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April 2019

Philanthropy Spotlight: Gail Roberts advocates for community

2019-04-30T18:10:05+00:00April 29th, 2019|Press Release|

Gail Roberts is a force for good in the world. Widely admired for her work with Gail Roberts, Ed Feijo & Team at Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, she is a Cambridge resident with an unending commitment to young people, to those in need, and is a powerful advocate for nonprofits in Cambridge and Boston. In her role as a Director of the Cambridge Community Foundation, Gail is known for her ability to connect people, to advocate for their needs, and for her unparalleled flair with our annual dinners. When asked what matters to her, Gail always says “the ability to give back to the community.” Her eyes sparkle with joy as she describes how organizations have helped a young mother in distress, a family, or a community of people seeking support. And, she’s always quick to defer credit to the hard work and passion of nonprofits. At the Foundation, Gail leads the strategy for our Annual Dinner, and she serves on the Development Committee; this year, she established the Gail Roberts Fund. In addition to her work with CCF, she is active with UNICEF USA, the Mount Auburn Hospital, the Huntington Theatre Company, and Furnishing Hope of Massachusetts. In [...]

Facebook donates 100 refurbished laptops to Cambridge residents engaged in workforce development

2019-04-30T18:14:51+00:00April 29th, 2019|Press Release|

On Monday April 22, 2019, the Cambridge Community Foundation (CCF) and Facebook partnered to bring free refurbished computers along with job search and interview skills training to nearly 100 low-income Cambridge residents participating in local workforce programs and seeking jobs in the city. The CCF program, Tech-cellerate, works with corporate partners to put computers and technology into the hands of residents who need them most. Facebook Boston donated the laptops and provided in-person training led by Facebook staff, including technical recruiters and local talent recruiters, at their Cambridge-based offices. City Councilor Sumbul Siddiqui joined CCF and Facebook to welcome recipients. Kia Floyd, Facebook Head of Public Policy, Northeast, addresses the group CCF worked with local nonprofits in Cambridge to identify program participants who would benefit most from the training. Participating nonprofits and workforce programs included the Margaret Fuller Neighborhood House, Parenting Journey, Heading Home, Compass Working Capital, as well as the City of Cambridge’s Community Learning Center, Office of Workforce Development, Youth Centers, and the E-Team Machinist Training Program of MassHire Metro North Workforce Board  which received a 10-laptop mobile lab. “We are delighted to be able to work with our community and corporate partners and make [...]

CCF distributes $944,378 in grants, with $692,878 going to local nonprofits & scholarships

2020-11-24T18:56:06+00:00April 4th, 2019|Press Release|

The Cambridge Community Foundation distributes $944,378 in grants, with $692,878 going to 93 local nonprofits & to scholarships Jump to a list of spring 2019 grants April 3, 2019—Cambridge, MA The Cambridge Community Foundation (CCF) and its donors have awarded $944,378 in grants this spring, with $692,878 going to 93 local nonprofits and to scholarships. The grants are funded through CCF’s Community Fund, our endowment and Donor Advised Funds (DAFs), and investments in ongoing CCF initiatives. The only foundation focused exclusively on the needs of Cambridge residents, CCF supports nonprofit organizations involved in human services, workforce training, housing, hunger, homelessness, elder services, youth and early childhood services, education, and the arts. Through these investments CCF supports shared prosperity, social equity, and cultural richness in Cambridge. “Every year the number of grant requests CCF receives increases; this spring was no exception. It’s clear there is a dramatic need for support for our nonprofit sector, which serves residents of all ages, especially the most vulnerable in our community,” says Geeta Pradhan, president of the Cambridge Community Foundation. “CCF and our donors are committed to helping as many organizations as we can through large and small grants from our Community Fund and [...]

