ACT Today! for Military Families Crosses Finish Line with Over $105,000 for Children with Autism

D. Plump Consulting provided the following services:
Media Relations
Event Promotion
Public Relations
Talent Recruitment

ACT Today! (Autism Care and Treatment Today!), a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide resources, care and treatment to children with autism, announces its 2nd Annual ACT Today! for Military Families (ATMF) 5k/10k Run/Walk and ONEHOPE Family Festival raised over $105,000. The event, held on Saturday, April 7 at Mission Bay Park in San Diego, California was hosted by actor Mark Christopher Lawrence (“Chuck”), NBC San Diego Morning Anchors Jason Austell and Marianne Kushi, and ENERGY 103.7 announcer J.R. Proceeds from the Run/Walk will help provide resources and assistance to military children with autism whose families cannot afford the necessary care and treatment their children need to reach their full potential.

ACT Today! Executive Director Nancy Alspaugh-Jackson, Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher, Fitness Ambassador Kathy Kaelher, D.Plump Consulting's Daphne Plump, Actor Mark Christopher Lawrence

Approximately 1,100 individuals and families participated in the 5k,10k and Kids Fun Run. The top fundraising team was the Red Hot Dragons which was led by Karen Driscoll who was also the the top individual fundraiser. The San Diego community came out in support of military children with autism, including Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher, Fitness Ambassador Kathy Kaehler, and the San Diego Padres Friar. The Run/Walk and ONEHOPE Family Festival featured live entertainment by 2-U-NEEK and Graceland Mafia, specialty vendors, children’s activities and an egg hunt contest for children and the young at heart.

Start of 10K

“We are so thankful that the community of San Diego to embraces this important cause, and join us in supporting the families of those who protect our freedoms,” says ACT Today!’s Executive Director Nancy Alspaugh-Jackson.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDP), 1 out of 88 children in America is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), making ASD more prevalent than juvenile diabetes, childhood cancer and pediatric AIDS combined. These disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal/nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors. They include Autistic disorder, Rett syndrome, Childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD), Pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) and Asperger’s syndrome.

Sponsors of ACT Today!’s 2nd Annual 5k/10k Run/Walk and ONEHOPE Family Festival include: ONEHOPE Wine, the Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Autism Speaks, NBC San Diego, ENERGY 103.7, TriWest Healthcare Alliance, Butterfly Effects, SeaWorld, Ralphs, Jersey Mike’s, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Wells Fargo, The Great Plains Laboratory, Community Coaching Center, Navy Federal Credit Union, Granite Investment Group, Spreebird Deals, Newport Rib Company, Glanbia Nutritional, and Stone Brewery.