Survey Exposes Need for Support During One of the Busiest and Most Stressful Times of the YearNEW YORK, Nov. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Understood.org, a leading nonprofit empowering almost 70 million neurodivergent people who have learning and thinking differences, such as ADHD and dyslexia, today announced the results of a new survey of over 2,000 U.S. adults ages 18+. The "Neurodiversity and the Holidays" survey, conducted by The Harris Poll, found that the holidays present unique challenges for neurodivergent adults and that over half of all U.S. adults (55%) feel that the stigma surrounding neurodiversity is stronger than ever

This joint initiative creates a guide for brands and businesses to enhance inclusivity by integrating the unique experience of these populations, particularly those with compounded marginalized identities, into research.NEW YORK and LONDON, Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Understood.org , the leading nonprofit dedicated to supporting the 70 million people in the United States with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia , announced its partnership with Kantar , the world's leading marketing data and analytics business and indispensable brand partner to 96 of the world's 100 biggest advertisers. According to Understood.org's Neurodiversity and Social Media Study , nearly 60% of Americans say they don't have a clear understanding of what learning and thinking differences are. The partnership will generate insights for people, brands and businesses on how to create more inclusive, impactful experiences, campaigns and policies for people with learning and thinking differences, through research that focuses on and incorporates the historically underserved demographic of people with learning and thinking differences. Reports include Kantar GLOBAL MONITOR, US MONITOR, and the Global Brand Inclusion Index.View PDF For purposes of this report, Understood.org partnered with the Kantar MONITOR team and worked together to craft new questions, which were added to three of Kantar’s existing surveys – Global MONITOR, U.S. MONITOR, and Global Brand InclusionThis work comes at a critical point in time, where the number of people with learning and thinking differences is growing, yet businesses have little to no insight into their lived experiences

Research Projects in Support of Individuals With Learning and Thinking Differences Is First Activation of Organization's NeuroEquity Fund Launched Earlier This YearNEW YORK, June 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Understood.org , the nonprofit dedicated to supporting the 70 million people in the United States with learning and thinking differences, announced the launch of the NeuroEquity Research Collaborative that will support research projects aimed at reducing stigma and creating equitable solutions for neurodivergent individuals regardless of race, gender, or economic status. The research collaborative, made possible by a donation from the Scarlet Feather Fund, is the first activation of Understood.org's NeuroEquity Fund , announced at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos earlier this year.In the U.S., 70 million Americans have learning and thinking differences, such as ADHD and dyslexia. However, close to 60% of people say they don't have a clear understanding of what learning and thinking differences are. The NeuroEquity Research Collaborative will fund much-needed research to identify the problems, raise awareness, and ultimately create the tools and programs needed to make a real impact in the lives of those affected."Today's announcement is an important step forward in advancing our mission to shape the world for difference, catalyzing important research that will drive solutions designed to overcome the obstacles faced by adults and children with learning and thinking differences," said Sarah Greenberg, vice president of expertise and strategic design at Understood.org. "At Understood.org, we are committed to partnering and increasing awareness so that the 70 million impacted know that they are not alone."The NeuroEquity Research Collaborative will focus on research that drives deeper knowledge in the field (utilizing academic intervention for universal solutions), and research that tests scalable solutions (testing the effectiveness of digital products for families).The first cohort of initiatives in support of children with learning and thinking differences includes:GreatSchools.org, the nation's leading K–12 school information site that supports parents pursuing a great education for their child, will collect and evaluate data on the needs of parents/caregivers whose child has a learning and thinking difference and advise on how to choose their schools.Learning Heroes, a national nonprofit that works to bring together families, educators, and family engagement professionals as partners in K–12 education, will develop a baseline for how educators are working with families of children with learning differences at each phase of the journey, shine a light on the role demographics play in how educators show up with families, and explore opportunities around support and professional learning for educators. Building off of their focus on storytelling, Learning Heroes will also create short videos of educators sharing their stories and perspectives.Kessler Foundation, a nonprofit focused on driving change for people with disabilities through rehabilitation research, will test the Kessler Foundation STRength IDentification and Expression [KF-STRIDE] tool that has already been evaluated in young adults on the autism spectrum