Merrimack Valley Magazine

NoteWorthy – 6/27/21

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AROUND THE VALLEY

GLFHC Honors Secretary Sudders During Annual Gala

The Greater Lawrence Family Health Center (GLFHC) celebrated the work of all those who guided residents through the COVID-19 pandemic during its 16th Annual Making a Difference Gala on Thursday, June 17.

The organization presented Massachusetts Secretary of Health & Human Services Marylou Sudders with the Making a Difference Award for her leadership through the pandemic. Sudders is head of the commonwealth’s COVID-19 Response Command Center and oversees 12 agencies and MassHealth, with a combined budget of $24 billion and 22,000 public employees who deliver essential services that touch the lives of one in four state residents.

The dedication and importance of community health centers (CHCs) was the focus of the event’s keynote speaker, U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan.

The gala raised nearly $85,000 through sponsorships and donations, which will benefit the health center’s Keeping the Promise Capital Campaign. The $3.5 million campaign will renovate its flagship Lawrence location and provide better medical services to patients throughout Greater Lawrence. The Haverhill Street site is the largest and busiest of GLFHC’s six locations, accounting for 33% of GLFHC’s 62,000 annual patient visits.

MRT Announces Five New Shows for the 2021-22 Season and Returns to Live, In-person Performances in November

With safety as a paramount goal, the Merrimack Repertory Theatre (MRT) announced five shows to continue the 2021-22 season, including a return to live, in-person performances in November. The season will include the world premiere of “The Rise and Fall of Holly Fudge” by Trista Baldwin, a new concert of Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway classics, the East Coast premiere of “Best Summer Ever,” and two productions that were postponed due to the pandemic.

The new roster will also include the previously announced “Wild Horses” by Allison Gregory, which will be available at alternative locations and on video from Sept. 15 to Oct. 3. The company will return to in-person performances at the Nancy L. Donahue Theatre in Liberty Hall with “The Rise and Fall of Holly Fudge,” on Nov. 26. After the holidays, the season will continue with the previously postponed “Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End” by Allison Engel and Margaret Engel; the concert “Back Together Again: The Music of Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway;” and the east coast premiere of “Best Summer Ever,” written and performed by Kevin Kling.

In addition, the MRT will present a special, non-subscription musical event: “Woody Sez: The Life and Music of Woody Guthrie” in February 2022. For more details on all of the MRT’s upcoming shows, visit here.  

 

Lawrence Partnership and MCCI Announce $1.1M Venture Loan Fund for Lawrence Businesses

The Lawrence Partnership and Mill Cities Community Investments (MCCI) have announced that 11 lenders and key partners including the city of Lawrence and Essex County Community Foundation have committed to supporting a renewed and restructured Venture Loan Fund to allow for greater flexibility in loans to small area businesses as a response to unprecedented challenges on the back end of the pandemic.

The $1.1M fund offers loans to established and start-up firms in Lawrence that cannot currently access financing from a traditional bank or credit union lender and leverages public, private and philanthropic investments around a shared goal: more businesses starting and growing in Lawrence.

The fund is capitalized by the following 11 financial institutions, each committing $100,000:. Enterprise Bank, Merrimack Valley Credit Union, Eastern Bank, Jean D’Arc, DCU, Pentucket Bank, Align Credit Union, The Savings Bank, Reading Cooperative Bank, Massachusetts Capital Growth Corporation and The Institution for Savings. The city of Lawrence and Essex County Community Foundation support the fund with loan loss reserves.

The program is open to Lawrence-based businesses that would benefit the community. Loans are between $5,000 and $100,000. Businesses interested in learning more about the Venture Loan Fund can visit here.

Baker-Polito Administration Announces Legislation to Make August and September 2021 Sales Tax Holiday Months

Gove Baker & Polito

The Baker-Polito administration filed legislation to establish a sales tax holiday for the months of August and September. This plan aims to support local economies and promote economic growth and opportunity as the commonwealth continues to recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

State tax revenues for Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) continue to significantly exceed projections, with revenues to date 14.9% above benchmark. Strong revenues across the board have allowed the commonwealth to grow the size of the Stabilization Fund and be poised to end the fiscal year with a significant surplus for the FY21 budget. As a result, the Administration is proposing to support the commonwealth’s taxpayers and downtown economies by designating the entire months of August and September as sales tax-free.

