GLCF’s Women Working Wonders (WWW) Fund Awards Seven Grants Totaling $70,000

Lowell, Mass. – The Women Working Wonders (WWW) Fund, a permanently endowed fund of the Greater Lowell Community Foundation, has announced the recipients of $70,000 in grants to support local nonprofit programs that empower women and girls in the community.

“Women Working Wonders is proud to support these seven outstanding organizations in their work to effect positive change in the lives of women and girls in Greater Lowell,” said Marcia Cassidy, Women Working Wonders board president. “Every year the need grows for funding of programs to support women and girls, and every year Women Working Wonders is dedicated to answering that call.”   

Recipients of the 2024 WWW grants (each for $10,000): 

  • Catie’s Closet for “Hair Care for All” to create equitable access to culturally appropriate hair products for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) girls
  • The Center for Hope and Healing for Get Together: A Survivor-led Drop-In Support Group
  • Dignity Matters for “Dignity in Greater Lowell” to provide women in need with basic hygiene and menstrual care products  
  • Ellie Fund for “Equitable Pathways to Breast Cancer Care” to empower women during breast cancer treatment with essential support needed to ease the stresses of everyday life and allow them to focus on family, recovery, and healing
  • Girls Inc. of Greater Lowell for “Extraordinary Girls Outreach Program” to provide the Girls Inc. programs and services during school hours
  • Women’s Money Matters to fund Greater Lowell women living on low incomes to participate in Financial Futures financial wellness program at no cost
  • University of Massachusetts Lowell to empower underrepresented racial minority women in STEM through mentorship, community and leadership development, and advocacy  

Ellie Fund received a $10,000 grant from the Women Working Wonders Fund. “Ellie Fund is so grateful and moved to be recognized by the Women Working Wonders Fund based in Lowell,” said Ellie Fund executive director Meredith Mendelson. “Serving the wonderfully diverse women of Lowell facing breast cancer is an Ellie Fund priority, and a partnership with local women doing good will help us ensure that Ellie Fund’s essential support services are widely known and trusted even before a diagnosis.” 

Celebrating their 20th anniversary, Women Working Wonders, an all-volunteer group of women dedicated to effecting positive change, provides annual grants in three key areas: assisting women in transition, providing leadership development in girls and women, and/or contributing to the beautification of the environment to benefit women and girls. Founded in 2004 by a small group of women coming together to form a collective giving organization that focused on women’s issues, the fund has awarded more than $500,000 in grants to organizations supporting women and girls in the Greater Lowell area. 

Another 2024 grant recipient, University of Massachusetts Lowell, received funding to empower underrepresented racial minority women in STEM through mentorship, community and leadership development, and advocacy. “We are grateful for the continued support and partnership of the Women Working Wonders Fund at Greater Lowell Community Foundation,” said Chancellor Julie Chen, UMass Lowell. “This grant enables UMass Lowell to enhance our efforts in supporting underrepresented women in STEM through focused mentorship and leadership development. This initiative strengthens our commitment to creating a more inclusive and equitable community on campus and beyond.”

The Women Working Wonders Fund’s Power of the Purse 2024 event, which raises funds to support the annual grants, is scheduled for October 17. For information about WWW Fund and the upcoming event, visit www.womenworkingwondersfund.com.

About Greater Lowell Community Foundation

Established in 1997, the Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF) is a philanthropic organization comprised of more than 500 funds dedicated to improving the quality of life in 21 neighboring cities and towns. With financial assets of almost $60 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 $35 million to the Greater Lowell community.

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Caption: 2024 Women Working Wonders grant recipient, University of Massachusetts Lowell, received funding to empower underrepresented racial minority women in STEM through mentorship, community and leadership development, and advocacy. Student from the UMass Lowell Francis College of Engineering integrates hands-on research to advance their learning beyond the classroom.