Side By Side

In our commitment to partner fully “side by side” with our supporters in the local Hendersonville community and beyond, here are the ways that your funds raised for “Side by Side” will be utilized by St. Gerard Center for Autism:

• “Feed The Need” our Adult Day Program for teenagers and young adults with autism and similar developmental disabilities
• Program materials and staff support for our Grotto Programs that aren’t covered through Insurance Payments 
• Staff Development and Continuing Education for our BCBA’s, RBT’s, and Administrative Staff (this includes professional conference fees for our professional therapists to learn from experts in the field and bring back new and evidence based strategies to help our clients succeed)
• Training for new RBT’s to align with SGCA’s practice of comprehensive ABA therapy
• Family Group Night, a free community outreach event held monthly in Hendersonville (and soon in Brevard!) that provides a healthy family meal, supportive care for children and adults with disabilities, and a time of social, emotional and educational support for parents and caregivers leading their families on their journey with autism
• Community Advocacy for the Autistic Community – Participation in group discussions in Western North Carolina to ensure the community on the autism spectrum is included and prioritized
• Community Partnerships – Partnerships with IAM, Salvation Army, Thrive, Smart Start Henderson County & Transylvania County, and more!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Will there still be a large community event in April?

Yes and no. While the traditional method of the in-person FWOH Luncheon will not be held this year, our April Side by Side campaign will be a month full of ways that you can support SGCA!  Our upcoming events for supporters of SGCA will be announced by invitation and based on supporter level. These events will strive to promote connection with smaller groups, and more often throughout the year!

Our first event at the end of May will kick off our new benefit for SGCA Supporters, “SGCA Supporter Showcase”; date and location TBA.  We will also have a community wide large event at the end of summer to kick off the fall season! Make sure to check your inbox for newsletter updates, and follow us on social media!

I’d like to make a pledge, is that still possible?

ABSOLUTELY! However, we encourage you to consider signing up for a recurring giving plan or make a direct donation, as this is the easiest way for our team to forecast future donations.  If you’d still like to make a pledge, we’ve made our form easy to download and fill out! Email returned forms here.

I made a pledge at a FWOH Luncheon in the past; how do I make my payment?

We’ve made online pledge payments easy! Simply click here, and under “Please direct my support” select “pledge payment”. The rest is easy breezy!

I’m not sure if I have an open pledge or not, what should I do?

Our Development Department would be happy to help! Email Director of Development Sarah Newberry to get a recent Pledge Statement.

What are the new membership levels? Will that affect my Guardian of Hope Pledge?

All pledges and donations to SGCA are transitioning to a new supporter level system that helps give more opportunities to donors at all levels, while honoring commitments and gifts from the past!

Legacy Levels: Guardians of Hope who have made payments on pledges will have their giving reflected in their “Legacy” level; these levels range from $5,000 (Guardian of Hope) and higher, to reflect the Lifetime Giving Totals for our supporters.

Annual Levels: Annual Levels will reflect the amount that a supporter commits to giving each year, and the total amount received annually in the year prior will be listed with the corresponding level in our Annual Report, as well as our Supporter Spotlight page on our website. Learn more about our new levels here!