RCS LEARNING CENTER RECEIVES EIGHTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS FROM MIDDLESEX SAVINGS CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

Natick, Mass., July 18, 2017 – RCS Learning Center today announced it received a $18,389.00 grant awarded by the Middlesex Savings Charitable Foundation for the 2018 fiscal year. The support will allow RCS Learning Center to provide 1 to 1 access to technology for each student. Thus, ensuring the appropriate technological advances are available to every student to support their academic, vocational, and daily living needs.

RCS Learning Center will be adding iPads, supporting software programs, educational applications, and protective cases to provide the 1 to 1 access to technology that will allow for an increase in effectiveness of providing the highest quality of individualized programming for each student.

“For individuals with autism, access to technology can improve their communication, assist in the development of social skills, and aid the development of self-help and vocational skills.,” said Dr. Christina King, RCS Learning Center’s Executive Managing Director and Chief of Research and Application for Realizing Children’s Strengths. “Several students within our school are non-verbal with a limited ability to communicate with others. The iPad is an invaluable resource to provide them with an alternative way to communicate.”

RCS Learning Center is a nonprofit organization serving families and 26 school districts within Massachusetts providing the highest quality of individualized behavioral and educational research and services for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other developmental disabilities. RCS Learning Center prides itself in the unique qualities of the educational & behavioral services provided and with a vision to remain the leader with intensive and individualized programming in a 1:1 staff to student ratio.  The implementation of a 1 to 1 technology program supports this goal. Local residents can see how the Middlesex Savings Charitable Foundation grant and local funds are benefiting the RCS Learning Center by visiting us at www.rcslearning.org.

“Middlesex Savings Bank has always cared deeply about the communities we serve,” said Dana Neshe, president of the Middlesex Savings Charitable Foundation. “Through the Foundation grants, we are able to provide support to the people and organizations who work the hardest to both solve problems and create opportunities for our neighbors. We are pleased to support RCS Learning Center this year with the awarded grant.”

About the Middlesex Savings Charitable Foundation

The Foundation was established in 2000 to carry out further the philanthropic mission of Middlesex Savings Bank by supporting the communities served by the Bank. Since its creation, the Foundation has provided more than $4 million in grants to over 400 nonprofit organizations, supporting services, and programs in a wide variety of fields, including education, and basic human services. Since the inception of the Foundation, Middlesex Savings Bank has funded the endowment with over $15 million in contributions. More information available at https://www.middlesexbank.com/community-and-us/community-support/Pages/charitable-foundation.aspx.

About Middlesex Savings Bank

Middlesex Savings Bank, founded in 1835 and headquartered in Natick, Mass., is a mutual savings bank. As one of the largest independent banks in Massachusetts with assets exceeding $4 billion, the bank has been committed to providing outstanding value in consumer banking and business banking products for 180 years. The FDIC and DIF insured bank has 30 branch offices located in 24 communities – Acton, Ashland, Bedford, Bellingham, Boxborough, Concord, Framingham, Franklin, Groton, Holliston, Hopkinton, Littleton, Maynard, Medfield, Medway, Millis, Natick, Needham, Sherborn, Southborough, Sudbury, Walpole, Wayland, Wellesley, an Westford. For more information, please visit www.middlesexbank.comwww.facebook.com/connectwithmsb and www.twitter.com/middlesexbank.

About Realizing Children’s Strengths (RCS) Learning Center

Realizing Children’s Strengths (RCS) Learning Center is a not-for-profit organization and global leader whose mission is to provide the highest quality of individualized behavioral and educational research and services for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other developmental disabilities. Founders Denise Rizzo-Ranieri and Louis Ranieri combined their many years of successful behavioral and educational consulting with a leading team of experts and over a decade-ago developed the Natick school that exceeds the standards for teaching students with autism effectively through intensive, quality 1:1 interactive education. The RCS team believes every child has unique skills and they are dedicated to helping each child develop these skills and reach their full potential with an intensive staffing and supervision structure which enables the highest quality of comprehensive and individualized programming and services tailored to meet every student’s needs. Realizing Children’s Strengths, which currently serves 45 RCS Learning Center students, also provides unique training environments with a continued focus on developing vocational skills training through real-world job training on site and at partner locations. Highly respected industry leaders with award-winning services, RCS Learning Center is based in Natick, MA and is a 501c3b non-profit. More information is available at www.rcslearning.orghttps://www.facebook.com/rcslearningcenter and https://twitter.com/RCSLearnCenter