A benefit fundraiser was held at the Brownstone by Jacqueline Laurita, one of the stars from, “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” which raised 17,000 dollars for Autism Speaks, an organization that funds autism research.

Ms Laurita’s son, was recently diagnosed with autism.

It has been reported that well over 2-percent of children in New Jersey are diagnosed with the disease, making it the second state with the highest percent of autistic kids (Utah is first).