If enacted, this proposal would be an expansion of the annual sales tax-free weekend, which the Administration officially designated as August 14 to 15.

U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan Applauds $1.8 Million Federal Research Grant for UML

U.S. Representative Lori Trahan applauded the awarding of $1,813,500 in federal grant funding to UMass Lowell (UML) by the Office of Naval Research (ONR). The grant will enable the university to collaborate with Brown University, the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center on research for legged robots that will assist sailors with shipboard firefighting and maintenance.

The program, led by the NRL in partnership with UML and other leading research institutions, will increase the impact and use of robotics by the United States Navy and the Department of Defense.

JDCU Awards $17,000 in College Scholarships

To help defray the costs of higher education for local college students, Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union (JDCU) awarded $17,000 in college scholarships to members through its MoneyStrong College Scholarship and Employee Scholarship Programs. The recipients are comprised of both soon-to-be and current college students.

JDCU granted funds to 21 students. Of the winners, 17 are high school seniors gearing up for their freshman year of college, and four are currently attending various colleges in the area.

The scholarship winners include:

Michelle Ly from Chelmsford High School, UMass Lowell

Joseph Luis Dulac from Dover High School, Georgia Institute of Technology

Jason Tyler from Dracut High School, University of Connecticut

Lilly Saadah from Dracut High School, UMass Lowell

Skylar Phan from Dracut High School, University of Connecticut

Andrew Shapiro from Innovation Academy Charter School, Fordham University

Donna Ly from Lowell High School, UMass Lowell

Edmire Kabia from Lowell High School, UMass Lowell

Matthew Chege from Lowell High School, Howard University

Timothy Xuan Nguyen from Lowell High School, UMass Lowell

Haylee Coupal from Pinkerton Academy, UMass Lowell

Kylie Coupal from Pinkerton Academy, Rivier University

Halle Bangura from Tyngsboro High School, Princeton University

Trevor Freelove from Tyngsboro High School, University of Tampa

NECC Announces Funding Available to Help New and Returning Students

Bryan Fernandez
NECC journalism / communications major Bryan Fernandez, of Lawrence, is now on track to complete his degree with high honors by the end of August thanks to the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund.

Northern Essex Community College (NECC) recently received an infusion of over $2.58 million from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund, which the college directing toward student support.

Specifically, the funding will be used to help current students pay off college debt and cover educational expenses related to the disruption caused by COVID-19 and to assist both new and returning students with educational costs for the summer and fall semesters of 2021.

The majority of the funding, $1.63 million, is direct student aid, designated to help students with educational expenses, which include tuition and fees, books, course materials, Internet, food, living expenses, etc. This funding is available to students taking credit courses, including high school students in the Early College Program, as well as students taking noncredit courses through Pies de Latinos, the Center for Adult Basic Education, and Corporate and Community Education.

NECC has also opted to use an additional $957,000 of the institutional funds which it received through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund to support students. The funding is being allocated for fall laptop bookstore credit, a “Start Right Grant” for new students, and “Finish What You Started” grants for returning students.

Merrimack College Class of 2021 Graduate Receives the Jaffarian Family Scholarship

Jaffarian Scolarship

Jaffarian Volvo Toyota named George Dimopoulos the winner of the Jaffarian Family Scholarship at Merrimack College. Dimopoulos graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business management and marketing this past May, with his junior and senior years occurring during the recent COVID 19 pandemic. Since graduation, he has joined Data Pivot Technologies in North Andover as a Sales and Marketing Specialist.

Pentucket Bank Bids Farewell to Retiring CEO Scott Cote

Scott Cote Pentucket Bank

The leadership team at Pentucket Bank is preparing to say farewell to current Bank Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board Scott Cote as he nears the date of his retirement on June 30. Cote will remain in his role as chairman of the board following his retirement.

Scott Cote, who has been president since 2008, joined Pentucket Bank as executive vice president and Chief Credit Officer in 1998 following an already storied 25 years in banking.

In 1998, the bank was a mere $202 million in total assets, $30 million in capital and about 60 employees. Upon Cote’s retirement, it will boast $925 million in total assets, over $105 million in total capital and close to 140 employees. In addition, the bank grew by three new branch locations under his tenure.

