E-Newsletter May 2010

Introduction

As students begin to count down to the end of school and the weather looks like its finally warming up, we wanted to send you a few updates about the Foundation for MetroWest. We’ve completed our audit and our 2009 Annual Report is now available to download from our website.

This newsletter also includes information about our new trustee members, our recent Spirit of Philanthropy event, a wrap up of the 2009 – 2010 Youth in Philanthropy program, and an overview of some of the issues MetroWest organizations are facing when working with aging populations.

Changes to the Foundation’s Board of Trustees

At their last Board Meeting, the Foundation’s Board of Trustees voted to welcome a new member, voted in a new slate of officers, and said goodbye as two trustees retired.

Our newest member of the Board is Jack O’Neil. Jack is a Managing Partner at National Development, and is a resident of Natick. He is a long-time coach for Natick Youth Hockey, girls' basketball, and softball, and has been involved in the Framingham Country Club, Natick High School Building Committee, and the MetroWest YMCA Capital Campaign Steering Committee. We are honored to have him on our board, and look forward to working with him over the next few years.

We would also like to introduce our new officers. Our new Board Chair is Ken Vona. Laurie Krigman and Janet Pattillo will continue in their roles as Treasurer and Secretary, and Pam Lesser will serve as the Vice Chair of the Board.

Finally we would like to thank our two retiring trustees for their many years of service – Woolsey Conover and Ken Vacovec. Both were honored at our Spirit of Philanthropy event this past Monday.

Read bios of our current Board of Trustees.

Youth in Philanthropy

The Foundation's Youth in Philanthropy program, teaches youth about the needs of the MetroWest community, nonprofit organizations, and how to evaluate a nonprofit for funding. They also learn fundraising strategies and how to work with others to make an impact on their community. This year, six programs distributed $56,500 in grants to 25 different youth-serving organizations.

Youth in Philanthropy programs can be found in five Concord schools and the Foundation also runs the Youth Action Council, which takes high school students from across the region. One student told us, “This program is a good way to learn about your community as well as ways you can benefit your community while making friends from different towns.”

Over the course of a semester, students in the Youth in Philanthropy program learn about the needs of their local community, about nonprofits and how to evaluate them for funding, and how to work with others to make a difference. They do a few community service days at local nonprofits, and are responsible for raising $1,000 towards their $10,000 grant-making budget, and spend time planning and implementing fundraising activities. “[I learned] that the community needs more than people think,” explained a member of the Youth Action Council.

After training, students evaluate requests for grants that support local programs serving children and youth. They visit organizations applying for funding and then decide which ones to fund. After making their choices the youth have to present their recommendations to the Foundation’s Distribution Committee, have approval by our Board of Trustees, and end the process with a grant ceremony where they get to present the checks to the organizations.

“The most beneficial piece of information I have learned in this program,” wrote one student, “Is that the problems that exist in our community can be solved with a combination of the tools we have learned and a will to help.”

To view the grants recommended by the Youth Action Council, click here.
To view the grants recommended by students in the other High School programs, click here.
To view the grants recommended by students in the Middle School program, click here.

Each program has its own application process. If you have a high school student who would be interested in applying, and does not attend one of the schools with an existing program, please email Jennifer Ubaldino, the Youth in Philanthropy Coordinator at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). She’ll put your name on a list so that you can receive the 2010-11 Youth Action Council application.

Spirit of Philanthropy Event

On Monday, May 10th, more than 70 people came together to honor the wonderful work of our retiring trustees, as well as John Connors, the recipient of the Woolsey Conover Award.

Read more about the event >

View pictures from the event >

Aging in MetroWest

MetroWest is a wonderful place to live, no matter how old you are. While the area is known for being a great place to raise a family, it is also home to many who have “been there, done that” and are now considered “senior” citizens. Because these citizens have unique needs, the area has many agencies which focus on their special interests and desire to live well and to give back to their community.

Several of the Foundation’s grantees focus their efforts on addressing the special needs of the region’s aging population. They tell us that there are several common needs across the area, including the following:

• Advocacy for senior issues in the larger community
• Advocacy for caregivers who face competing needs of family, work and self
• In-home services which allow seniors independence and good health
• Access to other services such as transportation, legal advice and education
• Help finding reliable contractors for home and property maintenance and repair

Gayle Thieme, Director of Senior Services in the town of Wellesley, recently participated in a town-wide forum which highlighted areas of interest, many of which are included above. She agreed that transportation is always an important issue, particularly since many gaps in service exist because of eligibility requirements and limits on distance and time. Many seniors want dedicated spaces with accessibility and a sense of community that keeps citizens engaged and connected. She is currently engaged in an effort to increase volunteer services in Wellesley as well as staying connected with the Council on Aging departments across the state.

Springwell is a 2009 Grantee who focuses on aging. They plan, coordinate, and develop community-level systems of services that meet the needs of individual older persons and their caregivers so that they are able to live independently in their communities. Their efforts provide services to seniors with the greatest economic needs, those who are socially isolated due to disability or language barriers, to low-income minorities, and to those with Alzheimer’s disease. Springwell advocates on behalf of seniors, directly provides nutrition and in-home services, and ensures that other critical services are available through contracts with and grants to other agencies.

Minuteman Senior Services provides information, resources, and services to over 15,000 elders and people with long-term care needs, so they can remain in their own homes for as long as they are able. Their website serves as an important resource, providing links to local, state, and national resources along with information about hotlines that seniors and their caregivers can utilize. These resources are fundamental to the population that Minuteman serves – providing information about home care, housing options, respite care, mental health care, and how to navigate the maze of government programs like Medicare. The site also has a section devoted to caregivers that helps them balance their own needs while meeting the high demands on their time and energy.

Jewish Family Services of MetroWest meets the needs of all citizens, regardless of faith, age, or background. They provide services to a number of at-risk populations, including the aging population. Staff members work with clients and caregivers, addressing the ultimate goal of maintaining independence for as long as possible, no matter the circumstances. Their social and healthcare workers identify and address present and future needs with a wide range of guidance, support and services. Because of their familiarity with community resources, they can guide seniors and families through all of the options open to them.

Practically every town in Metrowest has a Council on Aging, which serves residents of its towns and those nearby. The Councils often have built and operate the senior center in the town. Natick’s Council consists of both staff and volunteers, who offer a comprehensive package of health, educational and social services. The Council also offers connections to health-related services, home repair and maintenance, companionship, nutrition, and tax assistance. The town’s Kennedy Senior Center is a gathering place for seniors living in the community and provides a large selection of programs and activities, including dance, exercise, support groups, games, movies, arts & crafts, computers, wellness lectures, pharmacy talks, discussion groups, and more.

This is just a small slice of how organizations in MetroWest are working to meet the growing needs of an aging population. For more information, contact your local Council on Aging or one of the organizations listed above.

Submit an Event

To submit and event, please send an email to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) with the event details and date.

Community Events

May 22 & 29, 2010: Garden Plant Sale at Gore Place

June 4, 2010: Natick Community Organic Farm's Summerdance

May 19, 2010: Networking Event for Professional Advisors

June 13, 2010: 2010 Lovelane 5K Susan McDaniel Run for Love

June 18, 2010: The Discovery Museums: Women with Science, Math and ART (SMART) careers in animals

How to Help

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