Worcester Business Journal

www.wbjournal.com Worcester Business Journal Giving Guide 2023 5 D ear friends, It is with great pleasure and an unwavering commitment to our shared vision that I assumed the role of CEO at the Greater Worcester Community Foundation this year. As we embark on this exciting journey together, I want to express my deep conviction that we are "Here for Good" in more ways than one. The Community Foundation was created almost 50 years ago to be a philanthropic partner for individuals and organizations that, first and foremost, love this community and want to see it thrive for the benefit of all residents. We have a tremendous opportunity to grow endowed, permanent philanthropic resources, engage new local audiences, and welcome those who share our passion for making a lasting impact on the lives of Worcester County residents. I hope you'll join with us to build connections and forge partnerships, ensuring that the Community Foundation stands as an enduring force for good for generations to come. The Community Foundation has been instrumental in helping to move our community forward. We helped define our community's plan for arts and culture and provide key philanthropic support for the local arts organizations that define our unique identity. We nurtured the growth of early childhood education initiatives and have acted as the largest scholarship provider in our region, opening doors of opportunity for countless individuals. Working with other local partners, we were a key resource in facilitating our community's philanthropic response to the pandemic and sustaining the capacity of critical local nonprofit organizations. These notable strengths will continue to serve as pillars on which we build an even brighter future for Worcester County. As we approach our 50th anniversary in 2025, we will remain unwavering in our commitment to equity, striving to ensure that all members of our community have access to opportunities, resources, and support needed to thrive. We aspire to foster and deepen strategic partnerships, amplifying our collective impact, and driving positive systemic change across a wide spectrum of issues. In the coming years, we will continue to deepen our engagement with the community, listening to the needs and aspirations of Worcester County residents and organizations, and explore new ways for the Community Foundation to deploy the resources that have been entrusted to it for greater community impact. I hope you'll join us as we move forward together. With great excitement and gratitude. n Pete Dunn President and CEO Greater Worcester Community Foundation F ighting food insecurity, keeping school-age youth active and engaged and providing tools and resources to encourage family stability are just a few ways that the United Way of Central Massachusetts has supported the central Massachusetts community for over 103 years. Working alongside non-profits, city leaders and members of the business community, we coordinate, collaborate and lead to strengthen our community. The City of Worcester recently announced its intention to allocate $2 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to our United Way to support food insecurity programs. Working with the Worcester Food Task Force, we will distribute the funds to local food pantries and other service providers who are actively fighting hunger in our community. The youth of our community continue to be a priority of ours at the United Way. Through a significant After School and Out of School Time - Rebound grant from the Commonwealth, we have funded numerous programs to strengthen the quality of services that were impacted by the pandemic and thereby improving learning and social- emotional outcomes as well as increasing access to enrichment opportunities. Our YouthConnect Summer Nights program is serving more than 300 youths over 40 nights this year to provide neighborhood-based summer, recreational, educational, and cultural activities to isolated and underserved Worcester middle school age youth. Our WooServes Summer Youth Service Institute, a 6-week youth development program of the United Way of Central Massachusetts, connecting youth ages 13-17 with volunteer opportunities in Greater Worcester, had a stellar summer. This year's projects helped to address community issues around health, food insecurity, youth education, and access to outdoor recreation. WooServes is a signature program of the United Way of Central Massachusetts which has run for more than 10 years, graduating dozens of teens each year. This year marks the 30th anniversary of our Day of Caring. To honor this milestone, we will be celebrating a "Week of Caring" with special engagement and volunteer opportunities available each day, including a day working with Veterans organizations, a dedicated day focusing on food insecurity and a series of events focused on back-to- school items for students in the Worcester Public Schools. The week will culminate with our signature Day of Caring event on Friday, September 15th with various opportunities for companies and organizations to volunteer in our community. I invite you to learn more about our impact work in central Massachusetts and volunteer opportunities in our community by visiting our website at: www.unitedwaycm.org. n Tim Garvin President & CEO United Way of Central Massachusetts W hile the coronavirus pandemic may be moving into our rearview mirror, many of our nonprofit partners have never been in a greater time of need. An increased demand for services has intersected with the end of COVID relief funding, and few organizations have been able to dodge the worker shortage, which has put additional strain on almost every organization. WBJ's 14th annual Giving Guide delivers an easy-to-read snapshot of each of the profiled organization's mission and goals, top volunteer activities, major fundraising events, and a list of board members and senior leadership. While you may be familiar with many of these organizations, we're confident you'll discover a few new things you didn't know about each one of them in the following pages. Central Massachusetts is home to a dynamic nonprofit community, and the best run organizations are always evolving and adapting their services to meet the changing needs of the marketplace. Clearly, our business community has a long tradition of giving back, and you'll see the names of many top executives and committed corporate citizens on the boards of each of these nonprofits. Challenging your staff and leadership team to become involved in volunteering reinforces your company values while giving those individuals the chance to make new community connections while giving back to those in need. Supporting our nonprofit community is integral to the mission of our long-time partners in the Giving Guide: the United Way of Central Massachusetts and the Greater Worcester Community Foundation. It's great to team up with them to produce this annual directory. If your company is looking for a way to engage while doing good, dig into the Giving Guide and find out more about the exciting work these great organizations are doing and how you can lend a helping hand. A digital edition of the Giving Guide will be on our website year round at WBJournal. com, and each individual nonprofit profile is on the WBJ website under the "Biz Marketplace" tab. And if you are not getting it, be sure to sign up for our monthly nonprofit e-newsletter! n Peter Stanton WBJ Publisher & CEO A time of great need GUIDE Giving 2023

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