This article first appeared at EMSWorld.com on April 17, 2014.
After A-TEC Ambulance participated in Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October 2013 and successfully raised $6,000 for the cause, V.P. of Operations Bill Mears wondered if they could lend their support to another cause that is near and dear to his heart.
“I thought, well why not try the same thing for autism,” Mears says.
He has a son with autism and knows firsthand about the financial struggles that many families face to pay for therapy, which often isn’t covered by insurance.
“When we first started his therapy and treatment, we exhausted our savings account,” Mears says.
After speaking to his son’s therapist he learned there are currently several local families that have been struggling to pay. At least one of those families was about to lose their therapy, which could be a profound developmental setback for their child. Mears set out to help by raising money this April through Autism Awareness Month, guaranteeing to provide at least $3,000 even if that meant using his own money, so that family can continue their therapy.
A-TEC has so far raised $4,999 through T-shirt and sweatshirt sales, and hopes to keep going strong through the end of the month.
“I’m hoping to ride it up until the last minute. I’m going to do everything I can to help these families,” Mears says. All profits of each article of clothing will be donated, and A-TEC is making an extra donation of $5 per article sold up to $3,000.
Employees were rallied to help make the sales, and it helped that they were offered a uniform modification, allowing them to wear the T-shirts and sweatshirts on duty. “They really like that,” Mears says. Family members have also gotten involved in sales, and A-TEC has had support from nursing homes, hospitals, firefighters, and both allied and competing ambulance services.
In addition, shirt orders through Facebook have come from throughout the country and as far away as Spain and Portugal.
“I don’t believe anybody else is doing this,” Mears says. “The response that we’ve gotten has been very positive. We foresee changing the shirt and doing this every year.”
Mears adds that his son was a model for the shirt. “It was fun for some father and son bonding as well,” he says.
Once the fundraising is complete, employees will get some recognition for their efforts. The family selected for the donation will not receive their usual bill for therapy, but instead will receive a letter stating that the employees of A-TEC Ambulance have covered their costs.
A-TEC Ambulance is a private service operating in the northwest and west suburbs of Chicago, providing BLS, ALS, Critical Care, med van and service car transportation through hospitals, nursing homes and other institutions. They have 150 employees and more than 40 vehicles, and respond to about 44,000 service requests per year.
See more information about the fundraiser at:
Facebook: facebook.com/ATECAmbulance
Twitter: @atecambulance
Webpage: atecambulance.com
Order Page: atecambulance.com/2014-pre-order-autism-shirts