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April 19. Ray and Erin Evernham will give $500,000 to Novant Health’s developmental and behavioral pediatrics program to expand programs and resources that can lead to an earlier autism spectrum disorder diagnosis.

“As parents, Erin and I know how scary it is when your child is facing a medical crisis,” the Cornelius resident said. “Our care team provided us hope on our journey and we want to make sure every family has access to the same care we received.”

Background

Ray Evernham is the co-founder of IGNITE, which offers activities, skills training, and educational workshops for young adults with high functioning autism and Asperger’s Syndrome.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame crew chief and car owner, star of “Glory Road” and “AmeriCarna” television shows, is also the host of the annual AmeriCarna LIVE Car Show, benefiting IGNITE. It’s held each fall in Davidson.

Erin is a race car driver in her own right as well as a broadcaster with Motor Raccing Network’s Winged Nation.

Through their foundation, Evernham Family Racing for a Reason, the Evernhams have also supported programs at the Novant Health Huntersville Medical Center, including the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation Children’s Emergency Services and the Team Respite Room.

According to the CDC, one in 36 children is identified with autism spectrum disorder and research shows that early intervention and treatment can help improve social and communication skills, significantly improving the child’s later development and optimizing outcomes.