Dear Friends,
Summer has officially arrived in MetroWest, and if you follow the Foundation on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter, you will have seen posts from people out and about at farmer's markets, concerts, and exhibitions. There is so much to take advantage of in our beautiful communities this time of year!
We know that it is an exciting time to be a part of the Foundation, with the Community Needs Assessment and
Impact MetroWest
underway, and are thrilled to welcome to another new member of the Board of Trustees, David Swartz. We had the opportunity to host all of our new Trustees this week for an orientation and are truly looking forward to working with them to grow our impact and work.
Speaking of impact, during this more carefree time of year it’s sometimes easy to forget that neighbors in your community may be struggling with unseen needs. Keep reading to see how you can make double the difference this summer.
Sincerely,
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Double your impact this summe
r!
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Thanks to a generous donor, every
new or increased gift
to the Foundation’s Annual Fund before July 15 will be MATCHED, dollar for dollar (
up to $25,000
) in surprise additional funding to local nonprofits.
This funding can help to do the following:
- Supply local food pantries
- Provide safe, reliable, and affordable summer activities for kids
- Fund financial literacy programs for underserved individuals to secure and maintain housing and employment
- Support critical home repairs for aging neighbors, keeping their homes safe and comfortable during the warm summer months
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Non-Profit Highlight - OUT MetroWest
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June is Pride Month, so it is only natural that our nonprofit highlight is OUT MetroWest.
As the only MetroWest-based organization providing fun, educational, and much-needed programming to support LGBTQ+ youth in our communities, we are proud to support OUT MetroWest.
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Staff Spotlight
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Ayla Walker
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Ayla Walker has been a member of the Foundation staff since January of 2018 and is the Senior Development Officer, Corporate Engagement. You may already know her from the Spring Inspiration Breakfast or the upcoming Community Leadership Breakfast on October 25.
"I love the impact our work has on our community. We are a small organization, with an impact that filters through our communities so efficiently. I feel we are truly making a difference."
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2019 Community Endowment of Lexington Grantees Announced
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On June 11, the Community Endowment of Lexington (CEL), an endowed fund of the Foundation for MetroWest, awarded grants totaling $35,000 to 10 nonprofit and town organizations serving the Lexington community. This latest round of grantmaking brings CEL’s total giving to nearly $170,000 since its founding in 2013.
"We're thrilled with our 2019 grantee cohort,” said Kimberly Hensle Lowrance, CEL co-chair. “These organizations are all working to strengthen our community, and the ways in which they approach their work are creative and collaborative, making Lexington a more vibrant and healthier place to live and work. The Community Endowment of Lexington is excited to support their efforts, and looks forward to what they will accomplish, with our grant support, in the year ahead."
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Congratulations to the graduates of the 2019 Emerging Leaders Academy
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Join us as we say congratulations to our graduating cohort of the 2019 Emerging Leaders Academy. Given demographic trends and changes in the nonprofit sector, supporting a new generation of leaders is vitally important. These 15 individuals represent a talented group of nonprofit professionals who are committed to strengthening the MetroWest region.
"Self-reflection is something that the program forced me to do that I hadn't taken time to do before. I found that process very illuminating and valuable."
-2019 ELA Graduate
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Youth In Philanthropy News
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Youth in Philanthropy Spring Program Graduation
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At the recent Graduation Ceremony, we watched 82 new students join the ranks of Youth in Philanthropy Alumni from our four Spring Programs: Sudbury, Wellesley, Weston, and our inaugural Needham program. (That makes almost 300 new Alumni this year and 2,000 Alumni to date!)
Students made grants totaling $40,000 to the following youth serving organizations:
Chesterbrook Community Foundation, Doc Wayne Youth Services, Hope and Comfort, Plugged in Band, Read to a Child, Thom Child and Family Services, Waltham Partnership for Youth, and Waypoint Adventure.
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From time to time, we come across great articles that reflect different aspects of our work.
We would like to share these with you as a conversation starter around the issues we all face as a community. Here's what we are reading this month:
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2019 Competitive Grant Program: Now Accepting Applications
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Foundation for MetroWest is now accepting grant proposals in the categories of Arts & Culture, Environment, and Family Support. Applications are due by 5:00 PM on Monday, August 5, 2019. Visit our
website
to learn more about all of our grant programs.
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You make all this possible!
Make a gift today to support your Community Foundation.
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