Eos in the News
Funders partnership surpasses goal for money directed to Massachusetts residents in dire need
Regional energy company joins 11 charities to raise $2.3 million
Boston, December 14, 2010 – A team of leading philanthropic organizations from across the Commonwealth and one regional energy company today announced it has surpassed its own goal, raising $2.3 million to address the needs of residents who face a difficult winter at a time when the economic crisis of recent years has become a chronic state of need for many. This is the third year the effort has engaged funding organizations, inspiring the allocation of new resources that can be used to support nonprofit organizations addressing emergency needs for food, fuel and housing.
“For many families throughout the Commonwealth, many of whom had not previously needed aid, food insecurity has become an ongoing crisis,” said Andrea Silbert, President of the Eos Foundation. “These grants will enable food banks and other support organizations around the state to continue to put food on the tables of those in need.”
Service providers have widely reported the increase of need, especially among families and individuals who have previously never needed additional assistance to cover basic needs, such as food or fuel. The increase in long-term distress has reached up into the middle class, affecting people who have no experience of seeking assistance and increasing the need of service providers to reach out in their communities.
Taking part in the collaborative effort this year are the Boston Foundation, the Brookline Community Foundation, Combined Jewish Philanthropies, Eos Foundation, the Highland Street Foundation, the Klarman Family Foundation, the Linde Family Foundation, United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley, United Way of Central Massachusetts, and United Way of Hampshire County. In addition, they were joined this year for the first time by National Grid, the energy company that serves nearly two million customers in more than 165 towns and cities in the Commonwealth.
The goals of the group include providing extra help to those in need, as well as aligning the efforts of the funders to increase the impact and breadth of their work.
“This partnership reflects the fact that what started as a crisis has become an increased and constant state of distress for far too many residents in the Commonwealth,” said Paul S. Grogan, President and CEO of the Boston Foundation. “It is imperative that we make the best possible use of the money we have to help people in need, and the way to do that is to foster a broad and inclusive conversation among funders. It is noteworthy that now, in our third year, this effort is touching the entire state.”
As an example of the long-term impact of the funders partnership, Grogan cited HeatWorks, a program of the City of Boston.
“This will mean immediate assistance, and also weatherization, for households that include seniors and children under the age of 6,” Grogan said. “That means protection today and less need tomorrow.”
“Funder collaboratives like this are an efficient way to have a stronger, deeper impact within a specific community need,” said Blake Jordan, Executive Director of the Highland Street Foundation.
“Slow economic recovery means many of our neighbors across the state continue to struggle paying for the basics: food, housing and energy," said Marcy Reed, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, for National Grid. “We are pleased to partner with this impressive team of organizations that do so much to provide help to so many in need. We take our role as a community citizen very seriously and can think of no better way to use the ‘power of action’ to expedite much-needed support.”
An added note of concern was expressed by members of the partnership about recent news that the largest federal fuel subsidy program, which has been significantly reduced this year may well run out of funding by the end of December for many clients, and is expected to be exhausted by the end of January. Meanwhile prices for fuel, which have risen in recent months, are expected to continue to increase, exhausting the resources of more commonwealth residents.
“This collaboration means that we can help those who are most in need—a value that is central to the Jewish faith,” said Barry Shrage, President of Combined Jewish Philanthropies. “It’s about more than simply keeping families fed and warm through a tough winter—it’s about giving them reason to hope, and letting them know they are not alone. Together, we can help them get back on their feet.”
For the third year, the focus of the grants made from the $2.2 million pool of money is on basic needs: food, fuel and housing, as well as emergency cash assistance.
Organizations that will include support from this fund include:
Emergency Assistance
Brookline Community Mental Health Center: http://www.brooklinecenter.org/
Cape Cod Times Needy Fund: http://www.needyfund.org/
Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters: http://www.jbbbs.org/
Jewish Family Service of Metrowest: http://www.jfsmw.org/
Jewish Family and Children’s Service: http://www.jfcsboston.org/
Worcester Community Action Council: http://www.wcac.net/
Yad Chessed: http://www.yadchessed.org/
Food and General Help
Boston Healthcare for the Homeless: http://www.bhchp.org/
Boston Medical Center Food Pantry and Demonstration Kitchen: http://development.bmc.org/
Council of Churches/Hands of Hope: http://www.capecouncilofchurches.org/handsofhope.html
Family Pantry: http://www.thefamilypantry.com/
Falmouth Service Center: http://www.falmouthservicecenter.org/
Food Bank of Western Massachusetts: http://www.foodbankwma.org/
The Food Project: http://thefoodproject.org/
Friday Night Supper Program: http://www.fridaynightsupper.org/
Greater Boston Food Bank: http://www.gbfb.org/
Lovin’ Spoonfuls: http://www.lovinspoonfulsinc.org/
Lower Cape Outreach Council: http://www.lcoutreach.org/
Medical Legal Partnership- Boston: http://www.mlpboston.org/
Merrimack Valley Food Bank: http://www.mvfb.org/
Project Bread: www.projectbread.org/
Worcester County Food Bank: http://www.foodbank.org/
Women’s Lunch Place: http://www.womenslunchplace.org/
Fuel
Citizens Energy: www.citizensenergy.com/
Salvation Army’s Good Neighbor Energy Fund: HYPERLINK http://www.use.salvationarmy.org
City of Boston HeatWorks: http://www.cityofboston.gov/
National Consumer Law Center: http://www.nclc.org/
Housing
Boston Healthcare for the Homeless: http://www.bhchp.org/
Boston Housing Authority: http://www.bostonhousing.org/
Bridge Over Troubled Waters: http://www.bridgeotw.org/
Friends of Boston’s Homeless: http://www.fobh.org/
Heading Home: http://www.headinghomeinc.org/
The Home for Little Wanderers: http://www.thehome.org/
Horizon for Homeless Children: http://www.horizonsforhomelesschildren.org/
Metropolitan Housing Partnership: www.mbhp.org/
Pine Street Inn: http://www.pinestreetinn.org/
Rediscovery: http://www.rediscoveryhouse.org/
Rosie’s Place: http://www.rosiesplace.org/
Youth Villages: http://www.youthvillages.org/
