Greater Lowell Community Foundation Addresses Emotional Impact of Boston Marathon Bombings on Children

The emotional wounds and injuries of the April 15 Boston Marathon bombings, while not life-threatening, may run deep and claim many silent victims.  In the face of the horrific tragedy, mental health professionals across the country have raised concern about the potentially serious psychological and emotional impact on children. Parents and teachers may be at a loss as to how to identify and help children, many of whom may be struggling without the verbal skills to express their feelings about what they have seen and heard in the media.

Today, the Greater Lowell Community Foundation has announced the formation of the Supporting Children After the Bombing Fund. The Fund has been set up to support programs which provide services to children, helping them deal with the emotional issues created by the tragic events that unfolded during the Boston Marathon bombings.

The cornerstone donation to the "Supporting Children After the Bombing Fund" is a commitment from the Greater Lowell Community Foundation to contribute $25,000 of its discretionary resources as the initial donation. The Greater Lowell Community Foundation will solicit proposals from public, private and parochial schools, as well as youth service providers to assist in the development of programs that will address the psychological health needs of youth who have been impacted by the Boston Marathon bombings.

“The horrific tragedy of this senseless act of terrorism has been difficult for all of us,” said GLCF Executive Director Ray Riddick. “The Greater Lowell Community Foundation is dedicated to supporting the emotional health of the innocent victims of this tragic event and providing our next generation with the resources they need to work through the resulting trauma.”

One hundred percent of the money raised for this initiative will go to organizations providing programming for this cause.

The Greater Lowell Community Foundation welcomes contributions to the Supporting Children After the Bombing Fund. Donations can be made through the GLCF website at www.glcfoundation.org  or by sending a contribution to:

Greater Lowell Community Foundation
100 Merrimack St.   Suite 202
Lowell, MA 01852

The Greater Lowell Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization under the Internal Revenue Service Code.  All gifts and donations made to the Foundation are tax deductible.

For additional information, contact Susan Winship at 978-970-1600 or susan@glcfoundation.org.