The Friends of the Sudbury Senior Citizens, Inc. is one of 140 local nonprofits to receive grants of $100,000 to $500,000 each through the Cummings Foundation’s $25 Million Grant program. The Sudbury-based organization was chosen from a total of 580 applicants during a competitive review process.
The new Fairbank Community Center, construction of which is scheduled to start in July, 2022, will be a focal point for community activities and programs designed for all ages, and will be the headquarters for the Sudbury Senior Center. “This new facility will enable the Senior Center to offer more lifelong learning programs, host lectures and enrichment performances, furnish more support services to seniors and their caregivers, make the Senior Center more accessible and accommodating, and so much more,” said Bob Diefenbacher, President of the Friends. “The Friends of the Sudbury Senior Citizens is thrilled to be able to support this initiative which will enhance the programs and services for an increasing senior population in Town.”
The Cummings grant will be used by the Friends of the Sudbury Senior Citizens to fully outfit a commercial kitchen at the Community Center. This kitchen will enable the Senior Center to offer daily lunches and other meals to its patrons as well as enable the Town of Sudbury to utilize the Community Center as the Town ‘s only emergency shelter, serving meals to residents in need, many of whom will likely be seniors, during emergency conditions.
The Cummings $25 Million 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 areas where it owns commercial property. Its buildings are all managed, at no cost to the Foundation, by its affiliate, Cummings Properties. This Woburn-based commercial real estate firm leases and manages 11 million square feet of debt-free space, the majority of which exclusively benefits the Foundation.
“We are so fortunate in greater Boston to have such effective nonprofits, plus a wealth of talented, dedicated professionals and volunteers to run them,” said Cummings Foundation Executive Director Joyce Vyriotes. We are indebted to them for the work they do each day to provide for basic needs, break down barriers to education and health resources, and work toward a more equitable society.”
With the help of about 90 volunteers, the Foundation first identified 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. Forty of this latter group of repeat recipients were then selected to have their grants elevated to 10-year awards ranging from $200,000 to $500,000 each.
“Our volunteers bring diverse backgrounds and perspective, which is so critical to our grant selection process,” said Vyriotes. “Through this democratized approach to philanthropy, they decide more than half the grants every year.”
This year’s grant recipients represent a wide variety of causes, including food insecurity, immigrant and refugee services, social justice, education and mental health services. The nonprofits are spread across 45 different cities and towns.
The complete list of 140 grant winners, plus more than 900 previous recipients, is available at www.CummingsFoundation.org.
The Cummings Foundation has now awarded more than $375 million to greater Boston non-profits.
About the Friends of the Sudbury Senior Citizens, Inc.
The Friends of the Sudbury Senior Citizens, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation organized in 1981 to engage in, promote, encourage or sponsor programs, services or activities (including fund raising activities for services or program not provided by the Town of Sudbury or the Commonwealth of Massachusetts) for or to the benefit of the senior citizens of the Town of Sudbury. It is an all-volunteer organization raising money for, and funding programs and services offered primarily through, the Sudbury Senior Center. More information about the Friends can be found at www.sudburyseniorcenter.org .
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 largest private foundations in New England. The Foundation directly operates its own charitable subsidiaries, including new Horizons retirement communities, in Marlborough and Woburn, and Cummings health Sciences, LLC. Additional information is available at www.CummingsFoundation.org.