Pinney’s unparalleled work in the field of autism raises the bar when it comes to helping people on the spectrum gain access to education around the world. Driven by the belief that no parent or child should suffer simply because of the country they are born, led Pinney to create and deploy a highly sustainable model that works with local professionals around the world to quickly ramp up the availability of autism services in under-resourced areas.
“I’ve been doing this work for over 15 years. At the Global Autism Project, we believe that when you trust the locals, empower them with the proper knowledge, real change can take effect. I am grateful that my alma mater recognizes what we are building and am deeply humbled and honored to be receiving this award,” says Pinney.
There are over 85 million people with autism worldwide and many live in places where there’s no understanding of autism by their families and local communities. This lack of understanding can lead to severe mistreatment and even death of children with autism in many countries.
On the impact recognition by Columbia University brings to the organization Pinney said, “With this award, we are able to bring greater awareness to work that the Global Autism Project and our partners are doing around the world. We currently have partnerships in 14 countries and that’s just a tip of the iceberg for what’s to come. We can eliminate the stigma surrounding autism and make sure that everyone has access to an education and we can do it in our lifetime”.
About Global Autism Project:
The Global Autism Project is a 501c3 that works to ensure that quality services for people with autism are available in countries by partnering with local centers and businesses to build local capacity to work with children with autism. Their model is sustainable and scalable. It was founded in 2003 by Molly Ola Pinney and currently has 15 employees. To find out more visit www.globalautismproject.org. Molly can be reached for further comment at molly@globalautismproject.org or directly by phone at 917-686-7392.
