In support of the Eagles Autism Foundation’s mission to raise funds for cutting-edge autism research and care programs, John and Leigh Middleton have stepped up once again to help Eagles Autism Challenge participants reach and surpass their fundraising goals. The Philadelphia Phillies Managing Partner and his wife will offer up $150,000 as part of The Middleton Matching Gift Challenge, where all online donations will be matched, dollar for dollar, until the total has been reached.
This will serve as the Middleton's fourth Eagles Autism Challenge matching gift, following a $100,000 contribution in 2019 and two separate $125,000 contributions in 2021 and 2022. An expected $1 million will end up supporting the Eagles Autism Foundation from the Middleton's four matching gifts alone.
"Our fundraising and participant numbers for 2023 are moving at a record-setting pace, which is a testament to the incredible generosity of so many, including that of John and Leigh," said Jeffrey Lurie, Chairman and CEO, Philadelphia Eagles. "Tina and I are so grateful for their friendship and ongoing support of our mission to better assist the autism community. This is just another prime example of John and Leigh's compassion for others, commitment to important causes, and leadership within the City of Philadelphia."
The Middleton Matching Gift Challenge begins on Friday, May 12, at 12:00 PM ET. There will be no limit on the amount contributed per donation.
"The advancements that have been made in the field of autism as a result of the Eagles Autism Foundation are remarkable," said John Middleton. "Leigh and I would like to thank Jeffrey, Tina, and the Eagles organization for stepping up as leaders and leveraging their platform to help transform lives around the world. It is an honor to support this tremendous cause and play an active role in their mission to advance autism research and care for individuals today and for generations to come."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one in 36 people living in the United States are on the autism spectrum. While it has become one of the fastest-growing developmental disorders in the country, it has historically been underfunded, misunderstood, and under-researched.
"The global support for the Eagles Autism Challenge continues to inspire our family," said Leigh Middleton. "We recognize how hard everyone is working, including the thousands of participants, so we wanted to take this opportunity again to celebrate them and support their fundraising efforts."
The sixth annual Eagles Autism Challenge presented by Lincoln Financial Group will take place on Saturday, May 20, 2023. Since launching in 2018, the Eagles Autism Challenge has donated more than $20 million to fund 83 research projects and community grants. One hundred percent of participant-raised funds supports innovative autism research and care programs.
For more information or to register for the Eagles Autism Challenge, visit EaglesAutismChallenge.org. New participants will have 50% of their registration fee waived by using promo code "SPRING23" when signing up.
