Dear Friend,
There’s a profound truth that guides everything we do at McCarton Center Bronx: the first 36 months of a child’s life lay the foundation for nearly 80% of their brain development. During this amazing period, a child’s brain forms over one million neural connections every single second. For children with autism, these early moments are not just critical—they are everything.
Early intervention (treatment and therapies before the age of three) can mean the difference between a future filled with possibilities or one limited by missed opportunities. Research shows that when children with autism receive support during these pivotal years, they build essential skills they need to communicate, connect, and thrive. They learn to navigate a world that often feels overwhelming, unlocking doors to independence and joy.
At McCarton Center Bronx, we witness this transformation firsthand. Since we opened in 2018, our exceptional team has delivered life-changing services to over 1,800 children, each with their own story, their own challenges, and their own incredible potential. Every day we see children who once struggled to express themselves sharing their thoughts and feelings with confidence, families who felt isolated finding community and hope.
But here is something else we see: too many children in the Bronx are still waiting. Waiting for services that could change the rest of their lives. Waiting while their most important developmental windows close. There simply are not enough centers or providers in their communities to meet the overwhelming need. That is why we have been expanding—opening new classrooms, bringing on passionate educators and therapists, and reimagining our programs to serve more families. By spring of 2025, we are poised to welcome 100 additional children into our community, increasing our program’s impact to nearly 400 children each year.
Yet, recent challenges with the state’s new system for managing early intervention services have created unforeseen obstacles, disrupting processes and stretching resources thin. These are temporary setbacks, but they underscore an urgent truth: we cannot do this alone.
Here is where we can make a difference together. This Giving Tuesday, two of our most generous donors have pledged to match every donation we receive—dollar for dollar. That means your gift will have twice the impact, bringing us closer to reaching more children in need. Your generosity can have an immediate, profound impact:
- $25 provides art supplies for a classroom, giving children a means to express themselves and explore their creativity.
- $50 equips our therapists with sensory and speech tools, which could be the key to unlocking their first words.
- $200 funds a family resource workshop, empowering parents with strategies to support their child’s growth at home.
- $500 trains a new therapist in the latest evidence-based interventions, expanding our ability to reach more children.
- $1,000 provides the educational supplies for an entire classroom, impacting multiple children with continuous support and care.
I am reaching out to you—not just as a supporter, but as someone who shares our belief in the potential within every child. Your donation, no matter the size, is a beacon of hope for families who need it most.
So let’s come together on this Giving Tuesday to turn challenges into opportunities, to transform waiting lists into classrooms filled with laughter and learning, and to write a new chapter of possibility for the children of the Bronx.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Cecelia McCarton, M.D.
Founder, McCarton Foundation
