Several years ago, Jen Susa founded The Lucas Fund, in honor of her son, Lucas.

Lucas has autism.  The Susas were lucky enough to live in close proximity to a state of the art Autism Center, to give Lucas the very best in medical care, and are able to utilize other area resources to get Lucas the help he needs to grow and learn.  They have seen the difference that can be made when all these things work together.

The Susas also know that not all families are so lucky.  Some live too far away to utilize some of the resources, and when you’re raising a special needs child, there are often extra medical expenses that make the ‘extras’ in life unattainable.  Often, what many of us see as a luxury item, like iPads or tablets, can be a very important tool in helping autistic individuals communicate.  The Lucas Fund exists to meet those needs; needs that are often not covered by any insurance or other community resources.

We’ve known the Susa family for several years, but it was eye-opening to spend the day with them, meet the whole team of people dedicated to helping Lucas reach his full potential; and just to hang out with Lucas.  He’s a lovable and energetic little boy, and he absolutely fell in love with both Chris and the camera.