Healthy Waltham Awarded $100,000 Cummings Grant

Healthy Waltham is one of 140 non-profits to receive grants of $100,000 to $500,000 each through the Cummings Foundation’s $25 Million Grant Program. Healthy Waltham was chosen from among 590 applicants and will receive $100,000 over five years

Healthy Waltham, a non-profit that promotes health through nutrition education and mind-body wellness, has been serving the Waltham community since 2004. Most recently, the organization has focused on food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic and runs the city’s largest mobile food pantry serving over 1000 families multiple times per month.

The Cummings grant will be used to launch a new program called Healthy Habits=Healthy Waltham, an intensive, culturally sensitive, 8-week program that will empower low-income immigrant families to adopt a healthier lifestyle.

“We are thrilled to be awarded a grant by the Cummings Foundation,” said executive director Myriam Michel. “This grant allows us to get back to our roots in promoting health and well-being across the diverse and multi-cultural community that is Waltham.”

“Families will learn about their body’s daily nutritional needs and how to build and sustain healthy eating habits, as well as discover the long-term positive effects of healthful foods,” said Ann Callahan, Healthy Waltham’s wellness manager who will run the program. “We will also explore the many genres of movement: stretching, Zumba/dance, and discover simple active family games to do at home.”

Elements of the Healthy Habits=Healthy Waltham program will also be introduced at Healthy Waltham’s food pantries.

The Cummings $25 Million Grant Program supports Massachusetts nonprofits that are based in and primarily serve Middlesex, Essex and Suffolk counties. Through this place-based initiative, Cummings Foundation aims to give back in the area where it owns commercial buildings, all of which are managed by its affiliate Cummings Properties.

“We aim to help meet the needs of people in all segments of our local community,” said Cummings Foundation executive director Joel Swetts. “It is the incredible organizations we fund, however, that do the actual daily work to empower our neighbors, educate our children, fight for equality, and so much more.”

This year’s grant recipients represent a wide variety of causes, including social justice, homelessness prevention, affordable housing, education, violence prevention, and food insecurity. The non-profits are spread across 43 different cities and towns.

The complete list of 140 grant winners, plus more than 800 previous recipients, is available at www.CumingsFoundation.org.

Cummings Foundation has now awarded more than $300 million to greater Boston non-profits.

About Healthy Waltham

Healthy Waltham is a community health organization that promotes healthy eating, active living opportunities, and mental wellness for the most vulnerable residents in Waltham, including families with young children, recent immigrants and low-income seniors. Healthy Waltham’s mission is to remove barriers to access, education and affordability, making healthy living more accessible to those who live and work in our community. More information is available at www.healthy-waltham.org.

About Cummings Foundation

Woburn-based Cummings Foundation, Inc. was established in 1986 by Joyce and Bill Cummings and has grown to be one of the three largest foundations in New England. The Foundation directly operates its own charitable subsidiaries, including New Horizons retirement communities in Marlborough and Woburn, and Veterinary School at Tufts, LLC in North Grafton. Additional information is available at www.CummingsFoundation.org.