Melrose Nonprofit Awarded $45K Cummings Foundation Grant

MELROSE, MA — A nonprofit has been selected to receive funding through one of Greater Boston's largest charitable grant programs.

The Foster Box was awarded a $45,000 grant from Cummings Foundation as part of the foundation's annual $35 million grant program. The organization was one of 150 nonprofits selected through the competitive process, which drew a record 959 applicants this year.

Founded in 2016, The Foster Box provides clothing, diapers, baby gear, hygiene products, school supplies and other essentials to children entering foster care throughout Greater Boston. Working with the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families and other partners, the nonprofit helps equip foster families with supplies needed shortly after a child is placed in their home. The unrestricted grant will be distributed over three years.

"Our mission has always been to remove barriers for foster families during what is often a stressful and unexpected transition," the organization said in announcing the award. The nonprofit said the funding will help expand its ability to serve children and foster families across the region.

This year, the Woburn-based Cummings Foundation increased its annual grant program from $30 million to $35 million while shifting to a fully unrestricted funding model, allowing recipients to determine how grant dollars are used. "Nonprofit professionals are closest to the challenges facing their communities, making them best positioned to determine where and how new funds will drive the greatest impact," Cummings Foundation Executive Director and Trustee Joyce Vyriotes said. "By providing increased, flexible funding, we hope to strengthen organizations' long-term stability and help them respond to evolving community needs."

The Foster Box has previously received support through the foundation's Cummings Community Giving program, which allows Cummings Properties employees to direct charitable donations to nonprofits in the communities where they live and work. The organization has also received funding from several other local foundations as it has expanded its services over the past decade.

The annual grant program supports nonprofits serving Middlesex, Essex and Suffolk counties, along with Brookline, Dedham, Milton, Needham, Quincy and Wellesley. This year's recipients represent organizations focused on issues ranging from food insecurity and housing to education, healthcare, mental health services, immigrant support and youth programming.

Since its founding, Cummings Foundation has awarded more than $650 million to Greater Boston nonprofits.

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