December 29, 2020 — Twenty Mass. nonprofits granted $650K to reduce spread of COVID-19. Youth philanthropy program awards $26K to support COVID-19 relief. Cape Abilities gets $20K to support people with disabilities.

Twenty Mass. Nonprofits Granted $650K to Reduce Spread of COVID-19

Twenty Massachusetts nonprofits recently were awarded $650,000 to help prevent and reduce the spread of COVID-19 among communities of color in the cities and towns hardest hit by COVID-19.

A total of 146 organizations applied for the federally funded COVID-19 Community Grants, which were awarded by the state.

Awardees will engage in culturally appropriate community outreach, communication, and education, in the languages spoken in the they serve. Strategies include engaging youth peer leaders, trusted community leaders, and those with shared lived experience to promote messages.

Receiving the funds were the following:

• African Community Education Program, Worcester: $21,400
• Association of Islamic Charitable Projects, Revere: $10,000
• The Boston Project Ministries, Boston , Dorchester, Mattapan: $11,000
• Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association of Greater Lowell, Lowell : $50,000
• The Center for Hope and Healing, Lowell: $15,000
• Chelsea Collaborative/La Colaborativa, Chelsea: $50,000
• Chica Project, Boston: $28,869
• Everett Haitian Community Center, Everett: $40,000
• Greater Lawrence Community Action Council, Lawrence: $49,900
• GreenRoots, Chelsea: $49,840
• LEO, Inc., Lynn: $31,200
• Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers, Cambridge: $27,792
• MissionSafe, Boston: $20,000
• New American Association of Massachusetts, Lynn: $12,498
• New North Citizens Council, Springfield: $50,000
• One Holyoke CDC, Holyoke: $30,000
• Pinnacle Partnerships Corp, Brockton: $50,000
• Somali Parents Advocacy Center for Education, Everett: $15,000
• Who’s Got Morale, Boston: $42,500
• Worcester Interfaith, Worcester: $45,000

Youth Philanthropy Program Awards $26K to Support COVID-19 Relief

The Greater Worcester Community Foundation recently announced that a grantmaking program composed of high school students recently awarded $26,500 focused on COVID-19 relief to area nonprofits as part of an effort to develop encourage philanthropic giving.

The annual program, called Youth for Community Improvement (YCI) , launched in 1999, has awarded more than $300,000 to date. This year’s group of nine students chose to fund 15 organizations after three months of research, discussion, and deliberation.

YCI program manager Sarah Shugrue said, “It was very easy for the 2020 participants to land on these issues because they understood COVID-19 relief as well as access and equity are among the most pressing issues in our community. I’m proud of what they were able to fund. These are organizations that are committed to ensuring people’s basic needs are met and/or are working to create space for everyone.”

Receiving the funds were the following:

• African Community Education’s ACE Ambassadors: $1,500
• Ansaar of Worcester’s Youth-Led Community Service Projects: $1,500
• Ascentria Community Services’ Racism Dialogues for Youth Advisory Council: $1,000
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Mass & Metrowest’s Technology Access for Students: $2,000
• City of Worcester Department of Health & Human Services’ City Manager’s Youth Council: $2,000
• Girls, Inc. of Worcester’s Girls Advisory Council: $1,500
• Hope Coalition’s Peer Leadership Program: $2,000
• Living in Freedom Together, Inc.’s Youth Outreach & Advocacy Services: $2,000
• My Turn, Inc.’s Fitchburg Employment Plus Program: $1,000
• Nativity School of Worcester: $1,500
• Pernet Family Health Service, Inc.’s Homework Club: $1,500
• Pleasant Street Neighborhood Network Center’s Pleasant-Piedmont Youth Leadership Council: $2,000
• Regional Environmental Council, Inc.’s YouthGROW: $2,000
• Southeast Asian Coalition of Central Massachusetts’ COVID-19 Relief: $3,000
• Worcester Youth Center’s Civic Partnership Program: $2,000

Cape Abilities Gets $20K to Support People with Disabilities

Cape Abilities, a Hyannis nonprofit that provides counseling, education, residential and other services to individuals with disabilities, recently announced it received a $20,000 donation from The Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod Charitable Foundation Trust to help maintain one of Cape Abilities’ West Barnstable homes and make it more accessible for the residents who live there.

The donation was made in connection with the newly launched Adopt A Home fundraising program, the donation, according to Cape Abilities President and CEO Jonathan Sproul, “looks to create partnerships between organizations and our Residential Homes, so we can bring individuals in our communities closer together and develop relationships that promote inclusive communities and opportunities for people of all abilities.”

Cape Abilities said the coronavirus crisis presented great challenges to maintain and support its 16 Cape Cod residences and its participants and staff who live in these year-round, life-long homes. The Adopt a Home, it said, is a response to adapt and evolve to continue to provide enriching, high-quality services to men and women with a broad range of developmental and intellectual disabilities.