March 2019

Cambridge Housing Authority’s Work Force Program and uAspire receive grants from TFC Financial

2019-04-29T15:56:09+00:00March 21st, 2019|Press Release|

When TFC Financial launched the TFC Financial Charitable Foundation, advancing their commitment to promoting financial literacy and supporting the Greater Boston community, they turned to the Cambridge Community Foundation (CCF) for counsel on funding strategies and a deeper look at organizations that work in the community. Daniel Kern, TFC’s Chief Investment Officer and a CCF Board member, made the connection between Renée Kwok, TFC Financial CEO, Leann Sullivan, a TFC financial planner, and CCF staff. In February, 2019, following the review of several programs, the TFC Charitable Foundation offered grants to organizations supporting Cambridge and Boston-based families: Cambridge Housing Authority’s Work Force Program and uAspire.   There was immediate resonance with the Work Force and uAspire’s work in advancing social equity in distinct areas of people’s lives, specifically through workforce training and college preparation. For young people from low-income families, the opportunity to attend college can be transformational, launching them and their future families on a path to prosperity.  However, navigating the unchartered territories of a college environment, self-advocating, learning how to take leadership, managing tight budgets, and dealing with financial issues and paperwork around loans and financial aid are intimidating challenges, especially for first-generation college students.  For Renée Kwok, TFC’s new philanthropic organization was a move that was ‘on mission.’ “As a wealth management firm, we frequently counsel clients on charitable giving strategies. With the new Foundation, we are establishing our own philanthropic [...]

Nonprofits offer social supports for top tier needs

2019-03-21T18:08:32+00:00March 21st, 2019|Press Release|

An essential aspect of ensuring social equity is the focus on individual, family and community well-being.  It is about asking if we have the policies, systems, structures and social supports to buffer the stresses of day to day living and traumas that arise from crisis. Ultimately it is about building our social capital and connections in the community, so everyone feels they have someone to turn to should the need arise.    The 2017 Cambridge Needs Assessment study, co-funded by the City of Cambridge and CCF, highlighted Economic Security; Housing Affordability and Mental Health as three of the city’s top tier needs.   According to the study, Cambridge is a relatively healthy city compared to the state. The city’s parks and open spaces, bicycle pathways, transit access are amenities that support health lifestyles. 99.6% of Cambridge residents are covered by health insurance. However, low- and middle-income households, as well as particular racial groups that face inequity are both most at risk to experience adverse health outcomes and are the most challenged to address them.   The report points to the Cambridge Public Health Department’s Community Health Assessment which identified ‘Mental/Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse’ as the number one health priority for Cambridge.  Recent and ongoing research and thinking are increasingly substantiating [...]

New United Legal Defense Fund for Immigrants to extend legal services to Somerville

2019-03-21T18:19:40+00:00March 18th, 2019|Press Release|

The Cambridge Community Foundation, in partnership with Cambridge Mayor Marc C. McGovern and Somerville Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone, has expanded its immigrant legal defense fund to support individuals who live and work in the Somerville community, as well as Cambridge.  The expanded fund has been renamed the United Legal Defense Fund for Immigrants, reflecting the growing need for legal support for immigrants across city borders.  By unifying efforts to raise funds for the most vulnerable families in our community, we can help valued neighbors and stabilize families impacted by the stress and uncertainty of ongoing shifts in TPS and DACA status, and those seeking asylum.  CCF expects to distribute grants from the United Legal Defense Fund for Immigrants in the fall of 2019, to address this urgent need. The Cambridge Legal Defense Fund for Immigrants was launched in March 2018 with an ambitious goal of raising $500,000 to help immigrants get the legal services they need to stay, legally, in their community. Last year, the Cambridge Community Foundation distributed $255,000 in grants to four local non-profit legal assistance organizations—De Novo (formerly Community Legal Services and Counseling Center), Greater Boston Legal Services, Irish Immigrant Center (IIC), and Political Asylum Immigration [...]

