Madison House Autism Foundation Celebrates Grand Opening

(l:r) JaLynn Prince, Founder and President, Madison House Autism Foundation, is presented a proclamation from Neil Harris, City of Gaithersburg Councilmember at the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting celebration for the foundation’s new office in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

The Madison House Autism Foundation has a new home to address the needs of adults on the autism spectrum.

The Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce (GGCC) supported the Madison House Autism Foundation on the grand opening of their new office space on May 10, 2019. They recently relocated to 820 W. Diamond Avenue, Suite 120, Gaithersburg, Maryland. Revere Bank is supporting the foundation by leasing the space rent-free.

“We are thrilled that Madison House Autism Foundation has located their offices in Gaithersburg,” said Marilyn Balcombe, GGCC president. “They are a fantastic organization and a great addition to the community.”

In addition to several Chamber Members in attendance, many elected officials showed their support too. In attendance were: State Delegate Julie Palakovich Carr, District 17; Montgomery County Councilmembers Sidney Katz & Craig Rice; City of Gaithersburg Councilmember Neil Harris; Patrick McCarthy, Office of Senator Chris Van Hollen; Ken Reichard, Office of Senator Ben Cardin; and Andrew Donlon, Office of Congressman David Trone.

Madison House Autism Foundation was created in 2008 to address the lifespan needs of the 2 million autistic adults in the country. More than 1 million of these individuals live with aging parents, and 85% are unemployed or underemployed in the workforce. Montgomery County and its surrounding communities are home for approximately 5,000 adults with autism and other neuro-diverse adults who face significant challenges ranging from housing to employment.

In 2014, Madison House was given the equity in a 400-acre farm, renamed Madison Fields, located in Dickerson in the Agricultural Reserve of Montgomery County. Programs at Madison Fields include therapeutic horseback riding, agricultural education field trips, as well as a vocational program that focuses on training young adults with autism and other intellectual/developmental disabilities on workforce skills. Learn more about them at www.madisonhouseautism.org.

The GGCC is active in providing business-to-business networking opportunities throughout the year: a collective voice in local, regional, and state legislative affairs, professional development opportunities and other services that enhance the business environment.

About Laura Rowles

Laura authors the blog Your Success is Our Business on MyMCMedia. Laura is the Director of Events & Marketing for the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce - a member-based organization of businesses that have joined together for the purpose of promoting the civic, commercial and industrial progress in our communities. The area's economic well-being is a result of the caliber of work that is done by the Chamber. The Chamber has a major impact on business, income and future growth of the area. My position at the Chamber - Director of Events & Marketing - affords me the opportunity to plan quality events for our Members and market the Chamber is a variety of avenues. At the GGCC, we typically have around 30 events each year including: breakfasts, lunches, after-five's, ribbon cuttings and special events. The consensus is we have high quality events with good energy. In 2012, we had over 2,040 people visit our events. Most our events are free to Members so securing sponsorships for all events. Additionally, I am responsible for planning networking, overseeing the budget and marketing of all events in order to make them successful. Lastly, I coordinate all marketing and communication efforts of the GGCC including weekly email blasts, its quarterly newsletter, all social media platforms, media relations and community outreach.

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