MSAAF Mission Awards

Dear Friends

Each year in conjunction with our Annual MSAAF Literary Awards we present awards to recognize and honour people, organizations, and corporations who share our mission to promote a community inclusion prism, through which every person realizes meaning and purpose in their lives.

As a non-profit organization, MSAAFinc is extremely grateful for financial support from the public and deeply appreciative of outstanding contributions of time, talent, effort, and service on behalf of children and adults with autism.

We will post all the winners in Dec!
If you have any nominations please let us know.

Thank you to all that have sent in nominations for our Literary Awards.


Tatiana Mendoza
CEO and Founder
The MSAAF Inc
MSAAFinc@gmail.com

"Why me?" by Zack Gonzalez

Dear Friends
I would like to tell you about Zack Gonzalez our guest blogger during the month of October. If you have any questions for Zack Gonzalez, Author, Advocate ,Host of "it's on with Zack add a comment to this post.









Why me? This is the questions many teens or just siblings in general ask when they find out that their sister or brother has autism. Or a better question is, “what is autism?” Many times we are lost when we find out our siblings are autistic. We don’t know what it or why it is happening but really the answers are clear, we just need to open our eyes to them.
Autism does not have to be this monster that other people make it out to be; it is a hidden gift. Right away we think of it as bad but really we need to see that it is a gift right from God that He is giving us to use to change the world. So many times people search and devote their time to finding out what they are destined to do and here us sibling are with it practically given to us. We can change the world with autism. We can do so many different things. It teaches us discipline, patience, and maturity; three things we need to be successful. We can use it to become an advocate or we can use it to change the way we think. For me, I always had a negative take on things and when I stopped looking at the bad in autism, I started looking at the good in everything else. I saw the potential in my brother and it helped me to find my voice and helped me find out how to help my brother. It has also opened my eyes so much to see everything else around me and it helped me find out what needed to be done in order to make this world a better place for my brother. So I say, don’t look at the bad but at the good! Look it as a special gift and always remember to be there for your siblings. Accept them and help others accept them too. Always remember that it is a gift not a cure; you are not be punished!

Zack Gonzalez

Author of Saving Deets!: A Family's Journey with Autism

Host of "it's on with Zack" (blogtalkradio.com/itsonwithzack)

Advocate for Autism

Play Now for Autism Executive Chair

playnow4autism@gmail.com

Stay Connected with Zack. Follow on Twitter. Add on Myspace. Befriend on Facebook.
Zack Gonzalez website.

www.twitter.com/zackgonzalez

www.myspace.com/zackgonzalezofficialpage

www.facebook.com/officialzackgonzalez

Don't forget to buy a copy of Zack new book, Saving Deets! Available OCTOBER 2009

I would like to say thank you to Zack Gonzalez for such a great and informative post!

Thank you and Please tell us what you think!

The MSAAF

Summer Time Fun

Dear Friends

Photos from our summer time party!
Thanks to everyone who came and had a good time!
We had so much fun with all our friends. We learned and brought awareness to Autism!!
And yeah we had cup cakes!







Getting ready for some fun!








Joel reading to the children!









Cup Cakes!!! ( we made at our pre party)









Giant cookie fun!









Jumping fun!

Thanks to all that came! Hope to see you next year will post more pics soon

The MSAAF
Thank YOU!!!!!
www.bearpitbbq.com
www.wellspring.com
www.In-n-out.com

Law Resources

Dear Friends
The Following Web sites will help you stay current with law eduation issues:

http://www.nichcy.org/reauth/PL108-446.pdf
http://www.nichcy.org/reauth/IDEA2004regulations.pdf
http://nichcy.org/idealist.htm
http://educationlawadvocates.com/supreme_Court_Cases.shtml
http://www.pattan.net/files/OSEP/CY2004/Parker01.pdf
http://idea.ed.gov/explore/home
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/504.html

Thank you and I hope you can use the information!

The MSAAFinc

NAMI SFV News

Dear Friends

I would like to tell you about what's going on In NAMI:

-We will have an excellent speaker, Dr. Ricardo Moncho, speak tonight, this Wednesday, at our speaker meeting. He is the head of the Psychiatric Mobile Response Team (PMRT) for our area. They are the teams of two social workers who go out to evaluate people with a mental illness in crisis.

Please come out. This is a service that it pays to understand how it works. It's the usual location, 14545 Sherman Circle, Van Nuys, 91405. It starts at 7 pm till before 9.-
http://www.namisanfernandovalley.org/membership.htm

Please go and learn!

Thank You
The MSAAFinc

Those who Write, Read, Make and Listen.

Dear Friends

Every Friday we will be bringing in those who write, read, make and listen.

I'm looking forward to bringing to you tomorrow's Future of Art, Music and Journalism.

We are interested in any suggest you may have please email DJs4Autism@gmail.com

Working on building meaningful partnerships with the community!

Thank you
The MSAAFinc

Volunteers needed to provide Autism Awareness Training for LAPD Officers

Dear Friends
I have some good news:
The Los Angeles Police Department &
the Autism Society of America—Los Angeles
announce a new

Autism Awareness Program

Volunteers needed to provide Autism Awareness
Training for LAPD Officers

For more info Please visit
http://www.asa-la.org/

Family to Family Education

Dear Friends
I wanted to let you know about:

Family to Family Education
Twelve-week course presented by NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) This is a free course for family caregivers of individuals with severe mental illnesses. The course includes information about different disorders such as schizophrenia, major depression, bipolar disorder and others, up-to-date information about medications and their side effects, research related to biology of brain disorders, gaining empathy by understanding the subjective, lived experience of a person with mental illness, and much more. Pre-registration required. To register or for more information, please call (661) 360-8002.
For more information about NAMI, visit www.namisanfernandovalley.org

Thank you,
The MSAAFinc

The Bonnie Z Yates seminar series

Dear Friends, Parents, Caregivers,Teachers, Special Education Administrators, Regional Center Representatives

I would like to tell you about,
An Evening with the Experts!

