The Michael & Laura Brader-Araje Foundation Gives $50,000 Grant to The Mariposa School Cary, N.C. Based School Provides One-On-One Instruction to Children With Autism Durham, N.C. - November 04, 2002 - The Michael & Laura Brader-Araje Foundation announced today that it has awarded its annual Spark Grant to the Mariposa School for Children with Autism. The Mariposa School, based in Cary, North Carolina, provides intensive, individualized instruction to children with autism, targeting the broad range of educational, behavioral, speech, social and motor dysfunctions that affect them. Cynthia Peters founded the Mariposa School in December 2000. Peters is the mother of a nine year-old son with autism. Her goal is to help children and their families deal with the challenges of autism. "I want people to know that autism is not a hopeless condition. There are very tangible changes that can be made with the right kind of treatment early on," explained Peters. "It is possible for these children to lead a functional life instead of being institutionalized." "Laura and I believe that our financial support and our personal involvement can have a genuine, positive impact on the school and the children it serves," said Michael Brader-Araje. "As part of our due diligence, we talked to parents of children with autism and saw the overwhelming challenges they face. We want to do whatever we can to make those challenges a little less daunting." "The Mariposa School helps fill a tremendous need for these families," said Laura Brader-Araje. "It not only meets an educational need, but also provides a valuable support network to help these children and families deal with the realities of autism." In addition to financial assistance, the Foundation will provide support and resources to facilitate business planning, budgeting, additional fund-raising, and the creation of an outreach program. Michael Brader-Araje will also join the school's board of directors. About Autism According to the Autism Society of America (ASA), autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life. The ASA explains that autism is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the brain, and that its associated behaviors have been estimated to occur in as many as 2 to 6 in 1,000 individuals. ASA also estimates that autism is four times more prevalent in boys than girls and knows no racial, ethnic, or social boundaries. More information on autism can be found at www.autism-society.org. About The Michael & Laura Brader-Araje Foundation The Michael & Laura Brader-Araje Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life for the people of North Carolina. In an ongoing effort to enrich lives and expand opportunities, the Foundation supports innovative programs in North Carolina dedicated to children, education, health care, and women's rights. The Michael & Laura Brader-Araje Foundation views each grant as an investment in social change. Striving to maximize the effectiveness of each philanthropic investment, the Foundation seeks innovative ideas with the potential to stimulate change and make a lasting impact. The Spark Grant is an annual $50,000 grant awarded to serve as a fundraising impetus for the creation of a new organization or program designed to promote and support social causes. A different area of interest is targeted each year. The Foundation seeks imaginative proposals and will evaluate on the basis of promise to make a positive impact, to be replicable, and to serve as a spark for long-term change. The Foundation takes a particular interest in ideas that have the potential to grow beyond the local level and become a national influence. More information is available at www.brader-araje.org. About The Mariposa School The Mariposa School, based in Cary, North Carolina, provides intensive, individualized instruction to children with autism, targeting the broad range of educational, behavioral, speech, social and motor dysfunctions that affect them. The teaching methodology employed has been scientifically validated and is based on the principles of behavior analysis. There is intensive one-on-one interaction between student and instructor to provide continuous opportunities for the student to learn new skills throughout the day. In addition, students spend some time each day involved with group activities. As part of the individualized plan for each student, opportunities are also created to teach students how to interact with typical peers in order to acquire, practice and generalize appropriate social behaviors. The goal for students is to learn to communicate effectively, become increasingly independent, interact appropriately with others, and enjoy their learning experiences. More information on the school is available at www.MariposaSchool.org. ### Contact: Cynthia Peters The Mariposa School mariposaschool@nc.rr.com 919-461-0600 Michael Brader-Araje The Michael & Laura Brader-Araje Foundation michael@brader-araje.org 919.806.4345