Newton Nonprofit Surprised With $1,000

From Cummings Properties:

December 6 2019

Newton nonprofit surprised with $1,000 through Cummings Community Giving

Cummings Properties employees choose local charities for $553,000 in donations

NEWTON, December 6, 2019 – Newton nonprofit The Carroll Center for the Blind received a little something extra this holiday season: $1,000 in funding from Cummings Properties’ Cummings Community Giving program. This annual philanthropic initiative invites employees to select a local charity to receive a $1,000 donation in their honor.

In total, the Woburn-based commercial real estate firm donated $553,000 to hundreds of local nonprofit organizations.

Cummings employees directed funds to 365 nonprofits in 102 local cities and towns. Now in its eighth year, the program is designed to give back in the areas where Cummings Properties team members live and work.

“One meaningful aspect of the program is that it is a broad company-wide initiative yet also deeply personal,” said Dennis Clarke, Cummings Properties chairman and CEO. “All colleagues—whether they were hired yesterday or 40 years ago—have the chance to make an individual decision that helps a local cause that matters greatly to each of them.”

Cummings Properties business development officer Michelle Paul directed her $1,000 donation to The Carroll Center for the Blind, whose services enable individuals who are visually impaired to learn the skills required to be independent at home, school, and work.

“As someone with a family history of bad vision, I know firsthand the importance of early intervention,” said Paul. “The Carroll Center does great work for people facing a crisis, and I’m happy to know that my donation will help support educational programming for people with low vision and those who are newly blind.”

Each eligible organization can receive up to $5,000 per program cycle, allowing multiple staff members to choose the same nonprofit. This year, 15 recipients received the maximum $5,000 donation.

Cummings Community Giving is open to employees of Cummings Properties, as well as its affiliated retirement communities, New Horizons at Choate in Woburn and New Horizons at Marlborough. Colleagues with at least 10 years of seniority are invited to choose two nonprofits to receive $1,000 each. Selected nonprofits must meet a few eligibility requirements and be based in and serve Middlesex, Essex, or Suffolk County, or the city or town where the colleague lives.

The program was expanded in recent years to include longtime clients, Cummings Foundation volunteers, and other friends of the Cummings organization. These participants made their selections earlier in the year.

More information, including the complete 2019 Cummings Community Giving recipient list, is available at www.cummings.com/ccg.

Cummings Properties manages a portfolio of 10 million square feet of commercial space in 11 suburban communities north and west of Boston. Most of these properties are owned by Cummings Foundation, with 100 percent of all rental profits supporting hundreds of local charities. The Cummings organization awards $25 million annually to greater Boston nonprofits, and it has awarded more than $260 million to date. More information is available at www.cummings.com.

This press release was produced by Cummings Properties. The views expressed here are the author’s own.