GLCF awards $525K in additional COVID-19 Response Grants to Greater Lowell Nonprofits

GLCF Grant Recipients (l-r): IINE’s Women Unite group, a peer support group for Afghan women, meeting at the Lowell Community Health Center; CHH’s Driving Hope’s mobile outreach service staff connect with the Greater Lowell by supporting survivors of sexual violence; and Alternative House staff member Camila Lopez of Lowell on a hotline call with a client who needed rental assistance and transportation support.

Lowell, MA – The Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF) awarded $525,860 in COVID-19 related grants to 13 nonprofits in Greater Lowell through funding from the Baker-Polito Administration’s Community Foundations Grant Program for COVID-19 Relief. The program is administered by the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development and the Department of Housing and Community Development.

GLCF distributed funds to nonprofit organizations serving our community to alleviate hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic and address: emergency food, housing support, educational program support, essential supplies/services, and youth program support via the GLCF 2022 COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund.

“Greater Lowell nonprofits have demonstrated incredible resiliency throughout the pandemic,” said GLCF president & CEO Jay Linnehan. “Through the partnership with the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development and the Department of Housing and Community Development, GLCF continued supporting nonprofit programs vital to our community through this latest round of funding.”

The 13 nonprofits receiving grants in the latest round of the GLCF COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund are:

  • Alternative House (Lowell) – Provide language access to reduce health disparities. $25,000
  • Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence (ATASK) (Boston) – For Lowell Program to provide in-language information, and to create new in-language documents and FAQs to empower victims/survivors of domestic and dating violence victims. $15,000
  • Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association (CMAA) of Greater Lowell– To offer continued COVID- 19 related assistance to Cambodian community in Lowell. $15,000
  • Catie’s Closet (Dracut) – Underwrite two of their signature programs: In-School Closets enabling students to “shop” for what they need onsite in the privacy of their own school. $20,000
  • Coalition for a Better Acre (Lowell) – Support full time Health Access Program at CBA Walk-In Center. $65,000
  • Community Teamwork (CTI) – Support renters and homeowners with financial assistance for rent/mortgage and utility and to address the basic needs of youth at risk of or experiencing homelessness. $95,000
  • Dignity Matters (Framingham) – Provide low-income women and girls in Greater Lowell with menstrual care. $15,000
  • International Institute of New England (Lowell) – Address housing and food insecurity for refugee and immigrant households in Lowell, and to also provide mental health support for some of their female clients. $50,000
  • Life Connection Center (Lowell)– Address transportation needs and improve hygiene stations. $50,000
  • Lowell Community Health Center – Funding to reduce health disparities and ensure health equity for low-income, immigrant and refugee populations. $95,000
  • Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers (MAPS) (Lowell) – Assist low-income Portuguese-speaking clients in Lowell with rent and utility payments. $25,000
  • Northeast Legal Aid (Lowell)– Address the need for housing assistance in Lowell. $25,860
  • The Center for Hope and Healing (Lowell) – Enhance their Driving Hope mobile outreach services and provide necessary basic/household needs to survivors and families. $30,000

Alternative House in Lowell received funding from the GLCF COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund. “With this funding, Alternative House will be able to support survivors of domestic violence through the many additional obstacles they may be facing at this point in their lives,” said Maria Crooker-Capone, Executive Director, Alternative House. “Access to transportation, food, backup childcare, cleaning supplies, and housing has become more difficult since the pandemic and these funds will allow us to provide increased access to all those things for our program participants.”

“The funding helps us immediately respond to the urgent needs of our immigrant and refugee clients so they can avoid homelessness and hunger, as we support them on their path towards self-sufficiency,” shared IINE’s Lowell Managing Director, Caroline Hanson Rowe. International Institute of New England (IINE) received a grant to address housing and food insecurity for refugee and immigrant households in Lowell.

The Center for Hope and Healing’s Driving Hope mobile outreach service was also supported. “These grant funds allow us to support survivors of sexual violence in our Greater Lowell community, who are still disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic even after these two years,” said Isa Woldeguiorguis, executive director at The Center for Hope and Healing. “With the support from GLCF COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, last year Driving Hope conducted 393 visits, served more than 150 families, and distributed emergency relief to survivors and their families in the Greater Lowell communities. Driving Hope program will continue to increase safety, reduce isolation, and increase access to resources to children and youth, male survivors, LGBQ/T folks, refugees and immigrants, people with disabilities, people of color, and people with limited English proficiency.”

