GLCF celebrates 25 years of improving the quality of life in Greater Lowell

GLCF will be celebrating 25 years in 2022. Pictured, Jay Linnehan, president and CEO of GLCF at last October’s Celebrate Giving event. (Photo credit: Kevin Harkins)

LOWELL — For 25 years, the Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF) has responded to the area’s most urgent needs. Now, the foundation is celebrating a quarter-century of service. From awarding grants and scholarships to working to meet Greater Lowell’s challenges, GLCF’s work has helped tens of thousands in the community.

Jay Linnehan, president and CEO of GLCF, says the foundation has awarded more than $3 million in scholarship money over the past 25 years, allowing thousands of students the opportunity to get an education. “Supporting students’ college dreams is an important part of our mission to improve our community, particularly as many of those students return to our region to settle down and contribute as good citizens.”

Linnehan says the one thing that the pandemic has taught GLCF is that by being the boots on the ground and having solid relationships with the area nonprofits, the foundation was able to quickly adapt to meet the needs of the community during COVID-19. Through grants from the GLCF COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund and the Massachusetts COVID Relief Fund, the foundation has supported more than 130 local nonprofit organizations with grants totaling over $5 million.

“I have learned that community foundations do much more than make grants,” shares Chet Szablak, GLCF Board Chair. “They also convene public and private groups around issues of importance to our community. In addition, they partner with other local and national foundations. By leveraging this support, we accomplish much more together than anyone could alone.”

A celebration honoring the 25 years will be held on June 2, 2022, as part of GLCF’s Annual Meeting. Details will be made available closer to the date on the GLCF website.

“We are looking forward to taking the time just to say ‘thank you’ to the community for all their support and celebrating their generosity and impact for the past 25 years,” Linnehan said.

To find out more about the Greater Lowell Community Foundation, go to www.glcfoundation.org.

 About Greater Lowell Community Foundation –Established in 1997, the Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF) is a philanthropic organization comprised of more than 390 funds dedicated to improving the quality of life in 21 neighboring cities and towns. With financial assets of more than $55 million, GLCF annually awards grants and scholarships to hundreds of worthy nonprofits and students. It is powered by the winning combination of donor-directed giving, personal attention from Foundation staff, and an in-depth understanding of local needs. The generosity of our donors has enabled the Community Foundation to award more than $25 million to the Greater Lowell community.

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