ACT Today! is a national non-profit organization whose mission is to provide access to care and treatment to children with autism and expects to host 500 plus guests at its seventh annual event including including corporate leaders, celebrities, dignitaries and other supporters.
 

“Honoring Joe Mantegna was an easy decision.  He hosted our ACT Today! for Military Families public service announcement and has hosted ACT Today!’s charity golf tournament for the last three years,†says ACT Today!’s Executive Director Nancy Alspaugh-Jackson. “He and his wife Arlene have two daughters. The elder, Mia is 18 and has autism.â€
“I’m a firm believer you play the cards you’re dealt in life,” says Joe, during a recent interview. “I wish she didn’t have to deal with it, but she’s a happy girl. She knows she’s autistic but it doesn’t seem to impact her in a negative way as much as it does the support group around her. We try to keep her as involved in the world as possible, and it’s okay. People are kind and understanding if you meet them half-way and her sister (Gina) is a remarkable human being.”
Alspaugh-Jackson says ACT Today! is honoring Steve Mauldin because to families dealing with a child with autism, Mauldin is known as a tireless champion and fundraiser. His daughter Stephanie, one of his four children, has autism. Mauldin started the autism community resource fair called Stephanie’s Day in her honor.

“What Stephanie’s Day provides for families is invaluable,†says Alspaugh-Jackson. “As a mother of a child with autism, I know firsthand how important credible resources are and the difference they can make in the lives of families struggling to stay afloat and get answers to their questions.â€
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in every 88 children in America is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), making ASD more prevalent than juvenile diabetes, childhood cancer and pediatric AIDS combined.
Proceeds from the 7th Annual Denim & Diamonds for Autism fundraiser will make it possible for ACT Today! to continuing providing families access to therapy, medical care, assistance dogs, social skills programs, assistive technology, and even safety equipment like helmets for the self-injurious children, as well as fencing for those who wander.
Event sponsors, include: Vin Di Bona Productions, Reaction Audio Visual, TWIW Insurance Services, LLC., Natrol, Sandy and David Stone, Universal City Nissan, Wells Fargo, CodeMetro, City National Bank, Burbank Printing, Charity Lives, Linda Bertch, Isabella Emporium, and The Resort at Pelican Hill with the list growing daily.
For more information: www.DenimAndDiamondsForAutism.net
For more information about ACT Today! www.act-today.org
