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 $125,000 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 third Eagles Autism Challenge matching gift, following a $100,000 and $125,000 contribution in April 2019 and August 2021, respectively. An expected $700,000 will end up supporting the Eagles Autism Foundation from the Middleton's three matching gifts alone.
"John and Leigh Middleton have always been tremendous supporters and representatives of this great city, but it is their unwavering commitment to philanthropy that truly speaks to who they are as individuals," said Jeffrey Lurie, Chairman and CEO, Philadelphia Eagles. "In many ways, this has become a milestone year for the Eagles Autism Challenge. While we are approaching the fifth year of our transformational event on Saturday, the generosity of so many people, including that of John and Leigh, have allowed us to hit a record-setting mark this year at $3.7 million and counting and more than $15 million since 2018."
The Middleton Matching Gift Challenge applies to all online donations starting on Thursday, May 19 at 12:00 PM ET. Each donation will be matched up to $500. Registration fees and any other costs or fees associated with the Eagles Autism Challenge are not subject to the promotion and will not be matched.
"Leigh and I are proud to support the Eagles Autism Foundation and its mission to advance research for individuals and families affected by autism," said John Middleton. "The progress made in the scientific research field thanks to the Eagles Autism Challenge, along with how the entire community has rallied around this event over the past five years, is a major credit to Jeffrey Lurie and the Eagles organization."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one in 44 people living in the United States is 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.
"Jeffrey Lurie's vision to turn autism awareness into action has become a powerful movement and is serving as an important voice for the one in 44 individuals affected by autism," said Leigh Middleton.
The fifth annual Eagles Autism Challenge presented by Lincoln Financial Group will take place on Saturday, May 21, 2022. Since launching in May 2018, the Eagles Autism Challenge has donated more than $12 million to fund 63 research projects and community grants. With funds raised through the 2022 Eagles Autism Challenge, more than $15 million and counting has been totaled, with one hundred percent of participant-raised funds benefitting institutions conducting innovative autism research and care.
For more information or to register for the Eagles Autism Challenge, visit EaglesAutismChallenge.org. All new participants will have 50% of their registration fee waived by using promo code "EAC22" when signing up.
