Throughout the years, the Cummings Foundation has been a remarkable partner to Victory Programs. This year, for the 2023 grant cycle, we have again been selected as a recipient of the Cummings Foundation’s $30 Million Grant Program!
“We are so grateful for the Cummings Foundation partnership,” shares Sarah Porter, Executive Director of Victory Programs. “Thanks to this $225,000 grant, we can continue building upon our promise of service, treatment, support, and care for everyone, no matter what.”
This grant will provide vital support for the four permanent supported housing and two transitional housing sites of our new Low-Threshold Housing Program. These sites serve some of the most at-risk and disenfranchised members of our community, including unhoused individuals with untreated substance use disorders (many with a history of multiple overdoses), mental illness, and chronic disease (e.g., HIV/AIDS).
The remarkable staff serving these individuals are challenged daily by the struggles these individuals have in their lives but are also energized by the accomplishments most of the residents can make to improve their health, their outlook, and their lives. Cummings’ support will ensure we can provide the 24/7 staffing needed to ensure the safety of these individuals and our staff. As noted by VPI’s Director of Housing Tammy Simmons-Dixon: “Without housing programs like these, more than 90% of the individuals we serve would be back on the streets.”
About Cummings Foundation
Woburn-based Cummings Foundation, Inc. was established in 1986 by Joyce and Bill Cummings of Winchester, MA, and has grown to be one of the largest private foundations in New England. The Foundation directly operates its own charitable subsidiaries, including New Horizons retirement communities, in Marlborough and Woburn, and Cummings Health Sciences, LLC.
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.”
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.