Since 2020, through grants from the GLCF COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, the foundation has supported more than 135 local nonprofit organizations with grants totaling over $5.1 million. 

Donations to the GLCF COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund can be made online at www.glcfoundation.org or by mail to the GLCF COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund c/o GLCF, 100 Merrimack Street, Suite 202, Lowell, MA 01852. 

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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GLCF Annual Meeting Celebrates 25th Anniversary with Presidential Historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning Author Doris Kearns Goodwin

Photo Credit: Annie Leibovitz

Lowell, MA – On Thursday, June 2, 2022, the Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF) will host its 25th Annual Meeting from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. at the UMass Lowell Inn & Conference Center. The event will feature a conversation with presidential historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Doris Kearns Goodwin.

Doris Kearns Goodwin is a world-renowned presidential historian, public speaker, and Pulitzer Prize-winning, New York Times #1 best-selling author. Her seventh book, Leadership in Turbulent Times, was published in September 2018 to critical acclaim and became an instant New York Times bestseller. A culmination of Goodwin’s five-decade career of studying the American presidents focusing on Presidents Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, and Lyndon Baines Johnson, the book provides an accessible and essential road map for aspiring and established leaders in every field and all of us in our everyday lives. 

“As we celebrate GLCF’s 25th anniversary, we are honored to welcome world-renowned historian Doris Kearns Goodwin. Her work brings to life some of our most successful presidents and provides insight for today’s leaders,” said Jay Linnehan. “As we reflect on a quarter-century of improving the lives of the Greater Lowell community through philanthropy, we are thankful for our supporters, partners, and grantees who have helped to make our work possible.”

Event tickets are $25, and registration is required. 100% of the ticket price will be directed to 25th GLCF Grants addressing essential needs in the Greater Lowell community. Limited in-person tickets are available. Register by May 26.

To learn more about this event or to register, visit: https://www.glcfoundation.org/event/2022-annual-meeting-celebrating-25-years/

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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GLCF awards more than $30K in Grants from Afghan Resettlement Fund

The Andover Islamic Center received a $5,000 grant to support Afghan refugee needs in Lowell. New arrivals from Afghanistan receiving a tutorial on their new devices from Andover Islamic Center volunteer.

Lowell, MA – The Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF) yesterday announced it had granted $30,300 to five nonprofits in Greater Lowell that are working to address the immediate needs of new refugees from Afghanistan resettling in the community.

These grants were disbursed from the GLCF Afghan Resettlement Fund, which was created last fall. The fund assists nonprofits who support refugees arriving from Afghanistan to Greater Lowell and ensures that those in need are welcomed and connected with housing, employment, transportation, food, acculturation, and other related support.

“As Afghan refugees and evacuees continue to arrive in our community, the GLCF Afghan Resettlement Fund is supporting area nonprofits providing the critical support needed to welcome and resettle this population,” said Jay Linnehan, GLCF’s President and CEO. “This work is ongoing, and we are so grateful to our generous donors who support these important resettlement efforts.”

Recipients of grants from the GLCF Afghan Resettlement Fund include:

  • Andover Islamic Center – $5,000 for Afghan refugee clothing, technology, assistance with resume writing, career placement, and transportation in Lowell
  • International Institute of New England (Lowell) – $10,000 for Afghan Resettlement
  • Mill City Grows – $5,000 for ROOT Kitchen to cook, prep and pack traditional Afghan meals.
  • Open Table, Inc. (Maynard) – $8,000 for Afghan Meal Program with IINE (Lowell)
  • U.S. Department of Homeland Security – $2,300 for filing fees for humanitarian parole

Donations to the GLCF Afghan Resettlement Fundcan be made online at www.glcfoundation.org or by mail to the GLCF Afghan Resettlement Fund c/o GLCF, 100 Merrimack Street, Suite 202, Lowell, MA 01852.

