PROVO, Utah--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Vivint, a leading provider of smart home technology, today announced a $50,000 donation of security and smart home products to families of children with autism. Vivint is an official corporate safety sponsor of Autism Speaks, the world’s leading autism science and advocacy organization. This donation is part of the $300,000 Vivint has pledged over three years for technology and home safety research.
Autism Speaks selected 16 families to receive Vivint security and smart home systems. Recipients are active volunteers with the organization, demonstrate financial need and have a child with autism who wanders. For an example of how a Vivint system can help families of children with autism, visit this blog post.
Vivint technology can significantly reduce the risk of children with autism wandering away from home and give dedicated family members peace of mind. Roughly half of children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) attempt to wander from a safe environment — a rate nearly four times higher than unaffected siblings. According to research from the Interactive Autism Network, parents ranked wandering as one of the most stressful ASD behaviors.*
A Vivint system will alert parents if a specific door has been opened, immediately pointing families in the right direction if their child has left the home. Those first few minutes can be life saving. Parents can also monitor their homes using a smart phone, even while they are away.
“As experts in smart home technology, Vivint is excited to bring the benefits of our technology to deserving families,” said Holly Mero-Bench, director of Vivint Gives Back. “Vivint believes that home is one place where families should not have to worry about the safety of their children.”
Vivint will provide free, professional installation of each Vivint system (valued at over $3,000), which includes the Vivint SkyControl panel, automatic door lock, door and window sensors, motion detector, indoor cameras, doorbell camera, smoke detector and 24 months of free monitoring, after which families can continue with a special Vivint Gives Back rate.
“We are grateful to Vivint for its commitment to the autism community,” said Lisa Goring, executive vice president of Autism Speaks. “Safety is a priority for all parents, but for parents of children with autism, it is a critical concern. Innovative technology can help to keep children with autism safe in their own homes.”
For information about Vivint security and smart home solutions, visit www.vivint.com.
* Interactive Autism Network Research Report: Elopement and Wandering (2011)
About Vivint
Vivint is a leading provider of smart home technology. The company delivers services through a cloud-based platform that integrates a wide range of wireless features and components to provide simple, affordable home security, energy management and home automation. Vivint's security and home automation package has received the Consumers Digest "Best Buy" rating. Dedicated to redefining the home experience with intelligent products and services, Vivint serves nearly 900,000 customers throughout the U.S. and Canada. For more information, visit www.vivint.com.
About Vivint Gives Back
The Vivint Gives Back program helps to alleviate hardship and restore hope for families in need. The program focuses on enhancing the lives of children with intellectual disabilities through simple, intelligent products and services. The company's employees and owners contribute time, money, and volunteer hours to perform services for these children. Since its creation in 2008, Vivint Gives Back has donated $9 million and more than 150,000 service hours to local communities, as well as those in need around the world.
About Autism
Autism is a general term used to describe a group of complex developmental brain disorders – autism spectrum disorders – caused by a combination of genes and environmental influences. These disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by communication difficulties, social and behavioral challenges, and repetitive behaviors. An estimated 1 in 68 children in the U.S. is on the autism spectrum.
About Autism Speaks
Autism Speaks is the world’s leading autism science and advocacy organization. It is dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. Autism Speaks was founded in February 2005 by Suzanne and Bob Wright, the grandparents of a child with autism. Mr. Wright is the former vice chairman of General Electric and chief executive officer of NBC and NBC Universal. Since its inception, Autism Speaks has committed $560 million to its mission, the majority in science and medical research. Each year, Walk Now for Autism Speaks events are held in nearly 100 cities across North America. On the global front, Autism Speaks has established partnerships in more than 70 countries on five continents to foster international research, services and awareness. To learn more about Autism Speaks, please visit AutismSpeaks.org.
