L-R: Mary Tiernan, CFRE, Senior Vice President, Philanthropy at May Institute; Todd J. Drager, Assistant Vice President at Eastern Insurance Group LLC; Ivy Chong, Ph.D., BCBA-D, M.B.A., Senior Vice President, Home, School, and Center-based Services at May Institute

May Institute Receives $10,000 Grant from Eastern Bank to Enrich Early Childhood Development for Children with Autism

10/21/19

Randolph, Mass., – May Institute, a national nonprofit organization that serves individuals across the lifespan with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other special needs, has received a $10,000 Grant for Good from Eastern Bank, America’s oldest and largest mutual bank.

Eastern Bank is providing more than $1 million in grants to 50 organizations working to enrich early childhood development and strengthen program options for children and their families across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. These grants offer support in four critical areas: achieving early learning quality standards, strengthening parent engagement, supporting professional development for educators, and upgrading early learning facilities and supplies. 

Expansive research shows that early intensive behavioral intervention, such as that offered by the May Centers for ABA Services, has the best prognosis and fosters success for children diagnosed with ASD. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services in these centers target the core characteristics of autism through interventions that focus on communication, social, play, and daily living skills. The centers tailor instruction to be developmentally appropriate for early learners and use materials, toys, and activities that are preferred by the child and family to reinforce learning and pro-social behaviors. 

“We are grateful to be a recipient of one of Eastern Bank’s ‘Grants for Good,’” said Ivy Chong, Ph.D., BCBA-D, M.B.A., May Institute’s Senior Vice President for Home, School, and Center-based Services. “The funding will be used for high quality technology tools, such as iPads, as well as technical assistance and parent training materials. This grant will help us facilitate one-on-one work on the language development, communication skills, and educational goals of our students who attend May Centers for ABA in Randolph and Wilmington, Mass.”

“Providing every child with an equal opportunity for a bright future is a basic right,” said Bob Rivers, Chair and CEO of Eastern Bank. “By supporting organizations that assist parents and caregivers and prepare children to be ready to learn and succeed, we are helping to create the foundation children need to thrive.”

About Eastern Bank
Founded in 1818, Boston-based Eastern Bank is America’s oldest and largest mutual bank, with over $11 billion in assets and more than 115 locations serving communities in eastern Massachusetts, southern and coastal New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. Eastern provides exceptional access to fairly priced banking, investment and insurance products and services for consumers and businesses of all sizes. Eastern Bank, which includes Eastern Wealth Management and Eastern Insurance, is known for its outspoken advocacy and community support that has exceeded more than $140 million in charitable giving since 1999. An inclusive company, Eastern employs 1,900+ deeply committed professionals who value relationships with their customers, colleagues, and communities. Join us for good at www.easternbank.comand follow Eastern on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

About May Institute
May Institute is a nonprofit organization that is a national leader in the field of applied behavior analysis, serving individuals with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities, brain injury and neurobehavioral disorders, and other special needs. Founded more than 60 years ago, we provide a wide range of exceptional educational and rehabilitative services across the lifespan. For more information, call 800.778.7601 or visit www.mayinstitute.org.