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 $58 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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Women Working Wonders Fund Awards $10,000 in Mini-Grants to Nonprofits Impacting Women and Girls

The Wish Project received a 2022 Women Working Wonders Mini-grant to support the purchase of new bras and underwear for clients. Pictured, Wish Project staff member Brandy Dailey sorting underwear.

Lowell, MA – The Women Working Wonders (WWW) Fund, a permanently endowed fund of the Greater Lowell Community Foundation, has announced the recipients of $10,000 in mini-grants. These grants will support local nonprofit programs that empower women and girls to effect positive change in the community.

“As we have worked hard to continue to grow our endowment, we have the privilege to increase grant support to our community beyond our annual grant cycle each summer,” said Carolyn Gregoire, Women Working Wonders Fund board president. “COVID-19 has increased the needs of the community, and WWWF is responding by providing $10,000 in mini-grants to help area nonprofits during this challenging time.”

Recipients of 2022 WWW mini-grants include:

  • Coalition for A Better Acre (Lowell) – $1,000 for the Acre Dance Group
  • Girls Inc. of Greater Lowell – $2,000 for Mental Health First Aid Training for Staff
  • Lowell Parks and Conservation Trust – $1,000 for Women in Stewardship
  • The Megan’s House Foundation (Lowell) – $1,000 for Travel Subsidies
  • Whistler House Museum of Art (Lowell) – $2,000 for Building Repairs
  • The Wish Project (North Chelmsford) – $1,000 for new bras and underwear
  • Women Accelerators (Lowell Chapter)- $2,000 for Accelerating Women Leadership Program

“We are thrilled to receive a 2022 Women Working Wonders Fund Mini-grant. This timely grant will be used to support our Accelerating Women Leadership program, which will be starting in March,” said Susu Wong, co-founder of Women Accelerators. “This program is designed to equip female leaders with the specific strategies, mindsets, and behaviors they will need to confidently lead themselves and others as they advance within their organizations.”

WWWF provides annual grants in three key areas: assist women in transition, provide leadership development as well as contribute to the beautification of the environment. Established in 2004, the fund has granted nearly $300,000 to nonprofits supporting women and girls in the Greater Lowell area.

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 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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GLCF Seeks Request for Proposals for 2022 Discretionary Grant Cycles and Nashoba Valley Healthcare Fund

Catie’s Closet, Inc. received a past Discretionary Children’s Grant to support their Lowell program. Pictured, Catie’s Closet volunteers with special request bags packed with urgently needed items for children.

Lowell, MA – The Greater Lowell Community Foundation will open its 2022 Nashoba Valley Healthcare Fund and Discretionary Grant Cycles on February 2 and is seeking requests for proposals from nonprofit organizations. The Foundation will award $160,000 through the Discretionary Grant Cycle. Funding areas for 2022 include children’s services, elder services, and racial equity/inclusion.

Nonprofit organizations serving the communities of Acton, Ashby, Ayer, Bedford, Billerica, Burlington, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Concord, Dracut, Dunstable, Groton, Littleton, Lowell, Pepperell, Shirley, Tewksbury, Townsend, Tyngsboro, Westford, and Wilmington are invited to apply.

Additionally, GLCF will open its 2022 Nashoba Valley Healthcare Fund Cycle on Feb. 2. The foundation seeks requests for proposals from nonprofit organizations supporting the advancement of community health of residents in the following GLCF communities: Ashby, Ayer, Dunstable, Groton, Littleton, Pepperell, Shirley, Townsend, and Westford. The Foundation will award $80,000 through this grant program.

Nashoba Valley Healthcare Fund Cycle grant awards will range from $5,000 up to $20,000; however, larger scale collaborative projects that are more than $20,000 will be considered if the funding request is justified by the impact of the project. Of particular interest are proposals that address systemic issues like (but not limited to) addiction/substance abuse, domestic violence, food insecurity, mental health, suicide screening and prevention, obesity, racial equity and inclusion and other specific issues as indicated by community needs.

Grant applications for both grant opportunities must be submitted by noon on March 4, 2022. Grant recipients will be announced in May. More information is available on the foundation’s website: www.glcfoundation.org.

