Autism is so common across the world, that as many as one in 36 children will be diagnosed as autistic. Sadly, for many families, the journey to understanding the condition can be a lonely, uphill battle.

Fortunately, Autism meets Faith, a nonprofit based in Houston, Texas, is on a vital mission to support autistic children and their families. Their many enrichment programs - including creative classes for children and caregivers, community events, skill development, and therapy grants - are a valuable resource for families with autism. 

“Inspired by the growing need for inclusive environments where children with autism can thrive, our organization was born out of a desire to offer free, accessible programs like art workshops that nurture social connection, creativity, and emotional well-being.” -  Holly Odogwu, Founder & CEO

Background

When her daughter was diagnosed with autism at four years old, Holly Odogwu didn’t know where to turn. Information was available, but none that she found offered practical or helpful advice to someone like her: a working mother who already had four young children. 

“Our founder, a parent of a child with autism, saw firsthand the challenges families face and wanted to create a space where children could express themselves freely and feel accepted.” - Holly Odogwu, Founder & CEO. 

Eventually, Holly and her husband were able to undergo a series of early intervention therapies. Therapy became a key part of their journey, helping them on their way to becoming “autism parents”. 

Through this experience, Holly saw firsthand the positive difference therapy can make. She realized the importance of professional guidance and support for families with autism. 

But she knew for many families, the high cost of therapy is often a barrier. She envisioned a world where other families have the emotional and financial resources they need to navigate life with autism. And so she founded Autism Meets Faith. 

United by their common mission, the team at Autism Meets Faith was excited to begin fundraising. They knew they’d need a fundraising platform, and started with what they already knew: PayPal, Zelle, and CashApp. However, once the nonprofit began using these well-known platforms, it became clear they came with frustrating limitations. 

“It was disappointing to see how much was taken in fees even with a nonprofit account. $50 became $48, and made our donation amounts seem less than what our tax receipts to donors reflected.” - Holly Odogwu, Founder & CEO

It wasn’t just the unexpected fees that caused issues. Payouts from these platforms also took much longer than expected. If Autism Meets Faith needed to use their fundraising dollars within three days of initiating transfer, they found they were subject to extra fees. 

Plus, Autism Meets Faith lost out thanks to PayPal’s inability to embed fundraising forms on their website. Holly learned from online research the best way to raise money on Giving Tuesday is create a dedicated, embedded fundraising page. Unfortunately, the first platform they used charged significant fees. Their first Giving Tuesday, they raised only $3,000. 

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Frustrated by these limitations, Holly and her team looked online for cheaper fundraising alternatives. A google search led them to Zeffy. At first they wondered if it came with a catch; 100 percent free seemed just too good to be true. When they learned Zeffy was created specifically to help nonprofits like theirs, they decided to give it a go. 

Autism Meets Faith quickly realized Zeffy was the answer to their fundraising problems. Not only do their donations now go directly to helping autistic children, but Zeffy has also solved the problem of transfer fees. Now, Autism Meets Faith knows their fundraising dollars will be deposited to their account every Monday, without fail. 

Holly has realized her goal of creating a community and resources for autistic children and their families. Using Zeffy, Autism Meets Faith has raised over $39,000. Not only this, they have saved $1,952 in fundraising fees. These savings have a direct positive impact on families with autism. Thanks to money saved with Zeffy so far, Autism Meets Faith offered nine therapy grants, costing $200 each. 

And when Giving Tuesday rolled around again, Holly was excited to find Zeffy allowed them to embed a fundraising page on their website - completely free of charge! That year, Giving Tuesday fundraising increased from $3,000 to $18,000. 

For Autism Meets Faith, Zeffy has been a game changer. It has transformed how they fundraise, and provided exciting opportunities for growth. 

“By eliminating fees, Zeffy has allowed us to maximize every donation and focus on expanding our programs. It’s opened new revenue streams and empowered us to make an even bigger impact for the children and families we serve.” - Holly Odogwu, Founder & CEO