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Rich Center receives gift
YOUNGSTOWN
A $5,000 gift to the Rich Center for Autism from Ronald McDonald House Charities of Mahoning Valley & Western Pennsylvania will be used to offset expenses associated with the autism agency’s summer-school and teen summer-enrichment programs.
Ronald McDonald House Charities presented the check Thursday to Rich Center officials at the agency’s facility in Youngstown State University’s Fedor Hall.
“This gift is particularly special because Ronald McDonald House Charities cares for kids and families, and so do we,” said Phyllis Ricchiuti, a Rich Center co-founder.
“The inclusion of summer programs for children with autism offers them the opportunity to develop social skills and patterns of behavior which is more consistent with their peers and which are typically limited during the school year,” said Lita Townsend, center development director.
The teen-enrichment program attracts 15 to 20 students, and most of the 70 younger children attend the summer school, Townsend added.
“The generosity of Ronald McDonald House Charities allows us to continue our mission of improving the lives of individuals with autism and their families,” said J. Georgia Backus, the center’s executive director.
“The summer season is a prime time to expose children with ASDs [Autism Spectrum Disorders] to new activities while teaching them valuable lessons which aid in developing their social skills and show them the importance of volunteering.”
“Every one of these individuals has a different need, which is met every day in this family-centered school, which offers hope and treats each student and parent with dignity and respect,” said Herb Washington, the entrepreneur who owns most of the area McDonald’s franchises, and who is director of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Mahoning Valley & Western Pennsylvania.