ACT Today! to Honor Boyz II Men's Shawn Stockman and Wife Sharhonda at 10th Annual Denim, Diamonds & Stars

    LOS ANGELES, CA, August 22, 2015 /24-7PressRelease/ -- ACT Today! (Autism Care & Treatment Today!), a national non-profit organization whose mission is to provide direct care and treatment to underserved children with autism, announces that Shawn and Sharhonda Stockman will receive this year's Visionary Award at the 10th Annual Denim, Diamonds & Stars gala, presented by Raiman Rocks, on October 25, 2015. The event will be held at the Four Seasons Hotel, in Westlake Village, Calif.

The red carpet fundraiser will include a cocktail reception, silent and live auctions, dinner program with surprise celebrity presenters, live entertainment and special tribute to the 2015 honorees.

"Shawn and Sharhonda Stockman are very special and important people to children and families with Autism. Having a child with autism, they have a special connection with other families impacted by autism. Their non-profit organization, Micah's Voice, helps families obtain information and support on how to better help their children," says ACT Today! Executive Director Nancy Alspaugh-Jackson.

Shawn and Sharhonda Stockman will join fellow 2015 honorees: ACTivist TV host/comedian Howie Mandel ("America's Got Talent"), ACTivist Actor Max Burkholder ("Parenthood") and Golden Cowgirl award recipient, Hollywood talent agent Sydel Lisi.

In 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report showing 1 in every 68 children in America is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, making autism more widespread than juvenile diabetes, childhood cancer, and pediatric AIDS combined.

The Denim, Diamonds & Stars fundraiser makes it possible for ACT Today! to provide families with children with autism direct access to care and treatment that they cannot afford, including Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy, medical care, autism service dogs, social skills programs, assistive technology, and safety equipment such as helmets for the self-injurious children and fencing for children who are prone to wandering.

This year's sponsors (as of August 18, 2015) include: Raiman Rocks, Tolman & Wiker Insurance Services LLC, The Shape of Behavior, UBS; Nevers, Palazzo, Packard, Wildermuth & Wynner, PC; Vin Di Bona Productions, NBC Entertainment, City National Bank, Rage Models , Private Protective Services, Burbank Printing, Tito's Handmade Vodka, The Resort at Pelican Hill and Westlake Magazine.

For more information on ACT Today!'s 10th Annual Denim, Diamonds & Stars, visit http://www.denimanddiamondsforautism.net.

More on Shawn & Sharhonda Stockman:
Shawn Stockman is a multiple GRAMMY Award-winning musician and one third of Boyz II Men, the best selling R&B group of all time, with over 60 million albums sold. In addition to an extremely successful 20 + year career in music, Shawn has starred on NBC's competition show The Sing Off, and is the CEO of an entertainment production company, True Society. True Society is currently developing emerging artists, including the new all-female group, Dame.

Sharhonda Stockman is a film producer, who has also worked in the music industry. Sharhonda met Shawn Stockman while working with Boyz II Men in the early 90s and the two fell in love and wed in 2001. Their twin boys, Micah and Ty, were born in 2003 and about a year later, the Stockmans noticed changes in Ty that were cause for concern. After more than a year and numerous visits to the pediatrician, they received life changing news, Micah was diagnosed with autism.

The Stockman family survived the devastating news and began a journey as a family with the goal to maximize opportunities for Micah's growth. They were fortunate to be able to afford the range of services that Micah needed - a behaviorist, a speech therapist and a great school. They soon realized that this is not the case for most families and this, along with working with Autism Speaks, led them to found the non-profit organization, Micah's Voice.

Their goal was to create a community where families could go to get information, resources and support. Micah's Voice believes that each child has unique abilities and gifts to share with the world. Through programs that provide education, awareness, support and financial assistance for those in greatest need, Micah's Voice empowers families and gives a voice to these special children, so that they can enjoy the best quality of life possible.

Today, Micah is 12 years old, thriving in school and learning strategies that are helping him to be more independent. He is very close to his twin Ty, who does not have autism but understands his brother's unique needs and challenges. They also have a sister, Brooklyn, who is five years old and loving and protective of Micah as well.

The Stockmans are a strong, loving family, whose faith in God, and commitment to each other continues to help them navigate their journey. And they want to use the platforms and opportunities that they've been given to help others meet and overcome their challenges.

About ACT Today!:
ACT Today! (Autism Care and Treatment Today!) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to providing resources and funding to families of children with autism who cannot afford or access the necessary tools their children need to reach their full potential. For more information about ACT Today!, visit: http://www.act-today.org.

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