Giving Tuesday autism donations help local groups that answer families’ questions, connect them to support and speak up for services. Giving Tuesday 2026 falls on Tuesday, December 1. The Autism Society of California (ASC) is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3), federal tax ID 33-0599454, and you can support it with a gift by mail or with your time.
Quick answer
Giving Tuesday autism: Giving Tuesday is December 1, 2026. To support autistic Californians and their families, give to the Autism Society of California by mail (see our Donate page), volunteer with a local affiliate, or share our resources. Before giving to any autism charity, check it in the IRS and California Attorney General charity databases.
Last checked: November 10, 2026. This is general information, not tax or legal advice.
When is Giving Tuesday 2026?
Giving Tuesday 2026 is Tuesday, December 1, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, according to the official GivingTuesday website. It is a global day of giving that follows Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Many autism groups run campaigns that week, but a gift to the Autism Society of California helps on any day of the year.
How to give to the Autism Society of California
ASC does not take online donations right now. Its old PayPal button is no longer active, so please don’t use any donate link that claims to be ours. You can give by mail, and our Donate page with current ways to give has the full details.
- Call or email us (contacts in step 4) for how to give by check or other ways.
- Mail your gift to 3268 Governor Drive, #222, San Diego, CA 92122-2902.
- Include your name and email or address so a volunteer can reach you. If you would like an acknowledgment for your records, ask for one.
- Questions? Call 1-800-869-7069 or email caautisminfo@gmail.com. We are all volunteers, so a reply can take up to a week.
ASC’s Donate page says gifts are tax-deductible and lists the federal tax ID, 33-0599454. Ask your tax preparer how a gift affects your own return.
How does a Giving Tuesday autism gift help California families?
A Giving Tuesday autism gift to ASC supports a statewide, all-volunteer group with no paid staff to fund. ASC’s mission is to create connections, so everyone in the autism community has the resources needed to live fully. Its work, as described on our site, falls into four areas.
- Information: the latest information on treatment, education, research, support and advocacy, and a toll-free number, 1-800-869-7069, for questions.
- Local connection: ASC networks with five local affiliates and two sub-affiliates across California. See the Autism Society affiliates in California.
- Surveys: statewide surveys of the developmental disability community, with reports from 2012 to 2020 on the California Autism Survey page.
- Advocacy: speaking up for services for autistic people across the lifespan, including adults.
ASC also works to raise public awareness of the day-to-day issues autistic people face, and our Get Involved page notes that ASC relies on donations to advocate for the autism community. Local affiliates are often the first stop for information and referrals. We don’t publish dollar amounts or impact numbers we can’t back up.
The Finnigan scholarship
The Matthew Paul Finnigan Memorial Scholarship is one of ASC’s programs. It is a permanent endowed fund at the Community Foundation for Monterey County, with ASC as a partner, and it helps autistic students who study fields such as psychology, statistics and math. To ask about supporting it, contact us.
Ways to help on Giving Tuesday without money
Money is only one kind of gift. An all-volunteer group runs on time, skills and word of mouth, and these cost you nothing.
- Volunteer: offer your time or a professional skill, such as writing, accounting, translation or event planning. Contact us through our Get Involved page with ways to help ASC, and ask by phone or email how you can volunteer.
- Join your local affiliate: local groups often need help with events and family meetings.
- Share: post our information line and resources on Facebook, or send them to a family who just got a diagnosis.
- Share survey results: read past results on our California Autism Survey page and pass them on to people who plan services.
- Speak up: tell your state legislators how developmental services affect your family.
For more ideas, see our guide on how to support autism families in California.
How to check an autism charity before you give
Check any autism charity in two free government databases before you give, and read its own website. Start from the charity’s own website, not from a donation link someone sent you.
| What to check | Where to check it | What a good result looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Can it receive tax-deductible gifts? | IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search | Listed under Pub. 78 data |
| Has its federal status been revoked? | IRS auto-revocation list (same tool) | Not listed, or reinstated |
| Is it registered in California? | Attorney General Registry Search Tool | Registered; not Delinquent, Suspended or Revoked |
| Are its yearly reports filed? | Registry Search Tool and IRS Form 990 filings | Reporting status Current |
| How does it describe its work? | The charity’s own website | Clear mission, contact details, real programs |
| Does it involve autistic people? | About page, board, published policies | Autistic people and families have a voice |
Use the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search to look up any charity by name or tax ID. Small charities with gross receipts of generally $50,000 or less may file the short Form 990-N instead of a full Form 990. Then search the California Attorney General Registry of Charities and Fundraisers. The Registry treats Delinquent, Suspended, Revoked and Expired registrations as not in good standing.
You can look up the Autism Society of California the same way, by name or by its federal tax ID, 33-0599454.
Questions to ask about any autism charity
- Who decides how money is spent, and are autistic people part of that?
- Does it promote one treatment, or does it respect family choice? ASC’s Options Policy on autism treatments holds that no single program fits every autistic person.
- Can you reach a real person by phone, email or mail?
Frequently asked questions
When is Giving Tuesday 2026?
Giving Tuesday 2026 is Tuesday, December 1. It always falls on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving in the United States. You can still give to the Autism Society of California before or after that date; gifts by mail are welcome all year.
Can I donate to the Autism Society of California online?
Not at this time. ASC’s earlier PayPal button no longer works, and there is no online donation form on our site. Please give by mail to the address on our Donate page, or call 1-800-869-7069 to ask about other options.
Is a donation to the Autism Society of California tax-deductible?
ASC is a 501(c)(3) organization with federal tax ID 33-0599454, and its Donate page says donations are tax-deductible. Whether you can deduct a gift depends on your own tax return, so check with a tax professional.
How can I help autistic Californians if I can’t give money?
Volunteer a skill, join your local Autism Society affiliate, share our information line with families, and speak to your legislators about developmental services. Time and word of mouth matter a great deal to an all-volunteer group.
Next step
Ready to give this Giving Tuesday? Visit our Donate page to give by mail, or contact us at 1-800-869-7069 or caautisminfo@gmail.com. To see the people your gift serves, read our guide for autistic adults in California, or find more ways to support autism families all year.