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A Message from the President and CEO |
Greetings!
Last month, Governor Healy declared a state of emergency due to the rapidly rising number of migrant families arriving in Massachusetts. The declaration serves as a notice to the federal government and the Commonwealth that the state’s shelter system is rapidly expanding capacity in an unsustainable manner and that further assistance is urgently needed.
This past weekend, I was honored to attend the opening of Lowell National Historical Park’s new exhibit: One City, Many Cultures. The exhibit chronicles and honors the long history of immigrant influx and cultural changes that have found their place in Lowell and give it its distinctive urban composition.
Last night, GLCF held an event at the Concord Center for Visual Art about Lowell: Gateway for Immigrants and Refugees. At the event, the Foundation announced the establishment of the Refugee and Immigrant Resettlement Fund in the amount of $150,000. This fund provides funding to support the efforts of Greater Lowell organizations to help ensure those in need are welcomed and connected with housing, employment, transportation, food, acculturation, and other related assistance. In times of humanitarian community need, the Foundation responds - we hope you will consider joining us by donating to this fund.
We are a nation comprised mainly of immigrants and their descendants who chose to come to these shores seeking freedom and a better life. It stands as the fundamental truth of the history of our great nation.
Respectfully,
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Jay Linnehan
GLCF President + CEO
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(Inside Lowell, 9/21)
(Boys & Girls Club of Greater Lowell, 9/21)
(Lowell Sun, 9/21)
(Action Unlimited, 9/19)
(Lowell Sun, 9/18)
(JGPR, 9/5)
(Rumbo News, p.14)
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Attention Nonprofits + Community Members: Last Chance to Nominate Volunteer or Connector
Please consider nominating an individual for the following awards to be given at GLCF's Oct. 25 event. Details and criteria in links below.
NOMINATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY OCTOBER 4 by NOON.
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Join the Greater Lowell Community Foundation for a panel discussion on Building a Culture of Inclusion Among Greater Lowell’s Nonprofit Boards.
GLCF funded a Board Diversity Initiative (BDI) grant as part of Racial Equity and Inclusion grants. BDI is a collaborative project of the Lowell Plan, the Lowell Alliance, the Coalition for a Better Acre (CBA), and the Greater Lowell Chamber of Commerce (GLCC) with support from the Non-Profit Alliance (NPA) of Greater Lowell and modeled in part after Community InRoads’ Cultural Inclusion Program for Nonprofit Boards.
This panel discussion will include best practices and lessons learned from:
- Ensuring a welcoming and inclusive culture is in place for new board members from different backgrounds.
- Aligning the interests and skills of professionals in the community with the needs of local nonprofit boards.
- Ensuring new board members understand the roles and responsibilities of serving on a board.
- The importance of having an on-boarding process and a culture that makes new members, particularly those from diverse backgrounds, feel welcome and engaged.
Moderator:
• Joseph Bahn, Lowell Plan Public Matters®, Program Director, The Lowell Plan
Panelists:
Allison Lamey, Executive Director, The Lowell Plan and Lowell Development & Financial Corp. • BDI program partners • Joan Kulash, E.D., Community InRoads •
Lorie Mendoza, Community InRoads Cultural Inclusion Program Graduate and former E.D. of Si Se Puede
This event is free and open to the leadership of our Greater Lowell nonprofit partners.
Seating is limited and registration is required. (Max. of 2 individuals per organization)
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GLCF Awards Grant To Bridge Club Of Greater Lowell To Support Veterans Reintegration Program Transportation
The Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF) has awarded a $30,000 grant to the Bridge Club of Greater Lowell to support transportation for their Veterans Reintegration Program.
“This grant has allowed the Bridge Club to remove a key barrier, the lack of transportation, to the assist their veteran clients,” said GLCF president and CEO Jay Linnehan. “Transportation should not be an obstacle to a path to a better future.”
The Bridge Club of Greater Lowell’s Veterans Reintegration Program is made possible by a recent grant awarded by Dept. of Labor. This 3-year grant targets reentry initiatives such as housing and employment opportunities for veterans returning from or facing incarceration.
“This grant funding from GLCF solves a transportation problem our veteran community encounter,” said Bob Cox, executive director at Bridge Club of Greater Lowell. “The problem stems from the fact that the Veteran’s court in Framingham is the sole location for the entirety of Middlesex County leaving veterans from across the county with a logistical hurdle to overcome that frequently jeopardizes his/her ability to appear on a scheduled court date.”
