Lowell Nonprofit receives 3 years of funding from Cummings Foundation

Lowell, May 27, 2021 – Community Teamwork is one of 140 local nonprofits to receive grants of $100,000 to $500,000 each through Cummings Foundation’s $25 Million Grant Program. The Lowell-based organization was chosen from a total of 590 applicants, during a competitive review process.

As a Community Action Agency, a Regional Housing Agency, and a Community Development Corporation, CTI helps nearly more than 54,000 individuals from 64 cities and towns in northeastern Massachusetts gain greater economic independence.

“We are beyond thrilled to receive this grant from the Cummings foundation. These funds will enable our YouthBuild organization to continue to train at-risk youth in the culinary arts and prepare them for future careers in the local hospitality industry, which is experiencing a serious labor shortage. We could not carry out our mission without the generosity of people like Joyce and Bill Cummings.”, stated Karen Frederick, Chief Executive Officer.

Community Teamwork will use the funding from the Cummings Foundation, to support its Culinary Arts Vocational Tract for at-risk youth interested in entering the hospitality industry. After a recent successful capital campaign, Community Teamwork was able to install a new state of the art commercial kitchen at its Youth Opportunity Center at 167 Dutton Street. Using the new funding Community Teamwork will be able to expand and solidify its catering program, with the goal of creating a YouthBuild Lowell Social Enterprise Catering Business, which will build on the solid customer base YouthBuild has created over the past couple of years. In addition, the creation of a YouthBuild Lowell Catering Business will offer additional work experience for its participants, provide financial education, and increased technical and soft skills to help increase their ability to be thrive and work in the private sector, once ready.

The Cummings $25Million Grant Program supports Massachusetts nonprofits that are based in and primarily serve Middlesex, Essex, and Suffolk counties.

Through this place-based initiative, Cummings Foundation aims to give back in the area where it owns commercial buildings, all of which are managed, at no cost to the Foundation, by its affiliate Cummings Properties. This Woburn-based commercial real estate firm leases and manages 10 million square feet of debt-free space, the majority of which exclusively benefits the Foundation.

“We aim to help meet the needs of people in all segments of our local community,” said Joel Swets, Cummings Foundation’s Executive Director. “It is the incredible organizations we fund, however, that do the actual daily work to empower our neighbors, educate our children, fight for equity, and so much more.”

With the help of about 80 volunteers, the Foundation first identified 140 organizations to receive grants of at least $100,000 each. Among the winners were first-time recipients as well as nonprofits that had previously received Cummings Foundation grants.

“We have adopted a democratic approach to philanthropy, which empowers and impressive roster of dedicated volunteers to decide more than half of all our grant winners each year,” said Swets. “We benefit from their diverse backgrounds and perspectives; they benefit from a meaningful and fulfilling experience; and the nonprofits often benefit from increased exposure and new advocates.”

This year’s grant recipients represent a wide variety of causes, including social justice, homelessness prevention, affordable housing, education, violence prevention, and food insecurity. The nonprofits are spread across 43 different cities and towns. The following Lowell-based organizations received $100,000 grants from the Cummings Foundation: Community Teamwork, Inc., Merrimack Valley Food Bank, and Middlesex Community College Foundation. Mill City Grows is the only Lowell-based organization to receive a 10-year grant.

The complete list of 140 grant winners, plus more than 800 previous recipients, is available at www.CummingsFoundation.org.

Cummings Foundation has now awarded more than $300 million to greater Boston nonprofits.

WATCH YBL Culinary and YouthBuild of Greater Lowell at Community Teamwork THANK Cummings Foundation

https://bit.ly/3fHgj2Z

About Community Teamwork

Community Teamwork is a catalyst for social change. Our driving mission is to help people help themselves with child care, family supports, nutrition, fuel assistance, housing, skills training, employment, financial education, and individual asset and small business development. As a Community Action Agency, a Regional Housing Agency, and a Community Development Corporation, Community Teamwork helps nearly 54,000 individuals from 71 cities and towns in northeastern Massachusetts gain greater economic independence.

About Cummings Foundation

Woburn-based Cummings Foundation, Inc. was established in 1986 by Joyce and Bill Cummings and has grown to be one of the three largest private foundations in New England. The Foundation directly operates its own charitable subsidiaries, including New Horizons retirement communities in Marlborough and Woburn, and Veterinary School at Tufts, LLC in North Grafton. Additional information is available at www.CummingsFoundation.org.

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