It’s the Contribution That Makes Us Grow

Most of the time, the act of making a contribution itself will be a tremendous source of growth and will produce many unforeseen rewards. When Michey and Jon Singer began looking for a specialized school for their daughter, Rebecca, who has autistic tendencies, they had no idea where their search would lead them. While there were some great private schools doing impressive work close to where they live in New Jersey, they soon discovered that the best schools were small, with no space and impossibly long waiting lists.

Like any parents, the Singers wanted the best for their daughter. The county public schools tried hard, but a lack of resources relative to the demand for their services made it impossible for them to deliver the kind of programming and experience that the private schools offered. Private school officials, used to receiving emotional pleas several times a day from parents they couldn’t accommodate, shared the Singers’ frustration. They suggested that they would be willing to help if the couple wanted to raise money to try to start their own school.

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At that time, Rebecca was in a specialized public school program with 150 kids. The Singers began to think, if they raised enough money to start a school on the model of the other private schools, that would help Rebecca and maybe 20 or 30 other kids. But if they could raise more money, they could also help provide funds to private schools to expand their programs, improve facilities, and fund research—and, in doing so, help many more children and families.

To raise this extra money, they came up with the idea of the Drive for Rebecca. Their goal was to raise $10 million in an ongoing campaign that would begin with a drive across the country, because Rebecca loved to be in the car. En route from New York to California, with the help of many corporate and local sponsors, media, police, and many others who pitched in to make it all work, they increased awareness of autism through various events. Together with several other families, the Singers raised enough money to start the school, which they called the REED Academy, and to donate significant amounts to autism research and existing private school programs in New Jersey. They also had an incredible adventure, because one of the Singers’ rules in life is to have fun, whatever you’re doing. (Yes, if you’ve read ahead, that’s Law Six: Always make your enjoyment greater than your effort.) And they continue to raise money and have fun doing it.

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In 2004, a local car dealership lent the Singers a Maserati coupe in which to tour 20 stores that had agreed to hold fund-raising events for them in 24 hours. They raised more money, and Rebecca got to ride in “a rocket ship.” In her new school, Rebecca has made significant progress, which brings great joy to her parents and others who know her.

The reward that the Singers wanted was a place in a good school for Rebecca, but from the outset they planned to make a much bigger contribution because it seemed possible, and exciting, and the right thing to do, though they had never done anything like it before. Their big vision has attracted incredibly generous contributions of time, money, resources, and commitment from individuals and businesses alike, which continue to make bigger and bigger contributions to autism education and research possible.