The Yellow Door Presents the  3rd Annual Chico Walks for Autism

The Yellow Door Presents the 3rd Annual Chico Walks for Autism

The 3rd Annual Chico Walks for Autism will be held April 26th from 8:30-12pm. This event is hosted by The Yellow Door, a non-profit account of the North Valley Community Foundation.  This event grew significantly last year with over 1,000 participants walking, rolling and running their way through Bidwell Park. Morning events include: vendor booths, sensory play area for children, and a food truck meet-up, post walk.  Last year’s walk sponsors played a huge role in the event’s success: LRT Graphics, Earl’s Performance Pluming, Dayton Sayer Insurance, Scrubbs Car Wash, Stifel Nicolaus, Immediate Care, Chuck Patterson, Riley’s Bar and Grill, Guided Spectrum, WBC Inspections, Asset Management Group, Ford’s Custom Rocks, George Brownridge DDSand the Greek Inter Fraternity Counsel. We appreciate their support.

Last year, Matt Clough provided music throughout the morning and Parent Infant Programs ran activities for children. The walk is a 5k loop with a smaller loop option available to families or individuals who would like a shorter distance.  Last year, many families brought wagons and strollers for the younger members of the family. The money raised from the event over the past two years has funded both individual and community grants to local families. This amount has totaled over 6,000 dollars. This year’s walk will help raise money for similar projects, as well as help co-sponsor an overnight art, drama and movement summer camp with the Autism Clinic at California State University, Chico, for children and young adults on the spectrum.

The Yellow Door came together out of two desires: to support individuals with autism and their families and to provide volunteer opportunities and promote awareness to the Chico community. The Center for Disease Control places the current rates of autism at 1/88 children—a number that continues to increase. Individuals with autism and other disabilities and their families often fight for awareness, recognition as individuals, and services that are limited. Our intent through events, such as Chico Walks for Autism, is to promote a greater sense of community and awareness for all those participating. 

The name, “The Yellow Door,” comes from an individual with autism that Josie, Co-Chair of the Yellow Door, worked with many years ago that liked doors. When asked what this individual’s favorite color for a door would be if they could pick, they answered “yellow, because it’s like opening a door of sunshine.” That positive image is something that The Yellow Door hopes to foster. 

North Valley Community Foundation (NVCF), administrator of The Yellow Door Fund, is a non-profit, philanthropic organization that builds financial resources to meet community needs through grants and programs primarily for residents in the Butte, Colusa, Glenn, and Tehama counties. With net assets of more than $4 million, NVCF provides financial and administrative services to donors, professional advisors and nonprofit organizations with the goal of enriching the quality of life of its community members. Since 1986, over 200 individuals, families, businesses, and community groups have established funds at the Foundation. Last year, $377,000 in funds was distributed to benefit the community.

 

For more information contact Josie, Co-Chair of The Yellow Door at theyellowdoorchico@gmail.com

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