A Message from the President and CEO

Dear Nelson,  

Art breaks down barriers. Art creates a wonderful common denominator for all of us. Art, in whatever format, is something we all can relate to, enjoy, and share. This is especially true when art is on public display as people from all over come together to celebrate, engage in the moment, and share the connection.

This powerful social integrator will be in full gear this weekend as the Lowell Folk Festival is back! Thousands of people will come out for this grand weekend event to enjoy lots of music, eat amazing ethnic food, and, most importantly, enjoy each other. For several days, we’ll engage with many people we never knew before as we share song, dance, laughs, smiles, maybe even a beer, and so much more. As a result, our spirits will be lifted, and our horizons brightened. Moreover, it will enhance our civility. All because we share an appreciation for art and what it does for our mind, body, and soul.

But where does all that goodwill go once the weekend’s over? It doesn’t have to go anywhere if we don’t want it to. Nor should it. Support the arts, support our community, and engage your neighbors.

See you at the Folk Festival!

Jay Linnehan
GLCF President + CEO

SAVE THE DATE:
2022 Celebrate Giving
Wednesday, October 26 from 5 - 7 pm
UTEC, 35 Warren St, Lowell, MA 01852    

GLCF News

GLCF awards multi-year water resources grants

Lowell, MA – The Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF) awarded $45,000 in grants to three local nonprofits for three-year $5,000/year GLCF Water Resources Initiative Grants. The GLCF Water Resources Initiative Grants for nonprofits that support water-resources projects, with a preference for organizations whose primary mission is to protect, improve and preserve the Sudbury-Assabet-Concord (SuAsCo) River, Merrimack River, or Nashua River watersheds.

“These multi-year grants fund incredible nonprofit organizations that protect our valuable area water resources. Water-related projects supported include biological conservation, habitat restoration, and clean-ups,” said GLCF President & CEO Jay Linnehan. “These grants are made possible from a 1998 grant from the Massachusetts Environmental Trust to GLCF. The Foundation was able to create an endowed fund to protect the water resources in Greater Lowell.”

Among the grantees was the Merrimack River Watershed Council, who received a grant to support their Clean Water for Greater Lowell Program. “Through a multi-year commitment from GLCF, the Merrimack River Watershed Council will continue to grow our capacity to fill gaps in water quality data, analysis, and solutions in Greater Lowell,” said Matthew Thorne, executive director of Merrimack River Watershed Council. “Although the Merrimack River, which provides public drinking water for the City of Lowell, is much cleaner than when we began our work in the 1970s, we have significant challenges with contamination issues that are as critical as ever to address.”

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Alternative House Announces Partnership with Pepperell Police Department

LOWELL – Alternative House, through a grant from the Greater Lowell Community Foundation’s Nashoba Health Care Grant cycle, formally announced its new partnership with the Pepperell Police Department.

With this funding, Alternative House will continue to intensify and expand the tools necessary to assist survivors of domestic violence in the Pepperell community and surrounding areas. Through this partnership, Alternative House will be able to fund training for officers, town employees and community partners, as well as provide safe housing and other assistance to survivors. This funding will also allow Alternative House to provide financial assistance to survivors to fulfill their basic needs.

Alternative House has provided comprehensive domestic violence services in the Greater Lowell area for over 40 years. Founded in 1978, Alternative House has served thousands of survivors of domestic violence. The agency provides not only emergency shelter and 24-hour crisis hotline services, but access to temporary safe housing, transitional/permanent housing, legal advocacy, supervised visitation services, community/housing advocacy, support groups, youth and teen programming.

Alternative House also offers daily access to case management, safety planning, and support around goal setting, financial empowerment and job/educational placement.

“This funding will allow us to expand our law enforcement partnership services which include ongoing training and education, moving and relocation planning, financial assistance, lethality assessment work, and community outreach. It is a critically important program to the survivors of domestic violence that we serve,” said Alternative House Executive Director Maria Crooker-Capone. “We know that fleeing an abusive situation is extremely traumatic and overwhelming for families and individuals, and through this program, we can provide them the step-by-step support they may need.”

“We look forward to working with Alternative House,” Chief Scott said. “This partnership helps to fill a void for domestic violence services in our area and connect survivors with the resources they need. Thank you to the Alternative House and the Greater Lowell Community Foundation.”

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Partner News

Maria Cunha Elected to Board of the Theodore Edson Parker Foundation

LOWELL, MA – The trustees of the Theodore Edson Parker Foundation have voted Maria Cunha to the board effective July 1, 2022. Maria has served as an advisor to the Foundation since 2019.

Parker President Karen Carpenter made the announcement of the appointment following the Spring Board of Trustees meeting, and said, “we are thrilled that Maria joins us. Her life truly reflects servant leadership and expands our commitment to Lowell. As the third woman on the board, an immigrant, and a Lowell resident, Maria’s addition to the board represents another key step in realizing our commitment to having the Foundation’s leadership reflect Lowell’s diverse community.”

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GLCF Fiscal Sponsor News

Free Soil Arts Collective

Congratulations to Free Soil Arts Collective's Founder Christa Brown on being one of four recipients to receive the NEFA 2022 Newell Flather Award for Leadership in Public Art!

Her interview is available for you to read or hear at: https://www.nefa.org/NewellFlatherAward

GLCF Donor Portal

The team at the Greater Lowell Community Foundation has been working hard to implement portal technology to improve the experience for you, our donors. 

As always, please know our staff stands ready to answer any questions you might have.

For any questions related to the donor portal, email: [email protected].

WANTED: GLCF Partner Video Messages

This year, the Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF) is celebrating our 25th Anniversary. In 1997, GLCF was formed, appropriately so, by the community – a great group of diverse people who cared deeply about their community. Their generosity was their commitment to improving the quality of life in the Greater Lowell region.

As GLCF celebrates 25 years of improving the quality of life in Greater Lowell through impactful, strategic philanthropy, we recognize that it is community partners like YOU who have made our work possible. We invite you to record a short video anniversary message and upload it by August 15, 2022.

DETAILS

Mosaic Lowell News

Whether you are a resident or visitor, use Mosaic Lowell’s new interactive map to explore arts, culture, and creative economy destinations in Lowell. Its menu of categories lets you filter the map to make it easy to find whatever you are seeking, from arts to food to public parking, and more.

Also, while you are enjoying this year’s Lowell Folk Festival view the 20 pieces of window art commissioned by Mosaic Lowell, (photo on right) on Merrimack Street created by Joseph Lach. Spread throughout the downtown all have been created by Lowell artists.

GLCF Grant Highlight

Grant Update: OARS Water Sampling Project

OARS, Inc. received a 2021 GLCF Water Resources Initiative Grant to address bacteria pollution of the lower Concord River in Lowell. The river in Lowell is used for fishing, boating, and for white water rafting, and swimming, but the area showed high levels of bacterial contamination. OARS, Inc proposed to collect and analyze the data needed to track down the sources of bacteria pollution and to identify where remediation was needed. With the GLCF Discretionary funding they were able to narrow the pollution issues down to specific sections of the river and shared this with the local utilities to help them narrow down the key pollution sources.

OARS, Inc. recently received a multi-year 2022-2024 Water Resources Initiative grant to continue their efforts in cleaning up the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord (SuAsCo) rivers.

Give to the Future: Make a Planned Gift

Everyone has a legacy. What’s yours?
Your legacy can be shaped to support the causes you care about now and provide financial and estate savings.

To discuss creating a personalized estate plan that supports issues important to you, please call Jay or Howard at the Greater Lowell Community Foundation at 978-970-1600.