Providing Relief for Autistic Youth, Inc.
  P.O. Box 275
  Williamsport, MD 21795-0275
  240-310-9112