For more information about the grant process, contact Sharon, GLCF Grants Coordinator with any questions at sharon@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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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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GLCF Scholarships Enable Donors to Give Back

Verda Annan, then a 17-year-old Harvard-bound student who graduated from Fitchburg High School last June, inspired GLCF donors to establish a scholarship to support community college students.

LOWELL – A local business looking to hire engineers set up a scholarship program to help bring more woman into the field. A 24-year-old started a modest scholarship, funded in part by walking the Appalachian Trail, to help students at her high school pursue college degrees. Anonymous donors endowed a two-year scholarship for community college students after being inspired by the generosity of a complete stranger.

These are just a few of the unique scholarships the Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF) has helped benevolent individuals, groups and businesses set up over the years – all with the goal of giving back to their communities.

“The Foundation manages about 400 scholarships per year,” said Jay Linnehan, GLCF President & CEO. “Education is a big part of our mission. It is, and always will be, a gateway to success.”

Scholarships can be as varied as the students they benefit, added Howard Amidon, GLCF’s Vice President of Philanthropy. And it’s his job to make donors’ wishes come true.

“I work with individuals and businesses to support their philanthropic goals,” Amidon explained. That can mean helping donors who reach out to the Foundation with very specific plans for a scholarship. Or working closely with altruistic individuals who don’t always have all the details figured out.

“Sometimes donors come in and say, ‘I want to do something good, but I don’t have anything specific in mind.’ In that case, we ask them, ‘What are your goals? What do you hope to accomplish?’ ”

Amidon is particularly excited about GLCF’s new Verda Annan Scholarship.

It was established in honor of Verda Tetteh (now Verda Annan), then a 17-year-old Harvard-bound student who graduated from Fitchburg High School last June. At her graduation ceremony, Annan spontaneously declined the $40,000 FHS General Excellence Award she had just won. Instead, she asked the administration to pass on the award to a student – or students — headed to community college who needed it more than she did. 

After reading about Annan’s story, Amidon explained, a couple contacted GLCF with a unique request. “They wanted to emulate Verda’s generosity by establishing a two-year scholarship to help support graduating Lowell High School students go on to community college.”

And, he added, the donors wanted to name the scholarship in honor of Annan, while they remained anonymous. Beginning this spring, the Verda Annan Scholarship will award $2,500 a year for two years to a qualified LHS student planning to attend any community college.

“These very generous people were inspired by someone they didn’t know, and saw that as a way to give back,” said GLCF President Linnehan. “They have succeeded because of their educations, and community colleges are very important to them. And, over time, as their endowment grows, this scholarship will grow, too.”

Annan, who changed her last name when she turned 18 to match her mother’s, was totally surprised when she learned about the prospect of an endowed scholarship established in her name. “My jaw dropped,” she said.

“I’m so honored. When I initially gave up the FHS scholarship, I never imagined my actions would have a ripple effect. These donors went out of their way to be so generous and to help more students.”

Annan is also pleased the scholarship supports community college students. “When I was applying to colleges, there was a huge emphasis on being the ‘perfect’ student. We were advised that we needed to have a 4.0 GPA, be active in student government, in clubs, and play a sport.

“But I understand that a good student who can be successful in college may not always check all those boxes,” she said. “And they may not have the resources to be engaged in those kinds of activities.”

With the help of a GLCF scholarship, local students can keep moving forward, said Linnehan. “It’s a privilege for the Foundation to help donors create scholarships to provide the resources these talented students need to continue their education.”

To learn more about GLCF scholarships, visit: 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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GLCF awards $56K in additional grants to Greater Lowell nonprofits

From left to right, GLCF’s President and CEO Jay Linnehan, Open Pantry of Greater Lowell Executive Director Maureen Peirce and GLCF’s Jennifer Aradhya, VP of Marketing, Programs and Strategy, at Open Pantry of Greater Lowell. The pantry received a GLCF Community Needs Fund grant to address food insecurity in Greater Lowell

LOWELL – The Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF) announced it deployed a new round of COVID-19 related grants, providing an additional $56,650 to 15 nonprofits in Greater Lowell serving vulnerable populations. These grants were part of the latest round of distributions from the GLCF’s COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund and Community Needs Fund.

