Press releases

OAR Seeks Nominations for Community Service Award in Honor of the Late Jae Davis

September 2nd, 2004

The Organization for Autism Research (OAR) is seeking nominations for the Jae Davis Memorial Award for Community Service, an honor that will be presented annually to a person in the autism community whose actions serve to enhance the Quality of Life for those affected by autism. Nominations for this award are due October 1, an extension of the earlier September deadline. The award will be presented October 30 at OAR’s annual RUN FOR AUTISM recognition dinner.

OAR is looking for individuals whose contributions, similar to the late autism advocate Jae Davis’, have enduring benefit for the larger community. Jae and her husband Bill spent the last decade committing their efforts to raising awareness of autism, advocating for their son and others like him, training themselves in a variety of therapies and treatments, and creating an in-home autism treatment program which was open to all. Jae helped set up internship programs for learners with ASD at colleges in her local area of Lancaster, PA, started home programs, and implemented communication systems for families of young children with autism throughout Pennsylvania.

Nominations are welcome from the autism community throughout the country, and may come from any source. Those who wish to nominate an individual should send a letter to OAR with a brief description of the nominee as well as his/her qualifications and accomplishments. Nominations should also include two letters of support from non-family members. None of the letters should exceed two pages in length and all should include complete contact information.

All nominations and letters of support will be reviewed by an OAR-appointed committee, which will include Jae’s husband, Bill Davis. The winner will be notified in early October. Please direct all questions or requests for information to Mike Maloney at 703-351-5031, or mmaloney@researchautism.org.