Cote follows closely in the footsteps of his father, the late Edmund Cote, Jr. — who was the former Pentucket Bank president/CEO and chairman of the board — as a community leader in his own volunteer capacity with the Haverhill Rotary Club, the Greater Haverhill Foundation, the Wadleigh Foundation, NECC Foundation and the Greater Haverhill and Greater Salem Chambers of Commerce. He was also a past director of the Salem Boys & Girls Club and a recipient of the Man/Youth Award for Community Service in 2003.

New Interactive Tool Shows Breakdown of $3.4 Billion in Federal Aid Awarded to Municipalities

The Baker-Polito administration has published a new, interactive online tool that displays a breakdown by municipality of the $3.4 billion in direct federal aid awarded to local governments across Massachusetts. This direct aid is part of a total of $8.7 billion awarded to Massachusetts through the new Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund.

These discretionary federal dollars are available to every local city, town, and county to support urgent municipal COVID-19 response efforts, replace lost revenue, stabilize households and businesses, and address the existing disparities that the pandemic exacerbated.

The new online resource consists of an interactive map that shows the breakdown of the $3.4 billion that is available to local cities, towns, and counties through the Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund. The website also contains detailed information on funding allocations and the distribution process, as well as general information on the usage of these funds. To view the interactive map and this municipal funding information, click here.

PRNWR Announces Berry Picking and Fall Archery Deer and Turkey Hunt Lotteries

Berry picking

For anyone interested in picking cranberries and beach plums on the Plum Island refuge this year, the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge will soon conduct a lottery to determine who receives the limited number of free berry picking permits that have been allocated for this year. To apply to the permit lottery, send an email to parkerriver@fws.gov and write “Berry Picking Permit Lottery” on the subject line. The body of the email should include your name, phone number, and, if applicable, an email address.

For those lacking access to email, please type or neatly print the same personal contact information on a card and mail or drop it off at refuge headquarters (write “Berry Picking Permit Lottery” on the card or envelope). The mailing address is Parker River NWR, 6 Plum Island Turnpike, Newburyport Mass., 01950. Permit lottery applications will be accepted from July 1 thru July 30. Permit selectees will be notified by August 10 and will be provided with additional details at that time.

PRNWR officials have also announced that the application window for the fall archery deer and turkey hunt at Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge is Thursday, July 1 through Friday, July 30.  The hunt will be by permit only, with permittees selected by lottery.  A total of 25 permits will be issued for this hunt. The hunt lottery application will be available on the Great Bay NWR homepage, found here, on Monday, June 28. Alternatively, interested hunters can pick up the lottery application at the Parker River NWR headquarters in Newburyport or at the kiosk that is located at the Great Bay NWR visitor parking area in Newington N.H. Lottery entries can be mailed-in, dropped off, emailed, or faxed and all entries must be received by Friday, July 30.

Lowell Community Health Center Introduces the New Smiles4Families Fund

One of the main goals of the Lowell Community Health Center is to ensure that all members of the greater Lowell community have access to both quality and culturally responsive health care, regardless of ability to pay. This year, they are hosting the Smiles4Families fund in order to help more patients cover the cost of essential, often expensive dental care that isn’t covered by insurance. 

Many patients at the Lowell Community Health Center have already gone without dental care for years because of factors such as high costs, and the global pandemic has only added to that need. If you are interested in helping them reach their $20,000 goal to help assure that each patient has access to all necessary dental health care, visit here.

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Haverhill Bank Welcomes Two New Officers

Angelita MartinoliAngelita Martinoli of Haverhill was named vice president of human resources and has 20 years of experience in the field. Martinoli has a bachelor’s degree from Southern New Hampshire University.

 

 

 

Liz CroninElizabeth Cronin of Haverhill was named assistant vice president of compliance. Cronin has more than 30 years of management experience and holds a bachelor’s degree from Gordon College.

 

 

JDCU Executive Graduates LEADS

Brian SousaBrian Sousa, senior vice president and chief lending officer, recently graduated from Leaders Engaged and Activated to Drive System-wide change (LEADS) as part of the class of 2020-2021. Sousa has 29 years of experience in the lending and real estate industries. A graduate of UMass Lowell, Sousa has long-standing roots in the Lowell, serving on several boards for organizations including the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Lowell, the Senior Advisory Board for the Lowell Community Health Center, and the Advisory Board of Catie’s Closet, Inc.