“Greater Lowell nonprofits have demonstrated remarkable creativity and resiliency throughout the pandemic,” said GLCF president & CEO Jay Linnehan. “Through the generosity of our donors, we continue to support nonprofit programs that are so vital to our community through this latest round of funding.”

The 6 nonprofits receiving grants in the latest round of the GLCF COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund to address needs are:

  • $10,000 to The Phoenix for Community Recovery Support Program in Lowell
  • $10,000 to Budget Buddies for BB Signature Financial Empowerment Program
  • $10,000 to Troubled Waters (Lowell) for Avoiding Isolation during COVID
  • $6,900 to Dwelling House of Hope for Family Hygiene Day (PPE) And COVID-19 Educational
  • $10,000 to Whistler House Museum of Art (Lowell) for COVID Safe Support
  • $1,750 to Leaving the Streets for Holiday Assistance Food Baskets Program
The Phoenix, a recipient of a recent GLCF grant, gather for Recovery Dharma Meditation with staff, volunteers, and team members from their Lowell chapter.

Among the grants funded was The Phoenix for Community Recovery Support Program in Lowell. “We know that community support and meaningful relationships are key factors in helping folks thrive in recovery,” said Sydney Durand, Regional Director, The Phoenix. “While the isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated an already devastating addiction and mental health crisis, The Phoenix was able to adapt programs to ensure that many more individuals and families affected by addiction could access a safe, sober network. The Phoenix is so grateful to the Greater Lowell Community Foundation for its support and continued partnership to keep the community connected to free recovery support.”

Since March of 2019, 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 $4.9 million. 

From left to right, Westford Food Pantry’s president Tim Baker with GLCF’s Grants and Advancement Coordinator Sharon Kim, GLCF Board Member Andrew Macey and GLCF President + CEO Jay Linnehan at the Westford Food Pantry, a recent recipient of a GLCF Community Needs Fund grant to address food insecurity in Greater Lowell.

The 9 nonprofits receiving $1,000 grants from the GLCF Community Needs Fund to support Thanksgiving food insecurity initiatives for vulnerable populations in Greater Lowell are:

  • Billerica Community Pantry, Inc.
  • Chelmsford Community Exchange
  • Elliott Church (Lowell)
  • End 68 Hours of Hunger/Dracut
  • Open Pantry of Greater Lowell
  • People Helping People, Inc. (Burlington)
  • Pepperell Aid from Community to Home (PACH Outreach)
  • Stone Soup Kitchen – Living Water Fellowship (Ayer)
  • Westford Food Pantry

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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NETSCOUT Awards Seventh Grant to Lowell Association for the Blind with GLCF

Lowell Association for the Blind (LAB) Director of Programs, Josh Stachowski embosses a schedule for LAB clients.  The embosser, funded by a recent $10,000 grant from NETSCOUT’s Heart of Giving community program through the Greater Lowell Community Foundation does both print and Braille.

LOWELL, Mass. – The Greater Lowell Community Foundation, a philanthropic organization comprised of over 390 funds, currently totaling over $55 million, dedicated to improving the quality of life in 21 neighboring cities and towns, announced that NETSCOUT, a leading provider of service assurance, security, and business analytics, has awarded its Heart of Giving community program’s seventh grant through the Greater Lowell Community Foundation. The annual grant program builds relationships with nonprofit organizations and engages employees in learning about service opportunities in the communities of Greater Lowell.

“Giving back to the community in which it operates amplifies a company’s greater purpose and NETSCOUT demonstrates this commitment to supporting important local causes,” said Jay Linnehan, president and CEO, Greater Lowell Community Foundation. “Connecting philanthropic businesses and individuals to the needs of their communities is at the heart of our work. We are proud to be in the 7th year of the NETSCOUT Heart of Giving Community Grant at the Greater Lowell Community Foundation.”

“One of our ESG pillars is to fulfill our mission as Guardians of the Connected World by helping to bridge the digital divide,” said Michael Szabados, chief operating officer at NETSCOUT. “Our employees are actively engaged in the GLCF grant program, and selected Lowell Association for the Blind’s Braille embosser project for this year’s award.  Helping blind and visually impaired users to fully experience important online resources is one way we can support digital inclusion in our community.”

