
Help Us Give Children with Autism the Care They Deserve
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Our Story:
Hi there! I’m Lauren, and I’ve been working with kids with autism for over 10 years. I founded SoDel Behavior Therapy because I’ve seen how life-changing ABA therapy can be for children with autism, and I wanted to help address the significant shortage of autism services here in Delaware. There are simply not enough providers, and too many families are left waiting (sometimes for years) to get the support they desperately need. That’s why I started this business—to bridge that gap and make a meaningful impact on the lives of children and families in our community. I’m deeply committed to ensuring every child receives the help they deserve, and I want to extend that help to as many families as possible.
What is ABA Therapy?
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is an evidence-based therapy that helps children with autism develop critical skills, such as communication, social interactions, and daily living tasks. ABA therapy focuses on reinforcing positive behaviors and teaching new skills, while also aiming to reduce or even eliminate challenging or negative behaviors (things like physical aggression, running away, tantrums, etc). All of this can lead to dramatic improvements in a child’s ability to navigate and interact with the world around them.
At SoDel, we’re currently serving 3 amazing children and have one incredible behavior therapist on our team. However, we currently have 8 more children on our waitlist, all in urgent need of services, but we simply don’t have the staff to meet their needs. The demand for ABA therapy in Delaware is overwhelming, and with so few providers, these families could be forced to wait for years before getting the help they need.
To help these children, we need to expand our team. I need to hire 5 additional staff members—3 Behavior Therapists (BTs) and 2 Board-Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs). The payroll for these 6 employees will total $7,000 per week, or $28,000 per month. We’re asking for $84,000 to cover 3 months of payroll. All donations will be used solely to pay our employees.
Why This Matters:
- ABA therapy can drastically improve the lives of children with autism, providing them with the tools they need to succeed.
- Without additional staff, these 8 children will be forced to wait for services, unsure when they will get the help they need.
- Your donation will help us not only provide these services but also create meaningful, well-paying jobs in our community.
How ABA Therapy Helps Families:
ABA therapy isn’t just for the children—it has a positive impact on the entire family. Parents and caregivers gain the tools they need to best support their children. Siblings learn how to interact and engage better with their brother or sister with autism, and they get to see the lasting positive changes that ABA therapy brings to their family dynamic.
Insurance Coverage (the good and not so good):
While insurance typically covers the cost of services, which is great for families, it also presents a challenge for us since we depend on these payments to cover our operating costs. Unfortunately, insurance companies don’t always pay on time, and it can take weeks, sometimes even months, before we receive payment for the services we’ve already provided. This is where your support becomes vital, helping us pay our staff and continue providing care without interruptions while we wait for reimbursement.
Our Vision for the Future:
We started SoDel because we saw a glaring need for autism services in Delaware. But our dream doesn’t stop there. Our goal is to use SoDel as a stepping stone to fund a nonprofit initiative that will help children and families with autism and other developmental disabilities on a larger scale. We want to expand, reach more families, and make sure that no one has to wait for the support they deserve.
Please Consider Donating:
Your contribution will directly help us expand our team, serve more children, and improve the lives of families in need. Together, we can make a lasting difference in the lives of children with autism and build a stronger, more supportive community.
Thank you for your generosity and for being a part of this important mission.
Feel free to check out our website for more info about our company: DelawareABA.com
Organizer

Lauren Mcloughlin
Organizer
Lewes, DE