$75K Beverly Grant To Support City's Summer Literacy Program

BEVERLY, MA — A $75,000 Cummings Foundation grant will go to support the Building a Better Beverly summer literacy program.

The Beverly-based organization was among 150 Greater Boston nonprofits to share in $150 million in this year's rewards.

The Building a Better Beverly program serves up to 180 elementary-level students who are reading at below grade level and need literacy support to succeed academically.

"The program makes a huge difference each summer for younger kids who need support learning to read," said Beverly Mayor Mike Cahill, who established the program in 2015. "We're honored to receive this three-year grant that will make a real difference for our youngest readers."

The Cummings $30 Million Grant Program primarily supports Massachusetts nonprofits that are based in and serve Middlesex, Essex, and Suffolk counties.

The Cummings Foundation aims to give back in the areas where it owns commercial property.

"The way the local nonprofit sector perseveres, steps up, and pivots to meet the shifting needs of the community is most impressive," Cummings Foundation Executive Director Joyce Vyriotes said. "We are incredibly grateful for these tireless efforts to support people in the community and to increase equity and access to opportunities."

The majority of the grant decisions were made by about 90 volunteers. Among these community volunteers were business and nonprofit leaders, mayors, college presidents, and experts in areas such as finance and diversity, equity and inclusion.

This year's grant recipients represent a wide variety of causes, including housing and food insecurity, workforce development, immigrant services, social justice, education, and mental health services.

The nonprofits are spread across 46 different cities and towns in Eastern Massachusetts.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)