“The Lowell Association for the Blind would like to thank NETSCOUT for this grant that allowed us to get a new embosser which can print and do Braille on the same document, as well as the Greater Lowell Community Foundation for their hard work and assistance in making this grant available,” said Elizabeth Cannon, Executive Director, LAB. “The embosser can also do tactile graphics, and it is amazing to hear our clients when they feel the graphics.  It’s always ‘that’s so cool!’”

The Grant Process
From reading a grant proposal to learning about the organizations in the community and filtering through the worthy applications in order to select the finalists, and participating in work sessions with the Greater Lowell Community Foundation, employees have the opportunity to learn how nonprofits are addressing important issues in the community. From the grant submissions, three finalists were selected and invited to virtually present to NETSCOUT corporate headquarters and share how their organizations would best serve the community, how they would use the grant funds, and their ideas for employee community service projects.

The NETSCOUT Heart of Giving global philanthropy program includes disaster relief, community service projects, employee matching gifts and volunteer grants, and corporate charitable contributions.

About Lowell Association for the Blind
Lowell Association for the Blind (LAB) is a nonprofit, community-based organization dedicated to working with the blind and visually impaired. Established in 1923, the Association has been serving the Greater Lowell/ Merrimack Valley community for over 91 years. LAB is supported by contributions from memorial donations, grants from foundations, and program funding. The office in downtown Lowell provides 4,000 sq. feet of easily accessible space for meetings, adaptive equipment training, Braille lessons and a radio/recording studio.

About NETSCOUT
NETSCOUT SYSTEMS, INC. (NASDAQ: NTCT) helps assure digital business services against security, availability, and performance disruptions. Our market and technology leadership stems from combining our patented smart data technology with smart analytics. We provide real-time, pervasive visibility and insights customers need to accelerate and secure their digital transformation. Omnis® Cyber Intelligence delivers the fastest and most scalable network security solution available on the market. NETSCOUT nGenius® service assurance solutions provide real-time, contextual analysis of service, network, and application performance. And Arbor® Smart DDoS Protection by NETSCOUT products help protect against attacks that threaten availability and advanced threats that infiltrate networks to steal critical business assets. To learn more about improving service, network, and application performance in physical or virtual data centers or in the cloud, and how NETSCOUT’s security and performance solutions can help you move forward with confidence, visit www.netscout.com or follow @NETSCOUT on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn.

©2021 NETSCOUT SYSTEMS, INC. All rights reserved. NETSCOUT, the NETSCOUT logo, Guardians of the Connected World, Adaptive Service Intelligence, Arbor, ATLAS, Cyber Threat Horizon, InfiniStream, nGenius, nGeniusONE, and Omnis are registered trademarks or trademarks of NETSCOUT SYSTEMS, INC., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

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. To learn more, visit: www.glcfoundation.org.

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Helping UMass Lowell Honors Students Become Future Philanthropists

By Kathy Register

LOWELL – This fall, Honors students at UMass Lowell are learning that the philanthropic landscape and their roles in it are changing.

Through a creative partnership between UML’s Honors College and the Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF), students enrolled in the Honors Seminar “Experiencing Philanthropy,” are getting hands-on training in how to be the philanthropists of the future – and giving away $10,000 in the process.

For the second year in a row, under the direction of Associate Teaching Professor Deborah Finch, 19 Honors students are learning about nonprofit organizations, different styles of philanthropy, and effective nonprofit management. By the end of the semester, they will have designed their process for requesting and evaluating grant proposals and awarded $10,000 to local nonprofit organizations. 

“GLCF has a wonderful relationship with UML’s Honors College,” said Jay Linnehan, GLCF President & CEO. “At the end of 2019, Jim Canning, then-Dean of the Honors College, reached out to us to help support a hands-on learning opportunity for students to understand philanthropy better. 

“The Foundation agreed to put up $5,000, to be matched by the university, and our partnership resulted in the Fall 2020 online course, ‘Experiencing Philanthropy,’ ” he explained.

According to Jenifer Whitten-Woodring, Acting Dean of the Honors College, the university is pleased to be continuing the arrangement this fall. “Our partnership with the Greater Lowell Community Foundation has made it possible for the university to offer this course to UML Honors students,” she said.

