Dear friends,

As many of you know, our son Eli (age 14) has very severe autism, is non-verbal, and functions as a toddler. In 2021, we made the move from California to NY as Eli needed a full time 24/7 residential program which provides 1:1 support. After a very complicated process, Eli began a residential autism program in Westchester, NY in April 2023. This residential school has been a lifesaver not only for Eli but the rest of our family, including our older son Max who presents with moderate autism and lives at home with us. Eli is thriving in this program and most importantly is kept safe in a nurturing, therapeutic environment. Prior to being in the residential school, we had to place multiple 911 calls as he would escape from home and had no safety awareness. It is a miracle of God that he has never been seriously injured. As one can imagine, the cost of a residential placement is VERY high (hundreds of thousands of dollars) and by law, the school district must fund the placement. For a reason unbeknownst to us, the NYC Dept of Education has decided that Eli no longer needs a residential placement and can enter back into the regular public school. This is AGAINST the advice of every doctor, therapist and teacher that has worked with Eli. Therefore, we have a long, costly legal battle ahead of us. To make matters worse, Phil has been out of full time work for over two years and we are experiencing a huge financial crisis. The goal of this go fund me is to raise funds for Eli’s legal representation so we can fight the school district for Eli’s right to a FAPE (free and appropriate public education) in order that he may stay in the residential autism program he so desperately needs. Please consider giving what you can to help us fight a very corrupt system that will harm a severe special needs child rather than help him. We thank you kindly in advance.

With humble gratitude,

Phil, Laura, Max, and Eli Ohme