A struggling charity that issued a plea for help this month in The Royal Gazette has since been “inundated” with calls of support.

Allison Figureido, the founder and director of BSMART Foundation, said yesterday she had held meetings with accountants, a marketing specialist, a lawyer and another charity since the article appeared on April 14.

“I’ve been inundated with calls of support, meetings and such,” she said. “There are a lot of people coming out of the woodwork. The response has been encouraging.”

The former public school teacher received an email from a past student at Heron Bay Primary School, who told her: “You were such an amazing teacher to me and both of my brothers and we will always remember you for that. Please let me know how/what we can do to contribute to the BSMART Foundation.”

Ms Figureido said: “I taught this entire family. Haven’t heard from them in years and it is so amazing that they got in touch. This is just an example of the messages of support we have received.”

BSMART focuses on developing children’s brains, running an after-school programme, camps and an infant playgroup. It receives no funding from the Bermuda Government and runs solely on donations.

Ms Figureido runs the charity alone but believes she could do much more if she could hire and train staff in the SMART developmental approach, an American-based programme that focuses on stimulating children’s brainstems as opposed to the brain cortex.

Since our article, she has met twice with Sheelagh Cooper, from the Coalition for the Protection of Children, about a potential collaboration.

Ms Cooper told this newspaper: “She is amazing. It’s such a great service and we are so grateful that she is providing that very specialised service to children who have some challenges, neurologically or psychologically, and who have learning differences, because that’s such a key service to provide when children are still young.

“We will be partnering with them in a number of different ways. I was just so glad to see that she’s getting the attention that she really needs in order to get the funding.

“It’s been difficult for her. I am sure once people see what she’s doing she will have the kind of support she needs.”

Ms Figureido trained in the SMART technique in Minneapolis, at a teacher-training centre run by the A Chance to Grow non-profit organisation.

Nancy Farnham, the director of the programme, said she stood out among some 5,000-plus educators who had trained there because of her “absolute enthusiasm and innate understanding on how to apply the neurophysiological information and techniques to help children attain their maximum potential”.

“Not only did Allison stay in close contact with us after leaving the Minneapolis workshop, she set to work immediately on getting the SMART programme off the ground in Bermuda and informing parents, educators and other stakeholders about how the SMART techniques could make a difference in the social and academic lives of children across the island,” Ms Farnham said.

“But she didn’t stop there, she raised funds to bring three of us to Bermuda to do additional training for herself and others and also has returned to Minneapolis for additional workshops to deepen her understanding of SMART and techniques.

“Her programme is the single one worldwide that ACTG has designated as a certified SMART programme.

“Her commitment to children and increasing their abilities is without comparison.

“Allison is a unique educator who often puts her own needs, even health, on the back burner in order to help children across Bermuda.”

Arch Re held a denim day after our article appeared, providing match funding for the money raised by staff, and students from Saltus Grammar School and the Berkeley Institute volunteered their services.

Ms Figureido said: “In addition to many calls of support from people offering their skill sets and professional services, we have also had individuals who have donated funds to assist us.

“Some individuals have made personal donations. Someone called about a donation of toys for the infants and also inquired about volunteering.”

She said members of the International Women’s Club of Bermuda began helping to reorganise the charity’s space in Cedar House, Cedar Avenue, before the article, describing them as an “army of angels”.

Ms Figureido also thanked all of BSMART’s donors for their much-appreciated support, including HSBC, Partner Re, Deloitte, Montpelier Re, Clarien Bank, Argo Foundation, FIL, Renaissance Re, Hiscox, Validus Re, Hamilton Re, Appleby, Markel Corp, Arch Re, Bermuda Virtual Tours and Kim’s List.

• Contact BSMART on 295-6909 or bsmartbermuda@gmail.com