 

NECC Human Services Major is New Student Trustee

Chrissy GraceChrissy Grace of Haverhill will join the Northern Essex Community College (NECC) Board of Trustees as the newly student-elected representative. Grace graduated from high school in 2004 and quickly found success working in the tech field as a product representative. Inspired to take on a new challenge by seeing her young daughter adapt and thrive during the pandemic, Grace decided to enroll at NECC for the Spring ’21 semester as a Human Services major. She hopes that she can use her role as student trustee to encourage others to get involved. Grace finished her first semester with a 4.0 grade point average. After earning her associate degree, she plans to transfer to a four-year school to get her bachelor’s and then go onto work with senior citizens.

Whitten Promoted to Director of Merrimack Valley Planning Commission

Jerrard Whitten, of Newbury, is a veteran of the Haverhill-based Merrimack Valley Planning Commission and has been named the organization’s executive director. Whitten is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire with a master of science in resource administration and management and a bachelor of science in resource economics.

Photo courtesy of the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission.

 

NoteWorthy – 1/17/21

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AROUND THE VALLEY

Baker Signs Sewage Public Notification Law

This week, Lawrence-based Merrimack River Watershed Council (MRWC), a nonprofit conservation group, applauded Gov. Charlie Baker for signing into law a bill that will require sewage plants to quickly inform the public whenever they release untreated sewage into a river.

The bill was first proposed nearly a decade ago, but failed to attract momentum. That changed in late 2017, when a major sewage release into the Merrimack River caused public concern and began raising questions about the state’s decades-long practice of not requiring that the public be notified when sewage discharges occur. MRWC credits an extraordinarily strong push by Merrimack Valley residents, political leaders, and media with providing the impetus that catapulted this issue to the front page and led statewide leaders to act.

“We’ve heard many comments from the Statehouse that the Merrimack Valley was the squeaky wheel that got this legislation passed,” said MRWC Executive Director Matthew Thorne. “The MRWC took a leadership role in pushing for this legislation, and we are so happy to see that it’s finally become law.”

If you would like to learn more, Thorne will be the guest on this week’s edition of The 495, MVM’s community and culture podcast. The podcast airs live on Merrimack Valley Magazine’s Facebook page every Wed. at 12:30 p.m., and is available on major streaming platforms.

Photo above by Dan Graovac. 

 

NECC Receives Grant That Will Help Expand Health Care Programs

Northern Essex Community College (NECC) is expanding its health care programs with the help of a $400,000 grant which the college recently received from the Massachusetts Skills Capital Program.

The grant was part of $11.7 million awarded by the Baker-Polito administration this year to help high schools, colleges, and other educational institutions invest in the most up-to-date training equipment in fields including construction, engineering, hospitality and health care.

The college will use the funding to replace the 40-year-old dental assisting lab located in the Dimitry Building on Franklin St. in Lawrence with a new state-of-the-art lab and add an Evening Dental Assisting Program option to the existing day option.

In addition, the college will purchase three new manikin simulators, and, for the first time, offer high-demand microcredentials for area health workers who are required to update their credentials regularly.

Idea for Smart Knee Brace Wins UML Student Entrepreneurship Contest

UMass Lowell (UML) students developing a smart brace that can track a patient’s recovery time from a knee injury have won the university’s annual engineering pitch contest for budding entrepreneurs.

The concept for the brace, called ConnectKnee, topped a field of 17 entries in UML’s 17th annual Francis College of Engineering Prototyping Competition. The contest asks student teams to pitch an innovative product or service before expert judges and awards seed money to help make the winning ideas a reality.

ConnectKnee is a brace fitted with biosensors that monitor the patient’s muscle activity and track the range of motion in the knee. Information gathered by the device links to a smartphone that allows the patient and attending doctor or physical therapist to assess the wearer’s recovery time, according to biomedical engineering major Alyssa Mulry of Rutland. She came up with the concept for the product after her cousin dislocated a knee cap during a lacrosse game.

