November 2024 - Issue #19

Former Foundation Directors gathered for the celebration. (photo credit: Jamie Flores)

On October 10, The Health Foundation celebrated its 25th Anniversary with a reception at the Top of the Tower event space in downtown Worcester. Former and current Directors, staff, grantees, public officials, and community leaders, gathered for a chance to reflect on the past quarter century.

Founding President and CEO Dr. Jan Yost, Founding Board Chair Dr. Wayne Glazier, current Chair Dr. Dennis Dimitri, and current President and CEO Dr. Amie Shei shared stories about the early years of The Health Foundation and how its grantmaking has impacted the community.  

In recognition of this milestone, the Foundation was presented with citations from the Massachusetts Senate and Worcester County Sheriff Lew Evangelidis.

Guests celebrated the Foundation's 25th Anniversary. (photo credit: Jamie Flores)

25th Anniversary Book

The Foundation is pleased to announce the release of its 25th anniversary book, "A Catalyst for Change." This 86 page hardcover book looks back through 25 years of investing in the health of our region through a collection of stories and photos. A limited number of copies are available at no cost. Please email info@thfcm.org to request a copy.

A Catalyst for Change is also available on the Foundation's website.

The Foundation hosted recipients of the 2024 Activation Fund grants. (photo credit: The Health Foundation)

On October 29, The Health Foundation hosted a reception to honor the 2024 Activation Fund grantees. The Activation Fund provides support for discrete, one-year projects designed to help community organizations move to the next level of capacity and effectiveness. Representatives from the eight projects gathered to meet other grantees and network with one another. Grantees were able to meet with Foundation Directors, Community Outreach Committee members, and staff.

Camp Starfish youth enjoying pickleball on the newly installed court. (photo credit: Camp Starfish)

Camp Starfish is a nonprofit summer camp and year-round respite program that serves children and young adults ages 6-22 with emotional, behavioral, social, and learning challenges. The only New England camp to offer a one-to-one camper-to-counselor ratio, Camp Starfish serves more than 350 youth annually, the majority of whom reside in the Worcester County area. Most Camp Starfish participants receive substantial financial assistance or subsidies to make the camp experience a reality.

In 2008, after occupying rented facilities for years, Camp Starfish purchased its 40-acre lakefront property just across the Massachusetts border in Rindge, NH. Built in the 1950s, the facilities have been updated through the years as funding has become available. In 2023, Camp Starfish received a $110,000 Activation Fund grant from The Health Foundation to repair the original basketball and tennis courts on site, which were unusable and posed safety hazards due to erosion caused by tree roots and age. The project involved replacing the basketball court and converting the tennis court into two new pickleball courts.

The basketball court before and after construction. (photo credit: Camp Starfish)

Construction on the courts was completed in May just before the beginning of the 2024 summer camp season. Since then, more than 360 youth have utilized the new courts, and counselors reported observing improved teamwork, social interactions, and self-esteem among campers during court activities. Staff have also noticed a decrease in behavioral dysregulation among campers regularly engaging in physical sport activities throughout the day. One grandparent shared, “My grandson has struggled with teamwork and social interactions in typical “team" sports his entire life, but this summer, he found joy and confidence on the pickleball court. Seeing him so excited to learn and play this new activity was truly heartwarming. It gives me hope.”



Francis R. Carroll

1935 - 2024

Please join The Health Foundation’s current and former Directors and staff in remembering Mr. Francis R. Carroll, who passed away recently at the age of 89. As a founding Director, Mr. Carroll was a valued member of the Foundation’s Board of Directors from 1999-2000.

Representing the business sector, Mr. Carroll served on the Board of Central Massachusetts Health Care (CMHC) and was instrumental in the decision to sell the nonprofit HMO leading to the creation of the Foundation. This was a creative way to convert the assets of CMHC into a substantive philanthropic organization to improve the health of vulnerable populations in Central Massachusetts.

Mr. Carroll played a very active role in the conversion process, which was rather arduous for the all-volunteer Board. As they finalized the organizational structure of the Foundation, the Board interacted with advocacy groups, other nonprofits, the Attorney General’s Office, the Probate Court, and strategic planning consultants.

Mr. Carroll lived a remarkable life, which is described in his obituary. We send our heartfelt condolences to Mr. Carroll's family.



Below are resources and information that may be of interest to our nonprofit partners and community members.

ONE Worcester provides consulting and coaching to Worcester-area nonprofits free of charge. Along with Worcester State University (WSU), they are hosting an event featuring keynote speakers Debbie Hall, CEO of the YWCA, and Barry Maloney, President of WSU, about the nonprofit ecosystem in Worcester and the ways in which we can enhance community and create pathways and pipelines for those entering the nonprofit sector.  

• ONE Worcester and Worcester State University Nonprofit Celebration

(Click to register) 

Date & Time: November 14, 2024 from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Location: Blue Room at Worcester State

Fee: Free

This event will provide opportunities for networking.

© 2024 The Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts