The Young Faces of Autism

Sometimes the motivation to help solve the autism puzzle is a loved one who is affected by the disorder. For others, the inspiration comes from the heartbreaking data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that there are nearly 750,000 children on the autism spectrum.

The hope for a cure resides in the innocent faces of children living with autism. When you look in their eyes, or feel the warmth of their smile, you see the beauty within. What you don’t see is autism, its frustrations and challenges, or the impact it has on their lives and their families.

As part of our annual campaign to support Autism Speaks, we worked with renowned photographer Thomas Balsamo to capture these young faces of autism. Featuring nine extraordinary students at Princeton Child Development Institute in Princeton, NJ, who each live along the highly complex autism spectrum, Balsamo created a powerful series of portraits that communicates each child’s true personality.

The moving and motivational images, titled “Faces of Autism,” appear on our in-store signs supporting the fundraising and awareness efforts, as well as on our dedicated campaign website Toysrus.com/AutismSpeaks.

Please click here to see the “Faces of Autism” gallery or to make a donation to help solve the autism puzzle.