Fellow UMass Lowell students working with Mulry to develop the brace include mechanical engineering major Jackson Kelley of Walpole and biomedical engineering major Tiffany Miller of Hooksett, N.H.

With the win, the ConnectKnee team received $2,500 to develop the brace and landed an automatic berth in the DifferenceMaker $50,000 Idea Challenge, the program’s largest pitch competition, to be held in the spring. The students are veterans of the challenge, having won the Contribution to a Healthier Lifestyle prize of $4,000 in that event last year, also for ConnectKnee.

MRT Receives $100,000 Mass Cultural Council Grant

Merrimack Repertory Theatre (MRT) recently received a Cultural Organization Economic Recovery grant of $100,000. This program is administered by the Mass Cultural Council, in partnership with the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, as part of the Baker-Polito administration’s economic recovery plan to support cultural nonprofits impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pandemic caused the theatre to close its doors last March and cancel the final two shows of the 2019-20 season, which resulted in a deficit of more than $600,000. This past fall, MRT created a series of new play readings on Zoom and a fully produced video release of “Fannie Lou Hamer: Speak On It!” The nonprofit hopes to produce a limited series beginning in late March.

Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union Awards $1,500 to Greater Lawrence Family Health Center

Greater Lawrence Family Health Center (GLFHC) is the latest nonprofit organization to be awarded a $1,500 donation from Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union’s We Share a Common Thread Foundation, as part of the fourth quarter Give-a-Click program.

The Give-a-Click program runs quarterly on the We Share a Common Thread Foundation website. Community members visit the site, learn about the worthy non-profit contestants, and cast their vote for the organization they would like to support. The nonprofit with the most votes at the end of the quarter is awarded a $1,500 donation from the foundation.

This $1,500 award will allow GLFHC to help meet the needs of underserved communities in the region and move closer to achieving its mission of providing health care services to the Merrimack Valley. The awarded funds will be used to help renovate and expand GLFHC’s Lawrence clinic, which is their largest clinic and accounts for 33% of their annual patient visits.

Tiny Arms Coffee Brings the Art of the Handmade to the Loading Dock at Western Avenue Studios

Western Avenue Studios in Lowell has announced the opening of Tiny Arms Coffee in their main loading dock lounge area. Owners Jon Santos and ceramic artist Kate Cutlip recently moved into Western Avenue Lofts, where Cutlip also moved her ceramic practice, Tiny Arms Ceramics.

Tiny Arms Coffee will open in Western Avenue in February, where customers can purchase coffee to go or hang out on the loading dock. The cafe will be roasting and selling beans wholesale and retail and through online subscription.

NECC Student Literary Magazine Receives National Awards

Parnassus, Northern Essex Community College’s (NECC) student literary magazine, has received two national awards, making it one of the top magazines of its kind in the country. The 2020 issue of Parnassus, which was published last spring, received the Associated Collegiate Press Pacemaker Award in the literary arts magazine category for the third year in a row and was named a Crown Finalist in the print literary magazine category by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. Parnassus is a student-run publication consisting of short fiction, poems, creative nonfiction and art and photography. It was started in 1965 as a way for creative Northern Essex students to share their talents.

Power of Flowers Project Receives Grant From Dana Home Foundation

Power of Flowers Project has received a $7,100.00 grant from the Dana Home Foundation (DHF) for the purchase of two new Floral Coolers. Funds will support the organization by allowing it to expand outreach efforts to seniors and veterans through bouquet deliveries and flower therapy workshops.

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Carl Howell Promoted to Chief Program Officer at Community Teamwork

Howell has been with Community Teamwork since 2010, most recently as Division Director of Housing and Homeless Services. Howell joined Community Teamwork in 2010 from Catholic Charities of Baltimore County, Maryland, where he managed Christopher’s Place Academy, a workforce development program for homeless men. He currently serves on the boards of Common Ground, an affordable housing subsidiary of Community Teamwork, Homes for Family Policy Action Team, Merrimack Valley Housing Partnership, EOHHS MA Youth Commission, and the DEI consortium, among others.

