FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Superintendent Dr. Doug Lyons; WEF Board member Elizabeth Russell; WEF Co-Presidents Melissa Holmes and Cary Mazzone; WPS Student Support Coordinator Jen Hart; and Wakefield Health and Human Services Assistant Director, Catherine Dhingra. Missing from photo: Assistant Superintendent, Kara Mauro and WPS Student Support Coordinator Andrew Cedrone.

 

WAKEFIELD — Wakefield Educational Foundation is one of 150 local nonprofits that will share in $30 million through Cummings Foundation major annual grants program. The Wakefield based organization was selected from a total of 630 applicants during a competitive review process. It will receive $105,000 over three years.

Wakefield Educational Foundation is a community based nonprofit, volunteer run organization that is dedicated to enhancing the educational experience for all students in the Wakefield Public Schools. WEF raises financial support and partners with the Wakefield Public Schools to provide funding that will enhance and enrich every student’s experience in the Wakefield Public Schools.

According to Cary Mazzone, Co-President of WEF, “WEF is grateful for the generosity of Cummings Foundation. This critical funding will enable WEF to partner with the Wakefield Public Schools on an initiative to develop its existing mental health student support services program into a more comprehensive, districtwide program impacting all students in the Wakefield Public Schools. The Cummings grant will enable WPS, working with its community partners, to address the gaps in student support services that could make a big difference in mental health outcomes for students in Wakefield.”

The Wakefield Educational Foundation will use the Cummings Grant funds to expand the Mental Health Services and Supports offered by the Wakefield Public Schools to address Students’ Social Emotional Health and Wellness. While the Wakefield Public Schools have shown a consistent commitment to this effort, the Grant funds will escalate its efforts by extending the program’s reach across all grade levels and allowing for critical staff training related to building a positive school and classroom culture and community.

The Cummings $30 Million Grant Program primarily supports Massachusetts nonprofits that are based in and 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.

“The way the local nonprofit sector perseveres, steps up and pivots to meet the shifting needs of the community is most impressive,” said Cummings Foundation executive director Joyce Vyriotes. “We are incredibly grateful for these tireless efforts to support people in the community and to increase equity and access to opportunities.”

The majority of the grant decisions were made by about 90 volunteers. They worked across a variety of committees to review and discuss the proposals and then, together, determine which requests would be funded. Among these community volunteers were business and nonprofit leaders, mayors, college presidents and experts in areas such as finance and DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion).

“It would not be possible for the Foundation to hire the diversity and depth of expertise and insights that our volunteers bring to the process,” said Vyriotes. “We so appreciate the substantial time and thought they dedicated toward ensuring that our democratized version of philanthropy results in equitable outcomes that will really move the needle on important issues in local communities.”

The Foundation and volunteers first identified 150 organizations to receive three-year grants of up to $225,000 each. The winners included first-time recipients as well as nonprofits that had previously received Cummings grants. Twenty five of this latter group of repeat recipients were then selected by a volunteer panel to have their grants elevated to 10 year awards ranging from $300,000 to $1 million each.

This year’s grant recipients represent a wide variety of causes, including housing and food insecurity, workforce development, immigrant services, social justice, education and mental health services. The nonprofits are spread across 46 different cities and towns.

Cummings Foundation has now awarded $480 million to greater Boston nonprofits. The complete list of this year’s 150 grant winners, plus nearly 1,500 previous recipients, is available at www.CummingsFoundation.org.