DELRAY BEACH, FL / ACCESSWIRE / March 8, 2023 / Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects social communication and behavior. It is referred to as a spectrum disorder because it can range from mild to severe and affect each person differently. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 1 in 44 children in the United States is affected by ASD. While some children with ASD may show milder symptoms as they grow older, ASD is typically a lifelong condition. Therefore, early and intensive intervention is critical to helping them reach their developmental potential.
As of the time of writing, Max Options Trading, an options trading consultancy, has raised $23,837 to benefit The Learning Center at The Els Center of Excellence. The Learning Center is a nonprofit, tuition-free, charter school in Palm Beach County. The donations secured from the Max Options Trading fundraiser will be used to supplement the budget shortage faced by the school and will help to provide much-needed specialized services to its 150 students from Pre-K to Grade 8 with ASD.
Speaking about the fundraiser, Max Heane, the founder of Max Options Trading, stated, "Our children's future depends on available funds as therapies and special instructions are vital to their growth of progress. Every dollar we can raise means a much-needed academic, speech-language, occupational therapy, or physical therapy session." He believes that "you can be the voice" that helps to empower children with autism by taking positive action within your sphere of social influence.
Funding Struggles Threaten Access
Educational institutions such as The Learning Center can have a large impact on the quality of life of children with autism by providing services and support tailored to their unique needs. Children with autism typically have difficulty in a traditional school environment due to sensory sensitivities, social challenges, or behavioral issues and can find it hard or impossible to learn in a traditional classroom setting.
In contrast, autism-focused schools offer specialized curriculums and a range of teaching methods, as well as key therapies, including speech therapy, occupational therapy, and behavioral therapy. Access to these therapies on-site makes it easier for children with autism and their parents to receive the support they require and allows educators to integrate learning with therapy.
Unfortunately, these educational institutions often have trouble sourcing the funding that they need to achieve their important mission. At The Learning Center, the cost per student is $36,579 per year. Yet, they only receive $26,000 of Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) funding. This equates to a budget shortfall of $10,579 for each student. To provide quality education to all its students, the school must make up a shortage of over $1.5 million each year.
Contributing to #Lovefor150
#LoveFor150 is a fundraising and advocacy campaign by The Learning Center to honor and celebrate its 150 students. It aims to allow families to share their unique experiences and for the community to show their collective support for these children. Many events will be held as part of the #LoveFor150 campaign, including a nautical-themed fundraising dinner and a dance dubbed A Million Dreams - A Shared Journey of Our 150.
As part of #LoveFor150, Max Options Trading launched a GoFundMe page for The Learning Center and published an impassioned appeal on their social media channels to encourage their followers to donate. The company offered a generous lifetime membership to their exclusive consultancy community for a $200 donation-a privilege that usually costs three times as much. While the initial goal was merely to help the school fund one student, an influx of donors and traders who hopped on the deal of a lifetime helped to raise far more than that.
Grant Funding a Long-Term Goal
While seeking donations from social media supporters and the options trading community has been highly successful for Max Options Trading, founder Heaney states that the eventual goal is to generate enough income to help The Learning Center hire a professional grant writer. This will allow the school to secure grant funding from the government or other sources to help fund the day-to-day operations and student budgets.
Because applying for grants is an extremely complicated and competitive process, schools must invest a large amount of time and resources into developing a strong grant proposal. Having a professional grant writer on the team will allow the school staff to keep focusing their efforts on providing the best possible education for students with ASD. Until this goal is fulfilled, essential schools like The Learning Center will need to rely on the efforts of parents and organizations such as Max Options Trading to continue to serve the community.
About Max Options Trading
Max Options Trading was founded in February 2020 by Max Heaney, a renowned trader who grew his portfolio from $35,000 to over $1,000,000 in only 2 years. The company focuses on community building and education. With their team of professional options traders, Max Options Trading provides professional coaching and effective investment education to help community members achieve financial freedom.
To donate to the Max Options Trading fundraiser for The Learning Center, visit the GoFundMe page at gofundme.com/f/help-a-child-with-autism-for-better-education
To know more about Max Options Trading and their services, visit their website at maxoptionstrading.com.
Media Contact:
Company: Max Options Trading
Phone: 503-308-8897
Email: [email protected]
Website: MaxOptionsTrading.com
SOURCE: Max Options Trading