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Caption: GLCF recently awarded a grant to the Bridge Club of Greater Lowell to support transportation for their Veterans Reintegration Program. From l-r, GLCF president and CEO Jay Linnehan with Bridge Club of Greater Lowell board member and Executive Director of Community Teamwork Karen Frederick and Bob Cox, executive director at Bridge Club of Greater Lowell. |
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GLCF Announces New Jump Start Scholarship
The Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF) is honored to announce the establishment of the JUMP START Scholarship Fund by the Aldrich Family Foundation in conjunction with Project Kompass, a nonprofit based in North Chelmsford. This scholarship provides funding to students who have had some challenges in their lives and who desire a brighter future by continuing their education through an accredited vocational training program, community college, or four-year college/university. The bi-annual scholarship provides $2,500 scholarships to students who are aged 18+ from Lowell or Lawrence (and surrounding communities.)
“Sometimes it takes a little support and encouragement to achieve one’s goals in life,” said David Aldrich, Trustee, Aldrich Family Foundation. “Towards that end, the JUMP START Scholarship fund is designed to provide financial resources to those individuals who may have experienced adversities in their lives and wish to pursue a dream through education and training. Our scholarships are open to vocational and/or technical training programs in addition to community colleges and universities.”
“By giving students the resources they need, donors are giving them more control of their situation, goals, and their entire future,” said Jennifer Aradhya, GLCF’s Vice President of Marketing, Programs & Strategy. “The JUMP START scholarship is unique in that past academic excellence is not a requirement. Rather, the focus is on potential and passion. I commend the Aldrich Family Foundation for providing this opportunity and managing the selection process. GLCF is proud to partner and manage their fund and distributions.”
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GRANT HIGHLIGHT - St. Paul's Soup Kitchen
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Earlier this year, St. Paul's Soup Kitchen, Inc. received a 2023 GLCF COVID-19 DOHCD Emergency Response Grant from the foundation. The grant helped to provide a free meal, every weeknight, to anyone needing food. The grant also allowed them to supplement the food they receive from the Merrimack Valley Food Bank to stock their food pantry to provide their clients with additional food options on Friday nights when meal service is unavailable. The St. Paul’s Soup Kitchen relies on monthly contribution from sponsors to provide both the meal and the service of the meal, but due to the economic impact of COVID-19, some of their sponsors are no longer able to contribute monthly meals. The grant funds were critical in purchasing food which was used by the St. Paul’s Soup Kitchen board members and volunteers to prepare evening meals for its’ clients.
“The funds we have received from the GLCF have ensured that our program continues on a regular basis and allows us to provide meals when needed. Without this funding we could not provide a filling, nutritious meal, which at times is the only meal of the day for our guests.”
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Women Accelerators:
Peer Mentoring Circles
Peer Mentoring Program will start in early October 2023, and runs for six months until April 2024. During the program, Peer Mentoring Circles are encouraged to meet at least once a month virtually, although many circles continue the relationship long after the program is over!
In this program, we provide resources and opportunities to participants of the peer circles to build their skills and cultivate their professional relationships with each other. Peer mentoring circles bring women together for mentorship, camaraderie, and support. It provides a safe space for women to learn, strengthen leadership skills and reach their full potential.
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Support LCO by Subscribing
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This year's in-person Women Working Wonders Fund "Power of the Purse" is Thursday, October 19, starting at 6 p.m. at Four Oaks Country Club in Dracut.
Please join WWWF for a live and silent auction where handbags and accessories take the center stage. Hors d’oeuvres, signature cocktails, a fabulous dinner, and Louis Vuitton and Tory Burch raffles are all part of this fun-filled night! All proceeds help fund programs that empower women and girls in our community. Women Working Wonders is proud to be a component fund of the Greater Lowell Community Foundation.
To join us live, please get your ticket before October 5th!
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Please Join Community Teamwork and Local Leaders For a Powerful Movie Screening of
Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America
Date:
Wednesday, October 11, 2023
Time:
4:30pm Reception/5:30pm Screening -
Followed by a facilitated discussion with Jeffrey Robinson.
Location:
Showcase Cinema de Lux Lowell – 32 Reiss Ave, Lowell, MA 01851
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Since 1997, the Greater Lowell Community Foundation has supported this community with grants to nonprofits, scholarships to deserving students, and leadership to help determine, address, and resolve a wide variety of needs and opportunities.
With more than 390 donor-driven funds and expert staff, the Foundation provides vital resources that build on our community’s strengths, addresses its challenges, and brightens futures by helping deserving students to achieve their dreams.
To achieve more, we need your partnership through a generous annual sponsorship.
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Give to the Future: Make a Planned Gift |
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Everyone has a legacy. What’s yours? |
Your legacy can be shaped to support the causes you care about now and provide financial and estate savings.
To discuss creating a personalized estate plan that supports issues important to you, please call Jay or Howard at the Greater Lowell Community Foundation at 978-970-1600.
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100 Merrimack Street, Suite 202
Lowell, MA 01852
PHONE 978-970-1600
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