 

Pentucket Bank Announces 2021 Officer Promotions

Karl Denu to Pentucket Bank Chief Financial Officer
Denu has been promoted to chief financial officer after most recently serving in the role of senior vice president. Denu has been with Pentucket Bank for eight years and has almost twenty years in the financial services industry. Denu volunteers with the Granite United Way Income Tax Assistance Program. He resides in Derry with his wife and their two children.

 

Eric Landers to Pentucket Bank Credit Risk Officer
Landers has worked at Pentucket Bank for over seven years and brings fifteen years of experience to his role. Landers is an active volunteer with the Pregnancy Care Center where he serves as treasurer of the board. He is also a member of the Knights of Columbus. Landers lives in Andover, where he enjoys writing, playing music and spending time with his wife and their three children.

 

Melissa Kindig to Pentucket Bank Mortgage Loan Processing Manager
Kindig has over 22 years of industry experience, and has been with Pentucket Bank for nine years where she has established herself as a regular community volunteer by serving community meals and volunteering in both the VFW Santa Parade and Budget Buddies. She is also a board member for the Stevens Bennett Foundation. Kindig lives in Salisbury and has one adult son. She enjoys reading, exercising and spending time with her husband Brian, family and friends.

 

Jody Ronayne to Pentucket Bank Mortgage Loan Officer
Ronayne came to Pentucket Bank four years ago and has a total of 15 years of experience in the banking industry. Ronayne is a volunteer with the Salvation Army and the Hampstead Kiwanis Club. She lives in Pelham with her husband Paul and their three children. In her spare time, she enjoys shopping and reading.

 

Jose Pino to Pentucket Bank Digital Marketing Product Manager
Pino has been with Pentucket Bank for six years, most recently in the role of marketing & community relations officer. Jose has over thirteen years in the banking industry, and isPino is an avid community volunteer serving on the boards of HC Media, Community Inroads and Fidelity House/CRC, as well as volunteering at the Riverside Church in Haverhill. He lives in Methuen with his wife Edelyn and their two dogs, Mia and Max. Pino enjoys traveling, attending concerts and playing the drums.

 

Therese Chahine to Pentucket Bank Branch Manager of Merrimack Street Branch
Chahine has served almost four years at Pentucket Bank in various retail banking roles.  Chahine brings diverse retail banking experience paired with her strong operational background and team coaching strategies to the branch. Chahine volunteers with Bread and Roses and the Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence. She is a resident of Methuen with her significant other and her two sons.

 

Amanda McCafferty to Pentucket Bank Branch Manager of Stadium Branch
McCafferty is responsible for the overall management of the Pentucket Bank Stadium Branch team. She also oversees the operational and compliance related responsibilities of the branch. McCafferty lives in North Andover with her husband Patrick and, when not traveling, enjoys spending time with their dog, Reese.

 

Kerry Beaton to Pentucket Bank Branch Manager Westgate Branch
Beaton has been with Pentucket Bank for a year and a half, starting out as the assistant branch manager for the bank’s Westgate location. Beaton is responsible for the overall management of Pentucket Bank’s Westgate Branch team. Beaton has spent time volunteering with Cradles to Crayons. She is a resident of Plaistow and outside of work she enjoys attending concerts, arts and crafts, and traveling with friends and family.

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Check out the latest episode of The 495 Podcast!

Check out our latest episode of The 495 with host Doug Sparks! This week we’re joined by Purple Carrot Bread Co. owners Alaina and Doug Brackett to discuss how their Lowell bakery is hanging on (barely) in the age of COVID, and ways you can help local business. Listen to the podcast here.

NoteWorthy – 6/21/20

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AROUND THE VALLEY

Lawrence General Hospital Awarded Cummings Foundation Grant

Lawrence General Hospital announced it has been awarded a $100,000 grant over the next three years through the Cummings Foundation’s $20 Million Grant Program. The grant will help the hospital fund its community efforts to prevent cardiovascular disease, a leading cause of death and one of the major underlying health conditions leading to higher risk of death from COVID-19.

The Foundation and its volunteers first identified 130 organizations to receive grants of at least $100,000 each. Among the winners are first-time recipients as well as nonprofits that have previously received Cummings Foundation grants.

This year’s diverse group of grant recipients represents a wide variety of causes, including homelessness prevention, affordable housing, education, violence prevention, and food insecurity. The nonprofits are spread across 40 different cities and towns, and most will receive their grants over two to five years.

