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Fidelity House CRC Awarded 10 Year Cummings Foundation Grant

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Lawrence nonprofit shares in $10 million in funding, October 4th, 2020

Fidelity House CRC is one of 30 local nonprofits to share in $10 million in funding from Cummings Foundation. The Lawrence-based organization will receive $333,330 over the next 10 years.

Fidelity House CRC (FHCRC) is a human services organization supporting adults and children with intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities; acquired brain injuries; and mental health diagnoses. FHCRC’s mission is to support people with disabilities and those with other significant challenges to pursue goals and live fulfilled lives.

Brad Howell, President & CEO, had this to say upon receiving the news, “We feel so fortunate and proud to be one of thirty chosen to continue working with Cummings Foundation as a long-term recipient of the $20 Million Grant Program. It is exciting to know our work on behalf of veterans with disabilities will be supported by Cummings Foundation for many years to come. We are very grateful for the grant elevation, and also for the recognition that the work we are doing with veterans is essential and valued. The opportunity to serve those who have served our country is a great honor, and we are thrilled to carry on that duty, fueled by the continued support of Cummings Foundation.”

Fidelity House CRC will use the awarded funds to sustain and strengthen one-to-one job placement services for military veterans with disabilities and other barriers to employment over the next ten years.

“Greater Boston is so fortunate to have nonprofits like Fidelity House CRC that are listening to the community and working to meet its needs,” said Cummings Foundation grants manager Christina Berthelsen. “By providing a full decade of support, we hope to alleviate some of the constant fundraising burden, enabling nonprofit staff to spend more time actually providing services.”

This long-term funding is part of the Cummings $20 Million Grant Program, which supports Massachusetts nonprofits that are based in and primarily serve Middlesex, Essex, and Suffolk counties. In the first phase of this philanthropic initiative, 130 nonprofits were awarded $100,000 each in June. In the second phase, just completed, repeat grant winners were considered to have their $100,000 grants elevated to 10-years awards of $200,000 – $500,000 each. Nonprofits contending for the extended funding made presentations via Zoom to a panel of Cummings Foundation volunteers. These community volunteers selected 19 of the 30 grant winners. The other 11 recipients had been determined in June by Foundation team members.

“As a way to share the economic power of the Foundation, we have created a system through which volunteers decide more than half of all our grant winners,” said Berthelsen. “We benefit from their diverse backgrounds and perspectives; they benefit from an enlightening learning opportunity; and the nonprofits often benefit from increased exposure and new advocates.”

Through the Cummings $20 Million Grant Program, Cummings Foundation gives back in the area where it owns commercial buildings, all of which are managed, at no cost to the Foundation, by its affiliate, Cummings Properties. Founded in 1970 by Bill Cummings, the Woburn-based commercial real estate firm leases and manages 10 million square feet of debt-free space, the majority of which exclusively benefits the Foundation.

Cummings Foundation has now awarded more than $280 million to greater Boston nonprofits alone. It increased its annual grant program from $20 million to $25 million during the current 2021 cycle. The process is already underway.

The complete list of Cummings Foundation grant winners is publicly available at: www.CummingsFoundation.org.

About Fidelity House CRC

Fidelity House CRC (FHCRC) is a human services organization supporting adults and children with intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities; brain injuries; and mental health diagnoses. In recent years, FHCRC has supported a growing population of adults with acquired brain injury, and created custom one-on-one services for military veterans. With more than 30 locations and 20 different service types, Fidelity House CRC supports more than 1400 people across Massachusetts. Additional information about FHCRC is available at www.fidelityhhs.org.

About Cummings Foundation

Woburn-based Cummings Foundation, Inc. was established in 1986 by Joyce and Bill Cummings. The Foundation directly operates its own charitable subsidiaries, including New Horizons retirement communities in Marlborough and Woburn, and Veterinary School at Tufts, LLC in North Grafton. Additional information is available at www.CummingsFoundation.org.

Nicole SammartinoFidelity House CRC Awarded 10 Year Cummings Foundation Grant

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