February 2019

In the spirit of Martin and Coretta: equity, justice and power

2019-03-21T18:19:29+00:00February 21st, 2019|Press Release|

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his wife Coretta drove a movement that elevated the people. On February 9, 2019 at the 33rd Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Brunch, a power-house crowd of elected officials, civic leaders, social justice architects, and engaged Cambridge residents, both young and old, came together to honor their legacy and nurture the flame of the civil rights movement, which is very much alive in our community. The Cambridge NAACP entitled the event “A Tribute to Women” and honored and acknowledged six exceptional Cambridge women and their tireless efforts toward social justice and community building, as well as all those in our community who fight for justice. The voice of every speaker was strong and resolute, from the invocation by Reverend Brenda Brown, to remarks by NAACP leaders, including the Cambridge branch’s President Kenneth Reeves and First Vice President Richard Harding, to elected officials and the honorees themselves. But one voice rose up among them all. Photo credit: Seacia Pavao “The oppressed and marginalized are not voiceless, they’re simply unheard,” said Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley in her keynote address. “When we actively listen to the people, when we are motivated and [...]

Family Independence Initiative: Trusting and investing in families

2019-03-21T18:28:59+00:00February 21st, 2019|Press Release|

A group of FII families meet to support one another to achieve their goals. By Jessica Taubner As a society, we’ve come to view government and the social sector as the experts on the needs of people but the reality is that while government and funding priorities often shift, the industriousness and drive of families doesn’t waiver. What if we considered families the experts and allowed them to define their own success? We are conditioned to be a helper or a helpee in this country. Data shows that families know what they need, and the systems meant to help are getting in the way of their initiative and innovation. We are intentionally creating and practicing new ways of being in relationship with people, and that is what I love about being FII-Greater Boston’s Site Director. The Family Independence Initiative (FII) has been listening to families for the past 17 years. Instead of the client services model typically deployed in the social sector, FII, aided by a widening pool of philanthropic partners, is trusting and investing in families. This means investing direct dollars in the initiatives of families, giving them choice and control over their funds, and charting the incredible progress they [...]

Through the Bob Shea Memorial Fund, a friend’s memory lives on

2019-03-21T18:19:18+00:00February 20th, 2019|Press Release|

Bob Shea, a homeless man, lived on the streets of Cambridge for 30 years. He served three tours of duty with the army in Vietnam. He suffered from alcoholism and possibly neurological conditions. He bounced in and out of jail and rehab. At best he was a colorful character. At worst he was one in an army of invisible people living in the shadows of wealth and privilege. To those lucky enough to know him, Bob was something more: a protector of the weak, a raconteur blessed with an almost encyclopedic memory, a man with an eye for beauty and grace in unlikely places. For CCF Board Member Phil Johnson, founder and CEO of PJA Advertising + Marketing, Bob was above all a friend. “I was attracted to his strong sense of humanity, his wit, and his often sharp insights,” said Phil. “All the best qualities you would look for in a friend. He was easy to be with.” Bob drifted in and out of Harvard Square for more than 30 years, and he was in Phil’s life for 25. Their first slightly awkward encounter took place on Arrow Street where Phil had an office. Begrudging nods turned to [...]

Housing crisis grips Cambridge

2020-11-24T18:56:06+00:00February 20th, 2019|Press Release|

Cambridge’s growing housing crisis is putting a financial burden on many people in Cambridge, and renter households in particular. From low-income to moderate and middle-income families, everyone is feeling the squeeze. The cost of housing in Cambridge is staggering: The median market rate of a single-family home in Cambridge was $1,377,500 in 2017. A condominium in Cambridge cost on average $730,000 in 2017. The average rent for a Cambridge apartment was $2,337 for a one-bedroom unit, $2,689 for a two bedroom and $2,827 for a three-bedroom unit in October 2018, according to Zillow.com’s rent index. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, in Cambridgeport a renter must earn $44 dollars per hour in order to afford a two-bedroom apartment, more than three times the current Massachusetts minimum wage ($12/hr. as of 1/1/2019) Why is this happening? What does it mean for our families? And what can we do to address such a complex problem? CCF spoke with leaders in the local housing arena to gain insight. This is what we learned. Why is this happening? There was a time when Cambridge lost residents to suburban towns, but today, the desire for urban housing is on the rise. People [...]

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