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Support Riverview

Since Riverview School’s founding in 1957, we have worked to build a one-of-a-kind educational experience for students with complex learning challenges. Each year, in every area of student development: classroom, extracurricular, and residential life,  Riverview staff are dedicated to individualized education, and innovation. At each step in our evolution, Riverview School has relied on the extended Riverview family to support the needs of the school and foster new ideas and new directions, with philanthropic support in 3 key areas: Annual Fund, our spring Village of Dreams Gala, and strategic Capital Campaigns.

Each of these giving areas has a special purpose, and each has been instrumental in Riverview School becoming a nationally recognized center of excellence, where generations of students can experience life-changing growth.

Annual Fund

At Riverview it is our priority to provide programming and services to our students, parents, siblings and alumni in environments that encourage and promote the growth of the WHOLE family. In recent years, we have utilized our Annual Fund to innovate and develop many new programs in areas such as wellness, nutrition, and the arts. Our most recent innovation is a comprehensive Family Education and Support program focused on:

• New Family Support Programing
• Family Education Series
• Final Year GROW Mentorship
• Alumni Support

None of this would be possible without the ongoing success of our Annual Fund and the leadership of our engaged community.

Last year, our efforts to expand participation in our Annual Fund increased exponentially. This increase is a direct result of the committed and passionate effort of our community. This year we want to keep the momentum going to reach our goal of 100%.

To donate to Riverview’s Annual Fund online, click here.

To send a donation via mail, please address to
Riverview School
Attention: Advancement Office
551 Route 6A,
East Sandwich MA 02537

Village of Dreams Gala

Riverview’s Village of Dreams Gala Continues to Break Records; Fund-A-Dream Paddle Raise This Year Will Support Staff Development!

On Friday, June 14th, Riverview School welcomed nearly 400 people to our annual Village of Dreams Gala. At Riverview, we provide exceptional programming for our students, and a key component of this is recruiting, developing, and retaining a dedicated and passionate staff. To this end, our 2024 Fund-A-Dream was focused on raising funds to invest in staff development. With ever-developing advancements in the educational world, this Fund-A-Dream will help Riverview remain at the forefront of educating students who learn differently. 

The Gala and auction took place under an open-air tent, located in the center of the Riverview campus on the MC Greene Field. This annual event continues to set records, with the 2024 event raising over $1.4 million! 

Prior to the start of the evening’s events, attendees mingled with family, friends, and Riverview staff, and were treated to a lively cocktail hour. Guests were welcome to take part in the ever-favorite wine toss, visit the floral-themed photo booth, and even had the chance to enter the diamond raffle to win a stunning sapphire and diamond necklace. Supporters enjoyed bidding on the many exciting silent auction items on display, ranging from fine art, dining outings, and entertainment experiences, to one-of-a-kind Riverview-specific items and luxury destinations. At the live auction (a staple of the event) guests raised their bidding paddles for some of the more expansive packages, including lavish trips overseas to destinations such as Paris, Greece, Anguilla, and Italy.  

At the start of the event’s proceedings, a student band aptly named: Rock On! took the stage as guests migrated to their designated dinner tables. Once seated, attendees were welcomed by Head of School Stewart Miller, who spoke about the gala, as well as the strength of Riverview’s staff. 

Every year, the Gala honors a “Dream Maker,” a person who exemplifies the Riverview ideology and gives back to the community in ways that are hard to quantify. This year, the award was presented to Attorney and former chair of the ARC of the United States and the ARC of Massachusettes, Fred Misilo. Fred is a trust and estate attorney with over 35 years of experience working for clients with complex needs, and has worked with countless Riverview families and guided them through the “what comes next?” process. 

Rounding out the evening was the Fund-A-Dream paddle raise, which kicked off with an inspired staff-focused video to showcase the direct impact that supporting our staff will have on Riverview’s programs. Pre-pledged donations, including $100 from the student body (raised by the student government), brought out the best in donors across the event, culminating in over $500,000 raised for staff development!

It truly takes a village, and the Gala could not have been made possible without the dedication of the 40+ person committee, led by Gala Chair Linda Ledoux and Gala Co-Chair Barb Noble, hard-working volunteers (many of whom are Riverview staff), talented vendors and partners, and the immense generosity of Riverview School’s devoted sponsors and donors. We thank everyone who was able to support this event, whether they were under the tent, or donating from afar!

Campaign for Wellness

Capital Campaigns at Riverview support growth in both Programming and state-of-the art facilities. Our most recent Campaign for Wellness has allowed us to build our game-changing Cohen Center for Fitness and Recreation, that incorporates integrated wellness programming into the fabric of daily life, including programs that teach healthy eating and wellness habits that will impact quality-of-life long after graduation. This past spring, we opened a state-of-the-art Nutrition Cooking Center which allows our students to cook, prep and learn in a for a truly hands on classroom setting. In October of 2022, we officially broke ground on the final phase of our Campaign for Wellness as we began construction of a brand new outdoor turf field and rubber track to replace the old Davis Field. Expected completion is scheduled for Spring 2023.

Before Wellness, our Capital Campaigns have helped in many ways including: prioritizing music and the arts programming in our James Center, the growth and expansion of our postsecondary GROW program, and many of the other things that have become essential to the Riverview Community experience.

Capital Campaigns are always big, but their impact on the Riverview culture as a whole is even bigger.

FAQs

What does the Annual Fund support?

Riverview’s Annual Fund provides unrestricted money for programs and experiences for our students and faculty. It allows for our Riverview community to engage in a dynamic and enriching curriculum for each and every one of our students.

Money raised through the Annual Fund is also used to fund the greatest need at any given time. In many ways, the annual fund funnels programming and enrichment through every aspect of a student’s experience here at Riverview.

Why, outside of tuition, is additional money needed?

As with many Independent schools, tuition does not cover all of the annual operating expenses for the school. Riverview relies greatly on bridging the gap between tuition and our annual operating costs. It helps to provide program enhancements and continued innovation.

Why is 100% Parent Participation important?

We hope and encourage each of our Riverview families to consider Riverview a philanthropic priority for their family.

Your participation is a vote of confidence in all that we do. Your gift helps to advance our mission to empower our faculty and students to build the strongest path towards success. It allows us to innovate and utilize new strategies to deliver individualized programming for each of our students.

What is our goal?

The primary goal of Riverview’s annual fund is to bridge the gap between what tuition provides, and the cost it takes to execute a top notch Riverview Education. More specifically, Riverview relies on raising at least $650,000- $700,000 annually in order to support the budgetary needs of the school.

How much should I give?

Individual gifts can range from anywhere between $25-$50,000. The average gift of a parent is $2,000. At Riverview we believe if everyone gives as generously as possible, for their current financial situation, then we can collectively reach our goals.

What are the dates for the Annual Fund?

Our annual fund runs July 1- June 30th, but our primary fundraising efforts for the annual fund typically runs September- December.

Are gifts to the Annual Fund tax-deductible?

Yes. Gifts to Riverview’s annual fund is considered a charitable donation and can be fully deducted within IRS regulatory limits. Please note that event tickets and raffles are not tax-deductible.

Are matching gifts important?

Yes! Many companies and employers offer charitable match donations for employees. Please contact your Human Resource department to see if your company has a matching gift program. You will receive donor credit for both the original gift and the amount of the match. Every dollar counts!

A Video Library About Giving At Riverview
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