Home For Little Wanderers Receives $240K Grant To Support School Mental Health Services

SOMERVILLE, MA — The Home for Little Wanderers has been selected as one of 150 Massachusetts nonprofits to receive funding through Cummings Foundation's annual grant program.

The organization will receive $80,000 annually for three years, totaling $240,000, after being chosen from a record field of 959 applicants. The funding is part of Cummings Foundation's $35 million grant initiative supporting nonprofits across Greater Boston.

Officials said the grant will support The Home's in-school mental health services in Somerville and nine other communities across the North Shore and Greater Boston region. The program partners with local school districts to provide assessment, treatment, consultation and prevention services for students facing emotional, behavioral, developmental and academic challenges.

The Home for Little Wanderers works with children and young adults from birth to age 26 through community-based and residential programs. Founded in 1799, the organization is the nation's oldest child welfare agency and serves thousands of young people and families each year through behavioral health, foster care, adoption, education and residential programs.

Clinicians working through the school-based program help connect students and families with additional resources, including medication evaluations and psychological and neuropsychological testing when needed.

"The need for children's mental health services continues to grow, with one in five young people experiencing a mental health disorder, yet far too many still do not receive the care they need," said Lesli Suggs, president and CEO of The Home for Little Wanderers. "Thanks to the support of the Cummings Foundation and our generous donors, we're able to bring services directly into schools, making it easier for children to access the help and support they need to thrive."

The Home for Little Wanderers operates more than 35 programs designed to support children and families experiencing challenges including trauma, violence, family instability and behavioral health concerns. The organization said its services help young people build stability, strengthen relationships and achieve positive long-term outcomes.

This year, Woburn-based Cummings Foundation increased its annual grant program from $30 million to $35 million and shifted to unrestricted funding, allowing recipient organizations greater flexibility in how grant dollars are used.

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

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