“Normally, most students do not have the means to engage in philanthropy, so without this partnership, these students would not be exposed to philanthropy. The partnership also fosters students’ engagement with the community, which in turn strengthens the university’s engagement with the community.”

And connecting young people with the community bodes well for the future, added Jennifer Aradhya, GLCF’s Vice President of Marketing, Programs & Strategy. “These students are the future of Greater Lowell. Teaching them about community needs and area nonprofits allows them to best direct their time, talent, and treasure to make the entire community stronger,” she said. 

“Like all nonprofits, the work of GLCF is only made possible by the generosity of our community,” Aradhya continued. “As we cultivate a sustainable future for our foundation, it is essential to educate, engage and connect with a new generation of donors and funders.” 

Finch, who also teaches in UML’s Manning School of Business – including courses in nonprofit management and nonprofit marketing — relishes the variety of students “Experiencing Philanthropy” attracts.

“Honors seminars are designed to be cross-disciplinary, so we get students from all over the university. As a result, our discussions are very lively,” she said. “Majors in various fields realize they bring something different and valuable to the table. 

“Many students have had some previous nonprofit experience,” Finch added. “But plenty say they enrolled in the course because they don’t know anything about nonprofits and would like to know more.” 

Over the course of the semester, Finch brings in speakers from various local nonprofit organizations. Students also virtually attend a board of directors meeting of the Lowell Association for the Blind. “In this course, students get the big picture about how nonprofits operate, what a board of directors does, plus the importance of mission statements and strategic plans,” she explained.

But when it comes to the grant-award process, Finch takes a very hands-off approach. “I have no role in awarding the $10,000. I guide them, but I don’t tell them what to do.” 

Last year, during the pandemic, “Experiencing Philanthropy” students were concerned about domestic violence since victims were often trapped at home with their abusers during the lockdown. After further research, the class voted to make domestic violence their grant-award program theme.

With the help of Aradhya, students then identified several GLCF partner organizations, local nonprofits, that serve victims of domestic violence, and invited those organizations to apply for $10,000 in grant money.

The final grant was awarded jointly to The Center for Hope & Healing (CHH), and the Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence (ATASK). These two Lowell organizations collaborated on the winning proposal. The collaboration leveraged CHH’s Mobile Healing Unit Pilot Program to help ATASK distribute vital resources to ATASK clients.

From left: Am Ngeth (she/her), Khmer Advocate and Prevention Specialist at The Center for Hope and Healing (CHH) spreading awareness around sexual violence in our community through CHH’s Mobile Healing Unit Pilot Program; ATASK’s winter coat drive provided much needed clothing for children served by their program.
ATASK partnered with The Center for Hope and Healing who delivered vital resources to families in Greater Lowell. This partnership program was funded by a $10,000 grant from the UML/GLCF Experiencing Philanthropy partnership.

Coming up with a grant focus area and awarding grants can be challenging for students, said Finch. “This is not an easy class. But, the students really do care — especially after they hear all the nonprofits’ grant proposals,” she said. 

“It’s more than just a class when they realize what a difference this $5,000 or $10,000 can do for these organizations.” 

Finch keeps the future – and the local community – in mind as she teaches “Experiencing Philanthropy.” “This course is helping educate the next generation of students to become volunteers, board members, and philanthropists,” she said. “It’s also helping students to look differently at community foundations and recognize the important role they play at the local level.” 

“Community foundations are unique in so many ways,” stressed GLCF’s Aradhya. “We always say, ‘Community foundations are the boots on the ground.’ We find pockets of need within our community that national organizations might overlook. 

“We are available in emergencies at the local level – as seen recently with our dissemination of more than $4 million in COVID relief funds to Greater Lowell nonprofits,” she said. “Engaging people early and meaningfully in philanthropy – and keeping them engaged at every stage of life – is essential to building a better tomorrow.”

Training future philanthropists is something GLCF President Linnehan hopes to continue and perhaps even grow. “We are committed to this partnership and hope to continue supporting UML’s ‘Experiencing Philanthropy’ course, which we review and renew annually,” he said.

“We also see value in expanding this model to high schools and the community college, and are exploring that possibility, as well.”

 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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