Community Highlights: Meet Pam Pulizzi of The Orange Effect Foundation

Today we’d like to introduce you to Pam Pulizzi

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Pam was a stay-at-home mom with a healthy baby. But by the time her oldest was 18 months old, she knew something was different. “We were in play groups with other kids around the same age,” she recalls. “When we went to their houses, they would play with their toys but never showed any interest in the other kids. They would play with each other, hopping around from one toy to another. But my oldest would focus on one toy the entire time. The other kids were starting to form words or to have some semblance of communication with their parents, and my baby just wasn’t.”

In the beginning, Pam and Joe chalked these differences up to a unique personality and speed of development. As Joe puts it, “When you’re a parent, especially a first-time parent, you just assume your kid is different because its your kid. We’re all a little weird, and normal is relative. So they didn’t make eye contact and would play with one toy for hours. That was just how it was.”

But during the two-year checkup, the pediatrician grew concerned about these behaviors and referred them to a specialist at the Cleveland Clinic. After a few appointments, family interviews, and failed attempts to do play therapy, the specialist gave them a diagnosis: moderate autism.

Pam wasn’t scared by the initial diagnosis. A former social worker, she knew the condition wasn’t life-threatening and felt up to the challenge. “I was like, ‘Okay, we can do this. Let’s tackle it head on and figure out what we need to do.’ But as we got more into the research and therapy, I started to worry they wouldn’t be able to have relationships as an adult, that theye would always be on this little island in their own head and not get to experience all the fun parts of life.”

Joe had similar concerns when he heard the diagnosis. “All these flashes go through your mind—’Oh, my kid’s not going to be able to do what other kids are’—and you feel sorry for yourself. But once you get past that, you realize they are wonderful just the way they are. Every kid is different in their own way, and this is just one struggle. I think it was advantageous for our oldest to be in our lives—to have parents who know a bit more about communication than the average person. Understanding how critically important it is, we really doubled down on therapy, believing that would help him become the person he wanted to be.”

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
20 years ago, the resources weren’t there that are there today. We didn’t have the networking or family support groups you could find now. We used what we learned to bring help into our home, including a speech therapist and occupational therapist. It was a rigorous schedule.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
OEF, while officially formed in 2014, actually began back in 2001 when the founders’ eldest child was born with autism. Early intervention has led them to be a very heartwarming and independent young person. This family wanted to give back, helping others who have children with autism to receive early intervention too! Early intervention is proven to greatly increase a child’s chance for success.

In 2007, Golf for Autism was started, raising and donating over $100,000 directly to the Easter Seals of Northern Ohio, Autism and Speech Therapy Services over the years. After a few years, the team discovered the growing need for the grants OEF currently provides…and OEF was created to fulfill that need, focusing on helping to deliver consistent speech therapy services with reputable partners.

Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Every quarter, OEF receives grant applications from both providers and families. Applications are open to any and all families. The leadership team researches and reviews each case and delivers financial grants to those who need it most.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://theorangeeffect.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orangeeffectfoundation/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/orangeeffectfoundation