December 2019
15 Things I've Learned About Worcester
Our President & CEO, Barbara Fields explores her new home base!

My first 15 weeks with the Greater Worcester Community Foundation have been an exciting whirlwind, meeting the people who give this region the momentum you can feel everywhere you go. While the list of reasons why Worcester is so special is endless, I’m marking my 15 weeks on the job with the top 15 things I’ve learned about this city since coming up from Providence:

  1. Worcesterites are fiercely loyal to their city. 
  2. It’s pronounced “Wuh-staah.” I’ve even started doing my part by correcting people from outside the region who say it incorrectly. 
  3. Rush hour on 290 is to be avoided at all costs! Traffic is one category where we definitely don’t want to be like Boston, and why enhancing public transit is so important.
Honoring Worcester’s Firefighters   

One way that we build community at the Foundation is by honoring those who serve us all selflessly each day. December brings the anniversary of two local tragedies – the December 3, 1999 Cold Storage and Warehouse fire that claimed the lives of six brave Worcester firefighters, the December 2018 fire in which Firefighter Christopher Roy died, and the recent loss of WFD Lt. Jason Menard who died in the line of duty. These men were part of the fabric of our community, and we solemnly remember their contributions and sacrifice.

The 20th anniversary of the 1999 fire on Tuesday reminded us that many of these brave men left behind families and young children. Not surprisingly, Worcester came together to build a brighter future for them. Established at GWCF in 1999, the December 3rd Scholarship was endowed by several local foundations to honor the six men who perished in the fire. Each year, we are proud to award roughly $80,000 in college scholarships from the December 3rd Scholarship Fund to students who are the children of current, retired, or deceased Worcester Firefighters or Police.

After the 2018 fire, the Kraft Family Foundation made a generous $20,000 gift, establishing the Worcester Fire Department Memorials Care Fund for the construction and maintenance of Worcester Firefighter Memorials. On December 9, Firefighter Roy’s memorial will be unveiled at the Webster Square Fire Station. The fund will also provide for maintenance and repairs for all of the city’s fire memorials.

We are grateful to the men and women who commit to keeping our communities safe each day, and we’re glad we can support initiatives to honor their service and help their families. 

College Scholarship Applications To Open January 2, 2020

Meet Alejandro, a native of Worcester and a proud second year student at Framingham State pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Art Education with a concentration in Studio Arts. In 2018 the Foundation awarded Alejandro the Richard W. Pierce Scholarship granted to students pursuing careers in the Arts. In 2019, 397 students benefitted from over $686,000 in scholarships granted by GWCF. Alejandro is one of thousands who has been given greater access to higher education due to the generosity of our committed donors.

“My scholarship is helping me focus on my classes. I am able to have flexibility in my hours of work, it’s a stress reliever,” said Alejandro. Alejandro is already excited about continuing his education after he finishes his Bachelors, and is planning to obtain a Masters to become an art teacher for junior high students. We are proud of Alejandro’s hard work, and grateful to the donors who make these scholarships possible. We look forward to giving the same opportunity to a new group of students in 2020.  

Tax Smart Ways To Give This Holiday Season

As the holiday season approaches, we know many members of our community want to give back with year-end gifts to meaningful causes and organizations. We are grateful that 687 donors chose GWCF in 2018– making a total of $7.8 million in gifts.

If you’re thinking of making a year-end gift, check out this trusty guide to making these gifts impactful and smart for your wallet from our friends at the Community Foundation of Western MA:

  1. Bundle Your Gifts to Reach the Itemization Threshold - A smart strategy to help you maximize deductions under the new tax laws is to make two or more years’ worth of charitable contributions in a single year.
  2. Donate your IRA Required Minimum Distribution to Reduce Income Tax - If you are over 70 ½, the IRA charitable rollover allows you to use your IRA to make tax-free gifts directly from the account to eligible charities. 
  3. Give Appreciated Securities to Avoid Capital Gains - When you donate these types of assets directly to a nonprofit, you may not have to pay capital gains and you may take an income tax deduction in the amount of the full fair-market value.

Since GWCF is a 501(c)(3) public charitable corporation, we offer maximum deductibility for income, gift and estate tax purposes.

Join Us! Youth for Community Improvement Year End Celebration

Join us on December 18 to celebrate our 2019 class of young philanthropists! Each year, GWCF builds a class of YCI participants – high school students who are excited to be involved in their community. The only non-school, youth grant making committee in Worcester County, YCI empowers young people to make important funding decisions in the community and develop grant making and leadership skills. YCI has engaged over 200 young people since 1999, and awarded over $300,000 to more than 75 nonprofit organizations in Worcester County. At the upcoming Year End Celebration , Mayor Joe Petty and State Representative Dan Donahue will join us to celebrate achievements as this year's YCI committee presents their 2019 grantee organizations.

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