Western Illinois Autism Center Awarded Community Foundation Grant
The Western Illinois University Autism Center of Excellence (WACE) was recently announced as a recipient of a $5,000 grant from the Community Foundation Serving West Central Illinois & Northeast Missouri. WIU Speech Pathology and Audiology Instructor and WACE Co-Coordinator Nicole Pierson attended the Community Foundation’s awards presentation on Tuesday, August 13.
“The Community Foundation works to match donors with projects that matter. We are so honored to be selected as one of their 2024 grant recipients! At the award presentation, each grant recipient had the opportunity to explain their project. It was refreshing to hear all the great things happening in our region. We are so grateful to be among such inspiring people,” Pierson said.
The grant will expand autism and family services in the local region. WACE provides no-fee autism evaluations for children up to age 5, reducing the need for families to travel outside of the region and improving the likelihood of a child receiving crucial early intervention services. In its first year of operation, WACE received more than 50 referrals across the 145-mile geography region surrounding WIU.
WACE, a collaboration between WIU’s Speech Pathology and Audiology and Psychology departments, is staffed with faculty and graduate assistants from both departments. The Community Foundation investment furthers the efforts and impact of the WACE staff.
The Expanding Service Delivery with the WACE Program Support project is made possible by grants from the Community Endowment Funds and Jane’s Kids’ Fund through the Community Foundation.
This grant builds upon the funding WACE recently received from the Galesburg Community Foundation.
To learn more about WIU’s Autism Center of Excellence, visit wiu.edu/autismclinic.
