A Touch of Understanding, Inc.

A nonprofit organization

0% complete

$10,000 Goal

Breaking Barriers, Building Empathy

A Touch of Understanding (ATOU) began with a simple but powerful mission: to create a world where children with disabilities feel understood, accepted, and included.

What started as a grassroots effort in the early 1990s has grown into a transformative nonprofit organization that’s reached more than 154,000 students across Northern California. Through hands-on disability awareness workshops, ATOU empowers students to see beyond differences, replacing fear and judgment with compassion and connection.

ATOU’s unique program brings together volunteers with disabilities to share their personal stories, break down stereotypes, and spark meaningful conversations in classrooms, juvenile facilities, teacher trainings, and community groups. The result? Young people who not only understand inclusion—they live it.

This Big Day of Giving, your support will help us continue building a kinder, more inclusive future—one student, one story, one school at a time.

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Mission

A Touch of Understanding's mission is to encourage acceptance and respect for all individuals and to minimize the discrimination, bullying, and misunderstanding experienced by children and adults who are perceived as different for any reason, but especially for those with disabilities.

Needs

Our Needs

A Touch of Understanding (ATOU) is proud to bring life-changing disability awareness workshops to students across Northern California—but we can’t do it alone.

Bridging the Gap

Each workshop costs about $50 per student, yet most schools can only afford half. That leaves $25 per student to be covered by generous donors, grants, and fundraising.

$1,000 covers half of the cost for a full workshop of 40 students—ensuring every child has the chance to learn empathy, understanding, and inclusion.

Growing Capacity

We’re working to expand our team, office space, and vehicle fleet to meet the increasing demand for our program both locally and beyond. Your support helps us grow to serve even more students and communities.

Volunteer Power

Each workshop depends on a dedicated team of 6 to 8 volunteers, including individuals with disabilities who share their stories, and others who help facilitate hands-on activities. We also rely on office and event volunteers for everything from IT and filing to fundraising and special projects.

Supplies & Support

We’re always in need of: Office Supplies and ongoing IT support

Every gift—whether time, talent, or financial—is a step toward a more inclusive world. Thank you for helping us make it happen!

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Organization Data

Summary

Organization name

A Touch of Understanding, Inc.

other names

ATOU

Year Established

1996

Tax id (EIN)

68-0389777

Mission Category

Education

Operating Budget

$500,001-$1 million

Organization Need

Funding: Program, Funding: Unrestricted, Volunteers, In-Kind Donations, Technology

Demographics Served

Individuals with disabilities, Youth & Children, General population

Local Counties Served

El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, Yolo

Address

5280 Stirling St. Suite 102
Granite Bay, CA 95746

Service areas

Placer, CA, US

Sacramento, CA, US

El Dorado, CA, US

Yolo, CA, US

Marin, CA, US

Phone

916-791-4146

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