Tara nearly lost both of her twins at 25 weeks.
One died four days after being born, and the surviving child, Zev, was just 1½ pounds.
He stayed in neonatal intensive care for 3½ months until he was 5 pounds, but today, at 5 years old, he still is fed via a feeding tube and he has autism.
Lloyd Claycomb, a friend of the family, has watched them struggle, and he’s determined to raise money for autism.
“We love children who have added challenges in their lives,” Claycomb said. “I have built several orphanages around the world, and feel obligated to share in the blessings I have been fortunate to have received.”
Claycomb and his wife, Karen, have raised and donated hundreds of thousands of dollars in an effort to educate and spread awareness of the autism spectrum disorder.
Lloyd Claycomb’s success as the founder of Westminster-based United Builders Service Inc. has allowed him to be incredibly philanthropic. Since 1978, the company has specialized in large construction and development projects including luxury residential, retail and health-care facilities.
But outside of work, Claycomb’s focus is on his charities, and his primary focus at the moment is on autism.
More specifically, he and his wife want to publicize the neurodiversity movement in an effort to have autism viewed as a variation in functioning rather than as a mental disorder to be cured.
With one in 68 children now receiving an autism diagnosis, Claycomb said, it’s time that autism became accepted and understood, and the Claycombs are attempting to help this happen through their pledge with the Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center of Phoenix.
On April 27, in honor of Autism Awareness Month, the Claycombs presented the organization with a large donation at the group’s annual fundraising breakfast at the Arizona Biltmore.
The couple is also hosting a private fundraising dinner for donors to raise additional funds for SARRC. This fundraiser is expected to raise more than $75,000.
Lloyd Claycomb has also supported many other worthy causes such as a recent donation of $50,000 to Child Help and more than $400,000 to Amazing Facts, a Christian international organization primarily established to spread the Gospel worldwide.
Lloyd’s donation was made to specifically spread the gospel in China.