MANKATO — Pat Rist’s latest piece of jewelry is so much more than a fashion statement.

It’s a fundraiser, a conversation starter and a reminder — of her 5-year-old autistic grandson who is among the estimated one of out 150 Americans affected by autism spectrum disorders.

“We are so amazed at the progress he’s made,” Rist said. “And a lot of people don’t know the help that’s out there.”

The owner of the Jewels of Austria kiosk in the River Hills Malls has created a necklace that, for every piece sold, will raise $5 for the Southern Minnesota Autism Coalition.

She’s already ordered 1,300 of the silver necklaces that feature a puzzle piece pendant, which is a widely used symbol and metaphor for the mysterious nature of autism disorders. There are two versions of the pendant, one plain and one adorned with 30 crystals.

Rist, who along with her grandson’s parents, has searched tirelessly for programs and therapies to staunch, and even reverse, autism’s effects, said the necklace is a way to celebrate their victories.

She also said it’s a way to ensure more victories for other children with autism, a disorder that has incidence rates far higher than such afflictions as childhood cancers but still generates a fraction of the funding.

“People are so afraid of it,” Rist said of the disorder that caused her grandson to begin regressing developmentally at about age 2 to a point where he barely spoke and was prone to emotional and sometimes violent outbursts.

“People don’t want to look at and don’t want to touch it.”

Becky Fredericks, vice chairwoman of the Southern Minnesota Autism Coalition, said necklace proceeds will be used to help the fledgling group (formed in 2009) to continue gaining momentum as an autism resource throughout the region.

Fredericks said the coalition is having a members meeting Tuesday, and the main topic will be deciding on which projects to pursue in the upcoming year.

Last September, the coalition hosted renowned autism instructor Michelle Garcia Winner for a workshop and speaking event. In October, the group hosted its second WALKdo, an autism awareness walk that Fredericks said raised $13,000.

The group is also planning a date night for parents of autistic children in April in which they will provide child care so parents can enjoy some time together.

“Pat (Rist) is just awesome for helping us,” Fredericks said.

Fredericks added the coalition is considering the idea of offering grants to area counties to implement the SAFER program, which is a tracking bracelet that can be used by law enforcement to find children or adults who, for various reasons, may be prone to wandering.

The program is under way in Nicollet County where Sheriff Dave Lange said the Rist family first brought the idea to his attention. The tracking bracelets emit a radio frequency that can be tracked by a receiver.

Lange said the county paired a $2,500 grant with proceeds from his department’s forfeiture money to buy the necessary equipment and have officers trained. Lange said his officers were typically finding transmitters in fewer than 10 minutes during a training exercise in early February.

Lange said the whole program cost about $5,500.

“From my standpoint, that’s a whole lot cheaper” than conducting a long-term search, he said.

As for the necklace, Rist said she’s been selling it for only a matter of days, but it’s already receiving interest.

She took the necklace to a health, mind and body expo at the Minneapolis Convention Center at the end of February and has been in contact with several autism organizations. She’s also pursuing a number of awareness walks and workshop events.

“It’s about early detection and getting rid of that fear of the diagnosis,” said Rist, adding that the jewelry idea has been a family effort. “I’m serious about raising money for autism.”

Necklaces can be purchased at the Jewels of Austria kiosk in the River Hills Mall and will soon be available online at www.jewelsofaustria.com.

The Southern Minnesota Autism Coalition also will feature a link on its Web site, www.southernminnesotaautismcoalition.org.