History

Major League All-Star Pitcher, Eddie Guardado and his wife Lisa established The Eddie Guardado Foundation, a non-profit 501 (c)(3) in 2008 after their youngest child, Ava, was diagnosed with autism. Lisa and Eddie understand the emotional and financial hardships families impacted with autism experience and founded the Eddie Guardado Foundation to help other families receive access to therapy and treatments that they could not otherwise afford.

In January 2011, The Eddie Guardado Foundation merged with ACT Today!, (Autism Care and Treatment Today!) as both non-profits share the mission of providing awareness of and access to effective therapies for children with autism.

Meeting the needs of many as being a top priority, EGF and ACT Today! are able to more efficiently address the needs of children with autism. The organizations continue to collaborate together with Eddie and Lisa serving on the ACT Today! Board of Directors.

Who We Help 

The Eddie Guardado Foundation through Ava’s Friends, funds individual families affected by Autism by reducing their out of pocket expenses for therapy and treatment. We also join with other similar groups in lobbying Washington as well as State governments on behalf of these families in the hopes that more can be done through MediCare and private insurance to see that every child with Autism can get equal access to proven treatments.

How we Help

The Eddie Guardado Foundation identifies families in emotional or financial distress through applications submitted to us by the families themselves. Grants from the Foundation provide direct relief to families offsetting costs from existing care providers or providing access to care they’ve never been able to afford. Each case is different and each family’s situation is evaluated on its own merit.

The Foundation raises funds for grants through special events, corporate partnerships and individual donations.

We are continually grateful to all of the dedicated volunteers, corporate sponsors, in-kind and individual donors that help make a difference for so many families affected by Autism.

Join Ava’s Friends!

To find out more about how you can get involved, call 714-442-3535, or email us at information@eddieguardadofoundation.org