A Message from the President and CEO

Dear Nelson,   

In Lowell, with our founders’ foresight and the need in the community, the opportunity aligned, and the Greater Lowell Community Foundation was formed on June 2, 1997. This year, 2022, the Greater Lowell Community Foundation celebrates its’ 25th anniversary.

Over all those years, many things have changed, but the fundamental mission of the Foundation remains the same: to improve the quality of life for the people in our community by preserving the wealth in our community for the benefit of our community. A few notes of interest: Twenty-five years ago, the Foundation’s endowment was $50,000. As we entered into 2022, that amount was $59.2 million. The number of fund holders increased from 47 to over 400. Student scholarships increased from $65,000 to over $400,000. And annual grants increased from $152,000 to $2.4 million (excluding COVID grants, which account for over $7 million over the last couple of years.)

In recognition of 25 years of achievement, a couple of weeks ago, the Foundation gathered to honor the service of our founders and board members who have dedicated ten or more years of service. Collectively, those individuals represent 186 years of service to GLCF. The Foundation would not be where it is today without their support and guidance. But as they would be the first to say, so many people in our community made and contributed to the success of GLCF - and they are right.

So, to everyone who contributed, in whatever way they could, to support the mission of the Foundation and assist those in need in our community, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you. Without all of you, we wouldn’t be where we are today. And with all of you, we can achieve what we need to do tomorrow.

With great appreciation,

Jay Linnehan
GLCF President + CEO

GLCF in the News

Resettlement Fund Provides Critical Support to Afghan Refugees (Concord Patch, 9/26)

GLCF to Host Annual Celebrate Giving Event with Focus on the Power of Philanthropy (Action Unlimited Chelmsford Edition, 9/23)

Lowell’s Kinetic Sculpture race returns, everyone wins (Boston Herald, 9/17)

Provide input to Lowell’s creative economy plan (Lowell Sun, 9/16)

Pitch for Prevention fights suicide (Lowell Sun, 9/14)

Barber Provides Free Haircuts to Youth in Lowell Police Youth Services Boxing Program
(JGPR, 9/8)

Lowell Police Youth Services Program, in Collaboration with Community Partners, Hosts Flag Football Clinic
(JGPR, 9/6)

Megan House receives $10,000 grant
(Lowell Sun, 9/1)

Alternative House Partners with Pepperell Police Department (The Action Unlimited: Ayer/Groton/Harvard/Shirley/Devens Edition, Sept. 2022)

Pictured above left:
GLCF Founders + Board Service Dinner

Rear row (l-r) - Dr. James N. Reichheld, John Duke (on behalf of Winslow), Jay Linnehan, Steven Joncas, Atty. Annmarie Roark, James C. Shannon III, CPA, Mr. Brian J. Stafford CPA, MST, Jacqueline F. Moloney Ed.D., and John P. Chemaly

Front row (l-r) - James F. Conway III, Nancy Donahue (on behalf of Richard), and George L. Duncan

GLCF News

On Wednesday, October 26, 2022, the Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF) will host its annual Celebrate Giving event in a hybrid format, with limited in-person tickets. The event will focus on the Power of Philanthropy.

This year’s event will feature a panel discussion moderated by GLCF president and CEO Jay Linnehan. Panelists will include Nancy Huntington Stager, President & Chief Executive Officer, Eastern Bank Foundation; Sophy Theam, Trustee of the Theodore Edson Parker Foundation and DEI and Leadership Program Specialist at Enterprise Bank; John Flanagan, Senior Director, Westford Corporate Citizenship for Red Hat; and Siddhi Shah Cheong, Head of Strategy Development, MilliporeSigma and representing the Shruti N. Shah Memorial Scholarship Fund. Highlighting their philanthropic support, panelists will engage in conversation about creating change in the community, the transformational effect of giving time, talent, and treasure, and the future of philanthropy.

The event will also include awarding three 2022 GLCF awards: Business Philanthropy Partner Award, Steven Joncas Community Connector Award, and the Inaugural GLCF Newell Flather Legacy Fund Grant Award.

Learn More

Nominations Wanted:
GLCF Steven Joncas Community Connector Award

The GLCF Steven Joncas Community Connector Award recognizes an individual or organization that meets one or more of the following criteria and aligns with this year's theme: Power of Philanthropy:
Helping individuals and/or their community through one or more extraordinary acts during the past year;
Performing exemplary deeds of service to the community in the Greater Lowell;
Making efforts to combat persistent problems that impact entire communities.

NOTE: Award recipient will receive a $1,000 grant, funded by GLCF, to give to a Greater Lowell nonprofit of their choice.

NOMINATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY OCTOBER 7 by NOON.

Nomination Form

Resettlement Fund Provides Critical Support to Afghan Refugees 

Melissa Marrama’s initial efforts to assist Afghan refugees started modestly. Last summer and fall, the Andover financial planner rallied members of area mosques to collect household items for Afghani families newly housed in Lowell-area hotels.

Now, thanks to grants from the Greater Lowell Community Foundation’s Afghan Resettlement Fund, Marrama has developed a network of individuals, businesses and religious organizations throughout the Merrimack Valley focused on helping more than 400 local Afghan refugees adjust to life in the United States.

Working through the Andover Islamic Center, Marrama assists refugee families and individuals living in Greater Lowell locate permanent housing, enroll in schools, line up transportation, learn English, and find jobs.

“Our generous donors who gave to the GLCF Afghan Resettlement Fund provided area nonprofits with the critical support needed to help welcome and resettle our new Afghan neighbors,” said Jay Linnehan, GLCF’s President and CEO. “This grant funding complemented the work of local nonprofits and expanded our community’s capacity to meet the needs of Afghans who fled their homeland to come to the U.S. seeking safety.”

Read More

GLCF Grant Opportunity

2022 GLCF COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund:
Strengthening Mental Health Support for Children and Adolescents in Greater Lowell

The Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF) announced a grant funding to strengthen mental health support for children and adolescents in Greater Lowell. These grants are designed to address mental health challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic among children and adolescents.

The Foundation is requesting proposals to strengthen mental health support for children and adolescents in our community and has allocated approximately $150,000 in grant funding for 2022. Grant requests ranging up to $50,000 will be considered. The final awards will be determined during the grant decision process.

TIMELINE

Grant Cycle Opens: Tuesday, Oct. 4 (RFP with link will be available on 10/3 via GLCF website and social media)
Grant Cycle Closes: Tuesday, Oct. 25 at noon
Nonprofits notified at the end of November of decisions

Please contact Jennifer Aradhya, VP of Marketing, Programs and Strategy with any questions via email: [email protected].

GLCF Fiscal Sponsor News

Free Soil Arts Collective:
The Makers

Congratulations to Free Soil Arts Collective Founder and Executive Director Christa Brown on being selected this year as one of WBUR’s The Makers: “15 artists of color leaving an imprint on Massachusetts.”

Click the link below to read up on what Christa and 14 other influential POC artists had to say!

Details

Lowell Chamber Orchestra: Upcoming Performance

Discovering "Pierrot"
Saturday, October 29, 2022
7:30 - 8:30 PM, Academic Arts Center

A lecture-presentation on one of the most influential works of music, to get you in the Halloween spirit.

Details

GLCF Partner News

Join us on October 6 for our upcoming Series on Racial Equity and Inclusion seminar. Join this presentation and conversation to learn how to:
- Develop and maintain a relevant internal corporate culture
- Incorporate a DEI mindset that allows 360 degree thinking and communication
- Create a dynamic, inclusive culture that is more fluid than flat

Register here:  https://lnkd.in/eb6EA8We

Mosaic Lowell News

Hot off the Press:

The draft of the Mosaic Lowell Arts, Cultural, and Creative Economy Plan

People talked, we listened, and we're still learning. We welcome public comment before the plan is finalized and printed in mid-October. Download the plan here.

To Learn More, or to Sign up for the Mosaic Lowell Newsletter, touch here.

GLCF Grant Highlight

2021 Women Working Wonders
Grant Update: Coalition for a Better Acre (CBA) - Sewing Training Program

Recently CBA retrofitted a first-floor storefront on a busy street as a community resource center, deepening its connection to marginalized people in the community who are living in poverty or experiencing limited access due to language barriers. At the walk-in center, CBA provides safe and easy access to food without institutional barriers, technology assistance for those without computers and printers, job skills training, and English classes, as well as one-on-one assistance with accessing resources. A grant of $10,000 from the Women Working Wonders fund allowed CBA to kick start a jobs skill class – specifically on skilled machine sewing.

The Sewing Skills program was tailored toward women from all walks of life, with special attention paid to those whose first language is not English, who have limited work experience in the United States, and who require flexibility because of family commitments.

The program was limited to six participants at the outset due to space and machine limitations. Sewing skills training curriculum was offered continuously, meeting twice a week during the day for two hours at a time. The classes were led by CBA’s Latin Empowerment and Advocacy Program Coordinator and master sewing instructor and fabric artist and designer, Diana Coluntino.

CBA’s goal is to continue to grow the jobs skills program sustainably, supporting women of low-income, immigrant, and refugee backgrounds in Lowell.

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.