Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless and Bridgewell Inc. have been selected as two of the 100 local nonprofits to receive grants of $100,000 each through Cummings Foundation’s new $100K for 100 program. These organizations were chosen from more than 370 applicants during a competitive review process by the Foundation.
Robyn Frost, executive director of Lynn-based Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, said, “Through the generosity of Cummings Foundation, our Room to Breathe Initiative will be able to help hundreds of low-income children living with asthma by giving them a better place to live and breathe.”
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More than 250 people, including staff and board members from nearly all 100 recipient organizations, gathered at the Foundation’s first annual Grantee Reception on June 19 at TradeCenter 128 in Woburn. The elated attendees accepted their official award letters, posed for photos with Foundation representatives, networked with their peers, and celebrated the $10 million infusion of funding into greater Boston’s nonprofit sector.
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Bridgewell, located in Lynnfield, serves individuals with developmental and psychiatric disabilities in several surrounding communities, including Lynn.
“We are thrilled to partner with Cummings Foundation to help young adults with autism build healthy and fulfilling lives,” stated Bob Stearns, Bridgewell president and CEO. “We thank the Foundation wholeheartedly for its leadership and generosity in supporting Bridgewell and the wider nonprofit community.”
All of the selected charities serve local communities, with 50 percent of the grants being awarded in Middlesex County, 30 percent in Suffolk County (including Jamaica Plain, Dorchester, and Roxbury), and 20 percent in Essex County. Joel Swets, Cummings Foundation’s executive director, noted that the narrow geographic priority area reflects a desire to give back in the areas where the grant funds were derived.
Swets explained, “As the primary beneficiary of commercial real estate firm Cummings Properties, the Foundation is very committed to the 10 communities in which the firm manages buildings, as well as the hometowns of its 350 staff members. We are delighted to support these two special organizations in their admirable work in the community.”
The diverse group of grant recipients represents a wide variety of causes, including underserved populations, education, healthcare, homelessness, and social justice. Many of the grants will be paid over two to five years.
About Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless
The Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless is a leader in developing innovative advocacy and programming on homelessness prevention, affordable housing, and meeting basic needs. These efforts result in measurable outcomes and community impact. Created in 1981, the Coalition embraces a collaborative approach to unify people and mobilize resources to support its mission to end homelessness in the Commonwealth.
About Bridgewell
Bridgewell is dedicated to supporting and helping individuals with developmental and psychiatric disabilities to direct their own lives, achieve personal and professional success, and remain active participants in society. Bridgewell is 56 years old and serves nearly 5,000 individuals and their families annually through more than 95 programs, including 73 residential programs in 21 communities in eastern Massachusetts. Bridgewell provides residential and day services, affordable housing and homeless services, clinical services, recreational services, as well as employment training and educational services.
About Cummings Foundation
Woburn-based Cummings Foundation, Inc. was established in 1986 by Joyce and Bill Cummings of Winchester, Mass. With assets exceeding $1 billion, it is one of the very largest grant-making foundations in New England. The Foundation directly operates its own charitable subsidiaries, including two New Horizons senior communities in Marlborough and Woburn. Its largest single grant to date was $50 million to Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University in North Grafton, Mass. Additional information is available at www.CummingsFoundation.org.
