Spectrum Charter School in Monroeville raises more than $4K for autism organization
Spectrum Charter School in Monroeville exceeded its $ fundraising goal Friday to benefit a national organization aimed at helping those with autism.
The school raised more than $4,000 for the Pittsburgh chapter of Autism Speaks and celebrated with a small event. The money was presented to the organization on an oversized check during an event where students and staff dressed in costumes for Halloween, participated in activities and walked around the property.
The walk, approximately one mile, was meant to raise awareness for autism.
It meant the world to the organization’s Pittsburgh chapter, which was forced to hold online fundraisers amid rising cases of covid-19 in the fall months. Laura McCurdy, the organization’s senior manager of field development, said fundraising goals are down by as much as 60% nationally.
“But the need has increased something like 116%,” she said while cheering on students who walked around the property on a cold, drab day. “Autism didn’t take a pause.”
Neither have parents.
Anita Martinelli-Land of Penn Hills said her son, Jake Pollock, 17, waited two years before enrolling in the public charter school aimed at focused education for students with intellectual disabilities. Martinelli-Land said she received support and help from Autism Speaks when Pollock was younger. He is now in his third year with the school, and it has been great, she said.
“Penn Hills School District has a good special-education program, but it’s not as pinpointed and focused as it is here,” she said. “It’s been wonderful.”
So when she heard about the school’s fundraiser for Autism Speaks – an organization she has used for support with her son – the duo decided to work hard to raise as much money as they could.
In two weeks, Martinelli-Land said they raised around $1,000.
“The main thing I wanted to support is (Autism Speaks’) research. What they find won’t really help Jake, but it’ll help others in the future. I also like that they help so much with the transition into adulthood,” Martinelli-Land said.
Gail Yamnitzky, Spectrum’s principal and CEO, said the school chose Autism Speaks because of the organization’s work with families who care for children who are on the autism spectrum. And as a school that educates 33 students with special needs, most of whom have been diagnosed with autism, it seemed like the right fit.
Christina Venturini, the school’s transition coordinator assistant, said she decided to help spearhead the fundraiser. She said they initially set out to raise $500.
The check presented to Autism Speaks had an amount of $3,941.20 written on it. But she said the school received more donations during the event that nudgeed the total to more than $4,000.
“It’s been amazing,” Venturini said.
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