impacted 21 communities, distributing 140,000 pounds of food, $180,000 in grants, and 10,450 gift cards. Since 1999, United Way has distributed Thanksgiving groceries to families in Greater Boston, to ensure they enjoy a homecooked holiday meal with their loved ones. What started as a catered meal for 10 families funded by an anonymous donor has grown into an annual community-wide event reaching more than 16,000 families. This past year we distributed reusable grocery bags in seven communities across the region in partnership with Catholic Charities of Boston, Interfaith Area Collaborative in Attleboro, Interfaith Social Services in Quincy, Dwelling House of Hope in Lowell, Lynn Housing and Neighborhood Development, Madison Park Community Development Corporation and Neighborworks Housing Solutions in Taunton. The Gratitude Project enables people in our communities—neighbors, businesses, service organizations, nonprofits, government agencies and civic leaders—to come together and provide immediate relief for those experiencing hardship due to systems that fail to meet their essential needs. With our TGP Holiday Food Essential Drive, we’ve identified agencies and civic leaders in our most under-resourced communities to help us take on the problem of food insecurity. In addition to the food, United Way also distributed $180,000 in Gratitude Grants to 12 lead community partners: • Boston Center for Youth and Families (Mattapan) • Chelsea Black Communities • Community Action in Haverhill • East Boston Social Center • Family Nurturing Center in Hyde Park • Food for Free in Cambridge • Family Services of the Merrimack Valley in Lawrence • Mystic Valley YMCA in Malden • Randolph Community Partnership • Salem Food Pantry • Weymouth Food Pantry • YMCA of Metro North in Revere
THIS YEAR’S SPONSORS: IN-KIND SPONSORS Thank you Gratitude Project Leadership Donors TOCQUEVILLE SOCIETY Jeffrey R. Crisan Edward J. Whelan Anthony DiNovi Todd and Laura MacLean Michael Eisenson BEACON SOCIETY Katharine Arnstein David Scudder Jason Trevisan Edmund Thompson Robert Fernandez Mark Ingalls Laurena Gatlin Alex Valentin Stephen Logowitz Sarah Hershey John Beard Kyle Guinivan James Becker David Rolley Steven Greene Mary Louise Kent Kathy McMorrow Ravi Reddy Richard Eastwick Denise Wernikoff Christian Atwood
16,000 FAMILIES SUPPORTED 104,000 POUNDS OF FOOD DISTRIBUTED 10,00 GIFT CARDS PROVIDED $180,000 GIVEN IN GRATITUDE GRANTS TO COMMUNITY-CENTERED ORGANIZATIONS 63 COMMUNITY AGENCIES PARTICIPATED 19 COMMUNITIES SERVED $750,820 RAISED 278 DONORS GAVE 714 VOLUNTEERS LENT THEIR TIME 4 DAYS VOLUNTEERED TO SUPPORT UNITED WAY’S FAMILY ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
It’s unbelievable how much we’re able to accomplish together. It’s so important to help those in need, especially during the holidays when not everyone has a meal on their plate.” — MATT DENOBLE, Greystar “ I‘m here to volunteer for the second consecutive year because this is an awesome organization. It brings together a ton of people, and you get to help out and do your part in supporting the community. — ITAI MUPANDUKI WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING “ I’m here tonight to express my appreciation to United Way. My school along with the school district I work for—Region 1 of Boston Public Schools—receives the Gratitude Grant from United Way. This support helps not only my school but the 15 schools in our region, easing the burden of finding resources to provide Thanksgiving meals for 444 families in our schools. — CARLA TORRES WELCH
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FOOD ESSENTIALS DISTRIBUTION Attleboro Area Interfaith Collaborative South Boston Neighborhood House Family Services of the Merrimack Valley Hockomock YMCA Mary Ellen McCormack Greater Lawrence Community Action Council Catholic Charitable Bureau of the Archdiocese of Boston Dwelling House of Hope The Community Group Lena Park Wang YMCA Huntington YMCA Boston Medical Center Boys & Girls Club of Greater Lowell Interfaith Social Services Full Deliverance Church Lynn Housing Authority & Neighborhood Development (LHAND) The Caleb Group NFI Family Resource Center of Greater Lowell City of Lynn Elder Services GRATITUDE GRANTEES Tobin Elementary Gratitude Grantees Sacred Heart Boston Center for Youth and Families East Boston Social Center Nuesetra CDC Chelsea Black Community East Boston High School Mystic Valley YMCA Roca Charlestown YMCA Housing Families The Neighborhood Developers Family Nurturing Center NeighborWorks Housing Solutions Community Action Food for Free E Pole PTU Somebody Cares New England Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee Randolph Community Partnerships Common Ground East End House Town of Randolph Salvation Army Margaret Fuller House Salem Food Pantry Haverhill YMCA Cambridge Community Center Weymouth Food Pantry Holy Apostles Massachusetts Avenue Baptist Church Crossroads Worship Center Emmaus St. Paul AME Church Old South Union Church All Saints Madison Park Development Corporation YMCA od Metro North Liz Murphy Open Hand Food Pantry YouthConnect Revere Public Schools THANK YOU TO ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO VOLUNTEERED Attleboro Mayor Cathleen DeSimone Lynn City Councilor Nicole McClain Representative Rodney Elliott Attleboro City Councilor Pamela Foa Lynn City Councilor Constantino “Coco” Alinsug Representative James Hawkins Attleboro City Council Michael Angelo Attleboro City Councilor Laura Dolan Attleboro City Councilor Laurie Sawyer Boston Mayor Michelle Wu Boston City Councilor Julia Mejia Lynn City Councilor Peter Meaney Lynn City Councilor Obed Matul Lynn City Councilor Fred Hogan Lynn City Councilor Megie Maddrey Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn Taunton Mayor Shaunna O’Connell Boston City Councilor Brian Worrell *** Haverhill City Councilor Joe Bevilacqua Representative Jenny Armini Lynn Mayor Jared Nicholson Representative Dan Cahill Lynn City Councilor Brian Field Representative Peter Capano Representative Frank Moran Representative Sean Reid Representative Vanna Howard Representative Christopher Worrell *** Senator Brendan Crighton Senator Paul Feeney Senator John Keenan Senator Edward Kennedy
To find out more about how you can get involved with United Way or next year’s Gratitude Project, please contact the United Way Engagement Team at volunteer@supportunitedway.org. unitedwaymassbay.org
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