E-Newsletter: November 2011

From the Director—How Far Does One Donation Go?

This is the time of year we ask you to include Foundation for MetroWest in your year-end giving. We talk about how the needs are growing beyond what our current level of grantmaking can support. We urge you to look around you and respond to what is happening in your own backyard—effects of the recession, aging of our populations, neighbors coping with the high cost of living in MetroWest. This is all true, and these are all good reasons you should contribute to the Foundation.

But what else does a contribution mean?

Your gift to the Foundation is a commitment to the long term health of our region. All of us understand some of the challenges and opportunities our cities and towns will be tackling over the next few years, but there is no way to know exactly what they will face. All we know for certain is that building strong communities and productive citizens ready to tackle what the future will bring requires investment.

Our grant dollars and workshops support hundreds of nonprofits each year. We put a priority on understanding the lives they touch and the services they perform on behalf of all of us. Because we understand the needs in our region and the work being done to meet them, we are able to identify gaps in services and play a role in seeing that they are filled. We are able to advise our donors about the ways their gifts can make the most impact.

We are dedicated to using philanthropy to have a positive and long-lasting impact on our communities. With your gift to our Annual Appeal, you become part of all we do to keep MetroWest vibrant and compassionate. You touch thousands of lives with one donation.

There is still much work to be done. Please join us and make your donation.

Your gift goes a long way.

With best wishes and appreciation for your support,

Judy Salerno
Executive Director

Gaining Insight—Four Nonprofits Share Their Stories

“I cannot tell you what an impact each stop had on me,” reflected Amy Schaffer after attending our second 2011 Insight Tour. “Not only did it open my eyes to how much need there is right here in our own neighborhoods, but also to how much hope and support these organizations provide.”

Amy had just spent the morning with other community members, Foundation staff and board members as they visited four Waltham family service nonprofits.
Communities United provides high quality education and family services to a diverse population of children, ages 0 to 5
More Than Words empowers youth who are in the foster care system, court involved, homeless, or out of school to take charge of their lives by taking charge of a business
Rediscovery offers industry leading services for homeless, unaccompanied high school students as well as youth aging out of foster care
Waltham Family School improves educational opportunities for children by integrating early childhood, adult education and parenting activities in a comprehensive family literacy program.

The November Insight Tour provided the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of the important organizations that serve families in our region. At each stop, participants heard directly from directors, employees, volunteers, and service recipients about the needs in the community, the challenges they face, the programs that provide assistance, and the impact of their services.

Amy Schaffer says it best. “The individuals associated with the nonprofits we visited are intelligent, kind, and dedicated to their organizations. And the people they serve are brave, hard working individuals looking to make better lives for themselves. “

The Foundation for MetroWest offers a variety of ways for individuals to learn about the needs of our region, and those who serve them. Contact us for more information and watch our newsletter and website for upcoming opportunities to gain insight.

Empowering Youth—Youth Action Council Retreats to Move Ahead

Working together cooperatively and collaboratively is a hallmark of the Youth Action Council (YAC), and the team got a head start during their November 6 retreat. Twenty youth from 11 communities gathered at the MetroWest YMCA Family Outdoor Center in Hopkinton to take part in a variety of activities designed to build trust and encourage respect for each others’ opinions.

“The YAC retreat follows the first two meetings and is a great jumping-off point,” says Jennifer Ubaldino, Youth In Philanthropy coordinator. “Working together in this manner helps the students get to know each other better and form relationships outside a regular session.”

After 3 hours of cooperative activities that included Low Ropes, Trust Walk, and Where’s My Bat?, the group described their 3-hour experience as “challenging”, “awesome”, and “fun”.

Over the course of the next 7 months, Youth Action Council members will perform service projects, raise funds, visit and learn about nonprofits, and evaluate grant requests. The group will make their grant recommendations to the Foundation for MetroWest Board of Trustees, and present checks to the organizations they have chosen to fund in May 2012.

The Youth Action Council is part of the Foundation’s Youth In Philanthropy program designed to empower youth to impact their communities.

Working Together—Foundation for MetroWest Participates in Coordinated Winter Assistance

Foundation for MetroWest is proud to be taking part in the Coordinated Winter Grantmaking Effort this year. Over 14 foundations across Massachusetts have already signed-on to work together to highlight the existing needs across the Commonwealth, and catalyze funding from the broader community.

The increase in long-term distress has reached into the middle class, affecting people who have no experience seeking assistance and increasing the need of service providers to reach out to their communities. Associated Grant Makers (AGM) will maintain a website that lists funders and their grant recipients, so individual donors can identify organizations that seek to fill needs such as hunger relief, fuel assistance and housing.

Look for more information about this program in our December newsletter and on our website, including a link to the AGM website in case you wish to make Winter Assistance donations part of your year-end giving.

Grantmaking—Awards to be Announced December 6

The diligent work of our Distribution Committee is coming to a close, and the 2011 grant recipients will be announced soon. With need increasing in our community overall, we were not surprised to see a notable increase in dollars requested, particularly in the area of Family Support. This year we have a gap of over $500,000 between what was requested and what we are able to fund across our three giving areas.

Our grant award ceremony will be held at Mass Audubon’s Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary in South Natick on December 6. Look for our announcement of the grant recipients next month.

If you are interested in helping to fill the gap between requests and awards, or would like information on organizations that you can support, please contact us at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)or call 508-647-2260. We are happy to help you.

Upcoming Board Trainings—Board’s Role in Fundraising is Full

We are accepting names for the waiting list for the December 9 workshop, the Board’s Role in Fundraising. Please email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) to be added to the list. We will notify individuals as soon as possible if space becomes available.

Supporting Families--At Holiday Time and Throughout the Year

As we approach the holidays our thoughts turn to those among us who struggle to put food on the table and pay their fuel bills. But we also need to remember that these challenges remain with many families throughout the year. One way to support those in need of assistance is to contribute directly to the MetroWest Fund for Families. This is a donation you can make at any time. If you donate online, indicate the MetroWest Fund for Families in the comments box.

Community Events

The following is just a short list of MetroWest events that may be of interest. Consult our Community Calendar for a more complete listing.

MetroWest YMCA, 6th Annual Auction, Wednesday,
November 30, 6:30 pm
Susan Wornick from WCVB Channel 5 will be Auctioneer and MC; dessert and hors d’ouevres. Proceeds provide financial assistance for local children and families at the Y. For more information>

New England Wildflower Society: Wetland Species Identification in Winter, Saturday, December 3, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Learn key identification features and go out in the field to see the habitats at Garden in the Woods. For more information>

Reagle Music Theatre: "Christmas Time", Saturday,
December 3, 2 shows, 1:00 and 5:00 pm
Gift-wrapped musical revue featuring 200 adults and children, precision tap dancers, 40-voice choir plus a full live orchestra. Also on December 4, 9, 10th, & 11th. For tickets>

Venturing Out: A staged reading of “The Castle”, Thursday, December 8, 7:00 pm
The play recounts personal journeys of ex-offenders and conveys a powerful message about societal treatment of people coming out of prison. Benefits Venturing Out, a non-profit that teaches entrepreneurship to incarcerated men and women who want to create their own businesses after their release. For more information>

Submit an Event

We are happy to provide information about events and activities being offered by the terrific nonprofits in MetroWest. But we need your help to do so. To submit an event, please send an email to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) with the event details and date.

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