Claudio Martinez, executive director of Hyde Square Task Force, said, “We have long admired Cummings Foundation’s vision and giving philosophy. This grant will support our hard work of establishing meaningful, long-term relationships with 250 at-risk youth, ensuring their success as they build a safe and vibrant urban community.”
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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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Community Servings CEO David Waters stated, “Community Servings is thrilled and honored to partner with Cummings Foundation to provide medical nutrition services to hundreds of low-income individuals, their dependent children, and caregivers who are affected by a critical illness and living in eastern Middlesex County.”
Friends of Boston’s Homeless, which offers programs to help the homeless gain independence in Jamaica Plain and several surrounding communities, was also selected to receive a grant.
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 Community Servings and Hyde Square Task Force 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 Community Servings
A not-for-profit food and nutrition program, Community Servings provides services to individuals and families living with critical and chronic illnesses. In its 23 years of operation, the organization has served over 5.2 million free meals to the critically ill, helping those from Massachusetts’ most disenfranchised communities fight hunger and illness.
About Hyde Square Task Force
Hyde Square Task Force, founded in the late 1980s, helps develop the skills of youth and their families, empowering them to build a strong and vibrant urban community. The organization serves 1,200 youth each year through leadership development, college and career exploration, arts and cultural enrichment, school-based partnerships, and youth-led community-building initiatives.
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.
