Six years ago, then-five-year-old Bryce Clancy went on a tour that changed his life forever.

While doing a commercial for AFC Urgent Care in New Bedford, he was introduced to the Meeting Street’s Schwartz Center in Dartmouth —  a nonprofit that provides educational and therapeutic services for children with disabilities and special needs.

Since that tour, Clancy has hosted many fundraisers, making it his mission to ensure the school has all the resources it needs to help kids with disabilities become the best they can be.

“Meeting Street can really help them to be the best of their ability,” the now 11-year-old said. “They do a lot to help.”

Typically, Clancy co-hosts an annual radiothon from Sunrise Bakery on Dartmouth Street. Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and high transmission rates of the virus, this year’s Dartmouth-based event had to be cancelled.

But the lack of radiothon is not stopping Clancy from his continued fundraising efforts. 

Instead, he’s collecting online donations to coincide with the annual Meeting Street Telethon in Providence hosted by WPRI-12 on Feb. 5 at 7 p.m.

So far, the young philanthropist has raised $1,230 of his $2,000 goal.

“I love watching the numbers rise,” he said. “It shows how many people out there care and want to give to the kids’ success.”

What the Dartmouth youth especially likes about the fundraising is seeing how it impacts those who use the Schwartz Center’s services.

He’s even made what he hopes to be lifelong friendships with some of the students.

One of his closest friends has been fellow Dartmouth kid Brayden Garcia, who was diagnosed with Down syndrome and numerous health problems affecting his mobility.

When Garcia first began attending the Schwartz Center he was bound to a wheelchair. Now, Clancy said, his friend is starting to walk on his own and regularly communicates with people through the use of a tablet. 

“It’s been amazing watching his growth,” the 11-year-old said.

There’s even a button on Garcia’s tablet specifically used to address Clancy.

“It’s a real honor,” he said.

Clancy’s dedication to the school has also inspired his mother, Cheri Moorhouse, to begin working for Meeting Street as the Dartmouth location’s development officer.

“It kind of just came full circle,” she said with a smile.

Since the pandemic began, Moorhouse said while it’s taken some time to adapt, staff and students have been able to deal with any hurdles to ensure kids can continue to receive services.

“It’s been a challenge, but we’ll get over it and hopefully be stronger than ever,” she said. “That money goes a long way.”

To make a contribution toward the center, visit www.meetingstreet.org/give and click the designation “Bryce’s fund for the Schwartz School.” Donations will continue to be accepted after the telethon.