The complete list of 130 grant winners is available here.

 

Baker-Polito Administration Initiates Transition to Step Two of Phase II

The Baker-Polito Administration announced that Step Two of Phase II of the Commonwealth’s four-phase reopening plan will begin on Monday, June 22 allowing additional industries to resume operations under sector-specific guidelines.

Businesses and sectors set to begin operating in Step Two of Phase II are subject to compliance with all mandatory safety standards.

The following will be eligible to reopen in Step Two of Phase II on Monday, June 22:
• Indoor table service at restaurants
• Close-contact personal services (skin care, hair, makeup and more), with restrictions
• Retail dressing rooms, by appointment only
• Offices, at 50% capacity

Below, find a list of guidance and safety protocols issued by the Baker-Polito Administration:
• Guidance for Restaurants
• Guidance for Close-Contact Personal Services
• Guidance for Other Industries
• Guidance for Sectors Not Otherwise Addressed

Full list and safety protocols can be found here.

View the full report here.

View Charlie Baker’s Phase II Executive Order here.

Step Two will not go into effect in Lawrence until June 29, according to an executive order issued on Friday by Mayor Dan Rivera and the City of Lawrence Board of Health. “This week’s state-wide data shows that Lawrence continues to be a hot spot for coronavirus, we cannot make the mistake of underestimating this virus,” said Rivera. “The fact remains that Lawrence is still behind the curve in terms of combating the virus. Continuing on this cautious, delayed reopening approach allows for more testing and another week for numbers to improve before we, as a community, move on to phase 2 part 2.”

 

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UMass Lowell Volunteers Make, Deliver Face Coverings to Community Organizations

Community organizations throughout the Merrimack Valley are receiving donations of face masks to help slow the spread of COVID-19, thanks to a UMass Lowell volunteer initiative to make and distribute the personal protective equipment.

The Face Coverings for the Community Campaign has enlisted volunteers including UMass Lowell students, staff, alumni and others to produce the items. The effort has already provided close to 4,000 face masks for more than 15 community service organizations throughout the region, including the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Lowell, Lowell Community Health Center, Lowell Senior Center and L’Arche Boston North in Haverhill.

The initiative is a collaboration between UMass Lowell’s Community Relations, the university’s Fashion Makerspace, and the UMass Lowell Innovation Hub. A video about the effort is available here.

 

Greater Lowell Community Foundation/Lowell High School Scholarship Program Awards More Than $557,000 to 277 Seniors

On June 15, 2020, as part of the 2020 Lowell High School Virtual Honor Awards Night more than $557,000 was awarded to 277 graduating seniors at Lowell High School.

From recent refugees arriving from war-torn countries to families who have lived in Lowell for generations, the scholarship recipients reflected the diversity of the city. Nearly half of this year’s 317 applicants will be the first in their family to attend college.

Through the foresight of these donors, and the Community Foundation’s stewardship of these funds, the scholarship endowment at the Greater Lowell Community Foundation now totals $6.8 million.

 

YWCA 37th Annual Tribute to Women Set to Go Virtual Live

The 37th Annual YWCA Tribute to Women awards luncheon held each year at he Andover Country Club has been reimagined as a virtual live stream event on Tuesday, June 23, 2020, at 6:00 p.m. Join via this link as the YWCA presents 22 outstanding women from the Merrimack Valley.

These women come from various backgrounds and serve their community on boards of directors, committees and advisory boards. State Rep. Tram Nguyen will be featured as the event Mistress of Ceremonies. All money raised from the evening will benefit the 26 YWCA programs serving more than 15,000 women, children and families throughout Merrimack Valley, New Hampshire and the North Shore.

 

Care Dimensions Celebrates Hospice Nursing Assistants

Care Dimensions, celebrates National Nursing Assistant Week (June 18-25) by recognizing its 165 hospice aides, including Jeanne Puffer of Andover — for the outstanding, compassionate care they provide patients at end of life.

“During this response to COVID-19, our hospice aides have gone above and beyond to continue to provide care to patients in their homes, skilled nursing facilities, and assisted living communities. They have been on the front lines in the community, providing critical care and helping patients and families feel less alone and isolated,” said Care Dimensions President and CEO Patricia Ahern.

