REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY

When Nicholas Laurita was diagnosed with autism, his parents, Jacqueline and Chris, were heartbroken and lost, but the support of the autism community gave them the guidance they needed to help their son. Now, the couple, who starred on Bravo's The Real Housewives of New Jersey, are using their platform to pay it forward.

"So many people reached out to share their stories and resources with us when Nicholas was diagnosed. I don't know how we would have gotten through without that," says Jacqueline from her Franklin Lakes home. "So whatever I've learned and whatever resources I have, I want to share that with other families."

Jacqueline and Chris's dedication to the autism community is demonstrated by their widespread involvement with numerous nonprofit organizations.

"Depending on our schedules, we try to get involved with almost everyone who reaches out to us," says Jacqueline. To that end, the couple attends countless charity events, speak to thousands of families via email or social media messaging, and travel the country for conferences. They also use their social media accounts to disseminate information that autism organizations ask them to share. Recalling all the support they've received over the years, the couple felt a responsibility to give back.

"Housewives can be a lot of drama, but we had an opportunity to use the show to do something really positive for the community, and to use our recognition to help others," Chris says. "Once we started to learn about autism, we saw how many families were lost and didn't have the means or guidance they needed, and we felt an obligation to help."

The Lauritas' journey started in early 2011, when 18-month-old Nicholas slowly began showing signs of regression in his developmental milestones. By early 2012, the couple knew it was time to seek help.

"He stopped talking and singing, there was no eye contact, he wouldn't answer to his name and he would spin in circles," Jacqueline recalls, "and he couldn't follow a one-step command."

They had to wait three months to have Nicholas evaluated by a developmental pediatrician. Suspecting he'd ultimately be diagnosed with autism, they used that time to reach out within the autism community for help.

"I'd heard that early intervention was key to bringing out the best child your child can be, so I contacted a few autism organizations, including Generation Rescue, where Jenny McCarthy is president, and within a week she and [executive director] Candace McDonald came to meet with us," says Jacqueline.

Generation Rescue provides hope, information and treatment assistance to families affected by autism, and helps families who can't afford services to secure medical grants. The organization immediately guided Jacqueline and Chris on what to do next.

"They got Nicholas started on a gluten-free diet, connected us with great doctors, and told us about all the available treatments, like bio-medical treatments and hyperbaric oxygen therapy," Jacqueline says. "Their support allowed us to help Nicholas begin healing and gave us so much strength and hope."

The Lauritas now serve as celebrity ambassadors to Generation Rescue and Autism Hope Alliance and work with several more nonprofits, including KultureCity, TACA, Autism Speaks, Autism One and the National Autism Association, among others, all of which provide guidance and support to families dealing with autism.

"We attend close to 10 autism-related conferences a year, where we either give a speech, sit on a panel with other parents, or just go to mingle," Jacqueline says. "We go as often as we can to share our story, meet other parents, and answer whatever questions people have."

Seeing there were few fathers at the conferences, Chris made it his mission to stress the importance of dads being involved in the process.

"Ninety-five percent of the people there were women, so I'm trying to speak on behalf of the dads and let them know this isn't just a mom's responsibility, it's both parents' responsibility."

Noting that a substantial number of marriages fail following a child's autism diagnosis, Chris wants fathers to know "not only do you need to be there for your kid," he says, "but you need to be there for your wife as well."

Chris began hosting "dad groups" at the conferences, where men join him for alcohol and cigars, and share their stories together. An idea spearheaded by former NFL player Ryan Neufeld, who has worked with Generation Rescue since his son's diagnosis, the dad groups are bringing more fathers to the conferences.

"I think it's answering a lot of their questions and making them feel like it will be OK," says Chris.

Nicholas's diagnosis also inspired Chris's business venture, The Little Kernel.

"Nicholas is on such a strict diet, and when he was diagnosed there wasn't a lot he could eat, so I wanted to put something out there that was both better for you and that my son could have," he says.

The non-GMO mini-popcorn snack is gluten- and dairy-free, and a portion of proceeds from every bag sold goes directly to Generation Rescue.

The couple, who are currently writing a book about their family's journey through autism, hopes their involvement gives strength and direction to other families struggling with a diagnosis.

"We're not doctors or scientists, but if we can show up and help an organization raise money to fund the search for a cure, or help the organization give families resources they need, or just be there as parents to support other families and share our resources, we're always going to do that," Jacqueline says.

And Nicholas, now 8 years old, is showing steady signs of improvement.

"Every time I think progress is slow, I'll look back to where he's started and see how far he's come," Jacqueline says. "He's saying a lot of words, his sentences are longer, he's asking questions, he reads, he rides his bike again, and he loves googling things on his iPad and playing DJ for us."

"He's definitely showing us that there's a person in his body who is smart and very aware of his surroundings," Chris says. "It's a constant struggle and a lot of work, but we'll keep doing our best to pull that out of him."

Ultimately, being a voice for the autism community meant showing their son his diagnosis is not something to be ashamed of.

"I didn't want Nicholas to think we don't talk about autism in public," Jacqueline says. "I just want autism to be more understood and accepted. I want Nicholas to be proud of who he is."