ARTESIA, CA - RAD, making a Real Autism Difference, held a press conference on June 12 at the Himalayan Cuisine restaurant here, to announce the opening of its California chapter on August 25. RAD was officially launched on April 28, in Las Vegas, NV. RAD aims at fundraising and working with the Indian-American community to help children with autism get the necessary care and services that can be hard to find.
Founder Radhika Shah, the grand-daughter of well known SoCal community members Dr Jay and Usha Shah, was only 15 when she had the idea for RAD. Her little brother Amar, 18- months her junior, is affected by severe Autism Spectrum Disorder. Radhika recognized the challenges her family faced in finding child care, treatments and opportunities for social interaction for her brother, and she decided to do something about it. On April 28, instead of a traditional sweet-16 birthday party, Radhika held a launch party for her new charity organization, RAD.
“The extreme lack of available resources in Southern Nevada for children with autism was a contributing factor in my brother’s inability to fully gain some functioning. Seeing my family struggle through this process over the years led me to questioning what I could do to help my brother and other children like him,” says Radhika. Radhika has spent the past year doing research, meeting with other organizations that are focused on autism and children with special needs, and getting a grasp on what is most needed. With the right services, treatments and care options, she believes that these children can lead happy, fulfilled lives and wants RAD to make the changes necessary to make that vision come true.
“The extreme lack of available resources in Southern Nevada for children with autism was a contributing factor in my brother’s inability to fully gain some functioning. Seeing my family struggle through this process over the years led me to questioning what I could do to help my brother and other children like him,” says Radhika. Radhika has spent the past year doing research, meeting with other organizations that are focused on autism and children with special needs, and getting a grasp on what is most needed. With the right services, treatments and care options, she believes that these children can lead happy, fulfilled lives and wants RAD to make the changes necessary to make that vision come true.
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