 

UMass Scaling Up Online Education With New Partner

The University of Massachusetts will partner with a California-based university system to scale up its online educational programs with the goal of serving more adult learners.

The partnership between UMass Online and Brandman University is expected to be finalized later this year. UMass officials said they are still working through its details.

The move comes amid the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and UMass officials said millions of adults in Massachusetts and across the country will need “flexible, high-quality and affordable online education alternatives” as they seek to recover from economic dislocation.

 

One Fund Lawrence Will Distribute 100% of Donations to Lawrence Residents

United Way has established the fund and will distribute 100% of donations to Lawrence community organizations. The organizations will then distribute donations directly to families who do not qualify for other types of assistance, such as unemployment. Families will receive a gift card they can use to purchase food and other supplies. Partners include The Center, Lawrence CommunityWorks, Groundwork Lawrence, ACT Lawrence and Greater Lawrence Community Action Council.

You can read more about the fund here.

 

Greater Lowell Community Foundation Continues Support of Local Nonprofits during COVID-19 Pandemic

The Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF) announced that it has granted an additional $282,000 in emergency funds to community nonprofits since the COVID-19 pandemic began. This rapid response funding has been directed to nonprofits providing crucial assistance to the most vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, low-income and homeless in Greater Lowell.

The following nine nonprofits receiving grants in the latest round of the Massachusetts COVID-19 Relief Fund are:

• Alternative House: to alleviate stresses on victims of domestic violence due to COVID-19, especially those residing in confidential emergency shelters and in high-risk community-based households
• Budget Buddies Inc.: to provide emergency basic needs for low-income women and girls
• Catie’s Closet Inc.: to purchase and distribute toiletry items and feminine hygiene items at school-based emergency food sites
• Greater Lowell Health Alliance: to provide PPE for those working with underserved populations and assistance in coordination of food pantry delivery services
• Life Connection Center Inc.: to provide meals and other supports for people living in homelessness and poverty during COVID-19
• Lifelinks Inc.: to provide hazard pay for frontline staff, program nurses, and managers who provide direct, hands-on care to people with disabilities
• Lowell General Hospital: to support new staff position required for screening staff and visitors to the hospital to ensure safe protocols and PPE distribution
• Middlesex Community College Foundation Inc.: to address food insecurity and basic needs for community college students
• UTEC Inc.: to support youths working in UTEC Food Enterprises’ kitchen operations to prepare meals to be delivered to those in need in Greater Lowell.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Senior Makes Prom Dress to Reflect COVID-19, Commemorates Essential Workers

For a scholarship contest, Jillian Stallar, a recent graduate from Newburyport High School, constructed a duct tape prom dress to commemorate essential workers and heroes who have been serving the community during the COVID-19 crisis.

“As I was told my own senior prom would be canceled, I felt inspired to dive into my own type of quarantine project,” said Stallar. I wanted to create a prom dress that reflects the global situation and struggles we are currently in. This dress is not only a sort of memorial to the lost proms this year, but a monument to the essential workers and heroes which battle this pandemic every day.”

The outfit, which consist of a dress, tiara, sash and corsage, was meticulously planned, with each component serving as a symbolic representation of what we have all experienced in the midst of COVID-19.

Baker-Polito Administration Initiates Transition to Step Two of Phase II

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Today the Baker-Polito Administration announced that Step Two of Phase II of the Commonwealth’s four-phase reopening plan will begin on Monday, June 22 allowing additional industries to resume operations under sector-specific guidelines.

Businesses and sectors set to begin operating in Step Two of Phase II are subject to compliance with all mandatory safety standards.

The following will be eligible to reopen in Step Two of Phase II on Monday, June 22:
• Indoor table service at restaurants
• Close-contact personal services (skin care, hair, makeup and more), with restrictions
• Retail dressing rooms, by appointment only
• Offices, at 50% capacity

Below, find a list of guidance and safety protocols issued by the Baker-Polito Administration:
• Guidance for Restaurants
• Guidance for Close-Contact Personal Services
• Guidance for Other Industries
• Guidance for Sectors Not Otherwise Addressed

Full list and safety protocols can be found here.

View the full report here.

View Charlie Baker’s Phase II Executive Order here.

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