Doing Good Works

By MemChurch Staff

Grants Committee Awards

The Memorial Church is proud to support the work of non-profit charity organizations that serve the communities of the Greater Boston Area through our grants program. Funds for these awards come from the Sunday Offering and are distributed on the advice of the Memorial Church Grants Committee, comprised of church parishioners, Harvard students, faculty, and staff. This past year, the church donated a total of $49,000 to local organizations. We are proud to highlight a few of the organizations that received awards in the past year. Applications for next year’s awards are currently being accepted through January 15, 2016. 

A Sampling of Last Year's Community Grant Awardees

CASA NUEVA VIDA — Casa Nueva Vida’s mission is to help homeless families gain the education and skills needed to permanently pull themselves out of poverty and into stable affordable housing. Award: To purchase new furniture at an expanding homeless shelter.

CAMBRIDGE AFTER SCHOOL ENRICHMENT — Phillips Brooks House Association’s Cambridge After School Enrichment focuses on providing affordable and accessible after school programming for low-income Cambridge youth and provides tutoring and academic enrichment activities. Award: Purchase books for the Read-a-Thon after school program for low-income students in Cambridge.

EPIPHANY SCHOOL — Epiphany School is an independent, tuition-free middle school for children of economically-disadvantaged families from Boston neighborhoods. Award: To provide an emergency relief fund for a homeless family living in Boston.

HARVARD SQUARE CHURCHES MEAL PROGRAM — The Harvard Square Churches Meal Program provides a nutritious meal in a hospitable environment to anyone who needs a meal. A project of ten churches in Harvard Square, volunteers come from the churches, local schools (including Harvard) and the neighborhood. Award: To provide salaries for homeless clients who assist with dining setup and food preparation at weekly food pantry gatherings for homeless and low-income people.

MISSION HILL AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM — Phillips Brooks House Association’s Mission Hill After School Program is the largest and oldest student-run after school program in Boston, serving approximately 50 students ages 5-14 from the Mission Hill housing complex in Roxbury. Award: To provide stipends for Junior Counselors at the after school program for children of Mission Hill.

VICTORY PROGRAMS — Victory Programs is a Boston-based nonprofit organization dedicated to helping individuals and families who are homeless and may have substance use disorders, often accompanied by chronic health issues like HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C and mental illness. Award: To purchase a refrigerator for their Revision Urban Farm which provides free, organically grown produce to shelters and at low costs to their neighbors.

View the full list of organizations that received awards last year

See also: Mission