LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 10th Anniversary of the Autism
Speaks' Long Island Walk Now for Autism to be held on October 4, 2009

WHEREAS, Autism, the third most common developmental disability in the
United States, is an affliction occurring in children before the age of
three, recognized by unresponsiveness to human contact, deficits in
language development, and peculiar reactions to environmental stimuli;
and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to commemorate the
10th Anniversary of the Autism Speaks' Long Island Walk Now for Autism
to be held on Sunday, October 4, 2009; to kickoff the 10th Anniversary
Walk Season, a breakfast reception will be held on Saturday, July 11,
2009, at the Huntington Hilton; and
WHEREAS, Autism Speaks' Walk Now for Autism is North America's largest
grassroots autism walk program and the organization's signature
fundraising and awareness event; and
WHEREAS, Since its inception, Autism Speaks has committed an
unprecedented $128 million in new research funding through 2014 to
uncover the cause(s), prevention, treatments and cure for autism, making
it the nation's top private funder of autism research; and
WHEREAS, Autism Speaks launched the 100 Day Kit for Newly Diagnosed
Families; this resource gives families information on the best possible
use of the first 100 days following the diagnosis of autism; and
WHEREAS, The kit contains information and advice collected from trust-
ed and respected experts on autism as well as from parents of children
with autism; to date, over 3,000 kits have been personalized and
distributed, and 5,200 additional kits have been downloaded from the
website; and
WHEREAS, Affecting over 1.5 million Americans, the cause of autism is
unknown and is the result of a neurological disorder; and
WHEREAS, One in 150 children nationally will be diagnosed with autism;
and
WHEREAS, Autism knows no racial, ethnic or social boundaries, and is
four times more prevalent in boys than girls; and
WHEREAS, Autism interferes with the normal development of the brain in
the areas of reasoning, social interaction and communication skills,
causing people with autism to have difficulty relating to others; and
WHEREAS, Over the past 30 years, significant progress has been made in
the areas of research, medicine, diagnostic issues, and therapies for
autism, resulting in improved quality of life for those with autism and
their loved ones; and
WHEREAS, It is in the interest of New York State to recognize the
achievements made and to continue these efforts by promoting the aware-
ness and fostering the understanding of autism; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the Autism Speaks' Long Island Walk
Now for Autism to be held on October 4, 2009; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Michael Giangregorio, Executive Committee Chair, Long Island
Walk Now for Autism.