Clay intended to pursue a career in Special Education and was in the process of completing his degree at UNC-Charlotte when he met Diane Bubel and her son, Mike. Clay cared for the thirteen year old, who had been diagnosed with autism, for over a year. During this time, Clay grew close to the Bubel family and came to appreciate their relationship with Mike:

"Working with a number of families over the span of five years, I have never seen a family make raising a child with a mental disability look so easy as the Bubel family did. While often the task can be daunting, the Bubel's go about their family life with an eternally positive attitude." Clay Aiken

Diane Bubel had noticed Clay's remarkable voice and encouraged him to try out for American Idol. "The [Bubel's] support of me in my educational, personal, and musical life is in part what lead me to pursue the goal of a career in music." Clay cemented his gratitude to both Diane and Mike on July 28, 2003 , when he officially announced the creation of the Bubel/Aiken Foundation while in New York. Although only at the start of his career, he decided to create a foundation he had only dreamed and written about in college when the fans responded enthusiastically to his philanthropic ideas. 

On August 5th, 2009, The Bubel Aiken Foundation became "The National Inclusion Project"!

What does nonprofit mean? What does a mission statement mean? To learn more about charities, take a peek at the special page we made.