------On November 17, 2009, parents will have a unique opportunity to learn from three autism experts how they use their testing, observation and analysis to refute inappropriate District/Regional Center recommendations and establish the basis for a research based, intensive intervention.

This is a seminar and panel discussion about educational testing for children and adults with disabilities.

Although it has general applicability for all disabilities,
it is especially focused on autism. It will offer valuable information for parents, students, clinicians, educators and medical professionals.

Although not always well understood by the general public, assessment from a qualified expert is critical to obtaining intensive autism services.

A qualified neuropsychologist is uniquely capable of developing assessment evidence that can be used to persuade the school District to settle an educational dispute without the need for litigation.-------

http://bonnieyates.com/MeetTheExpertsNov17/

Please don't miss out! Tell your friends!

Love
The MSAAFinc

For more info please look at our "Events" on the right hand side of this blog
Make sure to sign up for our monthly newsletter!
Just email MSAAFinc@gmail.com with "Newsletter" on subject line

Where The Wild Things Are

Dear Friends

What to do this weekend?
Go see Where The Wild Things Are!
Sensory-friendly movie screening this weekend
A list and map of participating theatres is available at www.autism-society.org/sensoryfilms. There are 81 participating theatres nationwide.


Thank you
Tatiana Mendoza


CEO and founder
The MSAAF Inc

Parterend up withDJ's 4 Autism

Dear Friends

We have parterend up with DJs 4 Autism! They throw events and donate all the funds to help families with autism. We hope that this will take us one more step closer TO HELP BUILD MEANINGFUL PARTNERSHIPS WITH FAMILIES AND THE COMMUNITY!

Please show your love and Follow them on Twitter @DJs4Autism for up dates

If you would like to be in the street team or would like to help please email
DJs4Autism@gmail.com

Thank you
Tatiana Mendoza
CEO and Founder
The Mendoza Science and Arts Autism Foundation

Dine Out with Autism!

Dear Friends!

Dining out with Autism Awareness is a community-oriented restaurant offering families
impacted by autism the chance to feel more comfortable and enjoy dining out with other
families that understand their unique situation in a place that is accommodating to their needs. At no cost to the resturants!A packed restaurant on a typically slow night, Free publicity, and The chance to market to a new audience! The families will need some Accommodations (lower the music etc). We will get the word out! We offer free training to your staff! This night isn't just for families with autism. Other community members came and
increased their understanding of the impact autism has on so many families today. We work with more then 50 families In the San Fernando Valley. You give us a day that you all feel happy with. And we will work with that. Any restaurant in the SFV!

If you are a restaurant and would like to help please
Email MSAAFinc@gmail.com

If you are a family that would like us to talk to a restaurant let us know!!

Thank you,
Tatiana Mendoza
CEO and Founder
MSAAFinc

Literary Awards!!

Dear Friends!

I am happy to tell you about our Annual Literary Awards! Good luck! Please email with any ? You may have!
Thank You

Tatiana Mendoza
CEO and Founder
The MSAAF Inc
MSAAFinc@gmail.com


1 Each nomination must include at least 2 copies (REQUIRED) of the following materials. ALL ITEMS REQUESTED ARE REQUIRED:

A cover page with the name of the nominee, address, day phone number, e-mail address, and the award for which they are being nominated
An essay (500 words maximum) making the nomination, stating a) why the nominee deserves this award and b) the nominee’s significant contribution to autism.
must include 2 copies of the work being nominated please sign your materials (e.g., the book, poem, video, compact disk or DVD).
All award submissions, including all materials (books, videos, etc.), will not be returned.

2. Please clearly label on each item submitted the name of the person being nominated and the award category.

3. The Mendoza Science and Arts Autism Foundation Inc Awards Committee evaluates all nominations and selects winners that are appropriate for each category.

A winner is not necessarily chosen from all categories. All winners will be notified no later than Dec 30, 2009, and will be recognized in MSAAF news letter, And all media put out by The MSAAF Inc.

Email MSAAFinc@gmail.com - Annual Literary Awards

All materials must be postmarked by Nov 30 2009, and received no later than Dec 20 , 2009. The MSAAF will not be responsible for late, damaged, misdirected or misaddressed mail.

2009 Mendoza Science and Arts Autism Foundation Inc Award Categories

Autism Pride Literary Work of the year
By anyone who has Autism/ASD Any item released, published, or copyrighted within the last 2 years that has made a significant contribution to the pride of the autism community is eligible.


Excellence in media Award Video, Print or News
Any item released, published, or copyrighted within the last year that has made a significant contribution to the autism community is eligible.

Literary Work of the Year
Family/Social Division (book, poem, essay, etc.)
Any item published or copyrighted within the last 2 years

Love to Learn Literary Work of the Year
Educational Division (book, poem, essay, etc.)
Any item published or copyrighted within the last 2 years

Young Heroes Literary Work of the Year
Young Adults Division 15-21yrs (book, poem, essay, etc.) Any item published or Copyrighted

Thank you and Good Luck!!