Awards $25,000 to support programs that focus on vulnerable women and children.
New Bedford, MA – The Hawthorn Medical Associates Charitable Fund of the SouthCoast Community Foundation announced today the five recipients for their grants, totaling $25,000. The 2020 nonprofit awardees are from the Fall River and New Bedford, Massachusetts area and include Catholic Social Services, Child & Family Services, PACE, Inc., The Women’s Center, and YWCA of Southeastern MA. The awards will support programs that directly serve women and children and address child abuse prevention and treatment; economic self-sufficiency; and victims of domestic violence.
“These organizations are tackling key issues that women and children of our community are facing each and every day,” stated Joseph Ciccolo Jr., CEO of Hawthorn Medical Associates. “It’s gratifying to provide them financial support so their important services can continue. Our charitable fund through the Foundation enables us to do just that outside the purview of our organization’s four walls.”
“Hawthorn Medical is not only helping the public with the challenges of the COVID-19 health crisis but as a Community Foundation partner, their philanthropy is also addressing those particularly vulnerable,” added John Vasconcellos, SouthCoast Community Foundation President. “We are very grateful for these efforts.”
Each of the five organizations received $5,000 towards the following:
- Catholic Social Services was awarded a grant for their H.O.U.S.E. Family Homeless Shelter-Welcome Project which helps reduce the trauma of entering a homeless shelter. Families and Children will be provided basic provisions while they await other entitlement benefits to become active.
- Child & Family Services was granted support for their Caring Network, allowing greater outreach in the community to aid children who witness or are the victims of violence. (Grant focus: victims of violence)
- PACE, Inc. was awarded a grant for their Food Bank which addresses food insecurity in the Greater New Bedford area.
- The Women’s Center’s Keeping Domestic Violence Shelters Safe From COVID-19 program was awarded a grant to offset the unexpected costs to house new survivors in hotels and test them for the virus to limit spread to existing shelter residents.
- YWCA of Southeastern MA will receive a grant for their Financial Literacy Program for Women to support their educational programming that focuses on self-sufficiency and stability through a strong understanding of budgeting, planning, and debt reduction.
On receiving Hawthorn’s support, Larissa Correia from Child & Family Services and the Program Director of the Caring Network commented, “We can’t thank Hawthorn Medical Associates enough. This grant allows our program to provide critical support and resources to children and families who have witnessed or been a victim of violence. They will know what it means to have a safe place to talk to group facilitators, build relationships with peers, and learn coping skills to help build resilience.”
Since 2011, the Hawthorn Medical Associates Charitable Fund has provided grants totaling more than $235,000 to local non-profit organizations, with a focus on child abuse prevention and treatment; economic self-sufficiency; and victims of domestic violence. Hawthorn Medical Associates was founded in 1970 to provide a high level of care for patients in Southeastern Massachusetts while bringing physician specialists and services to the community not available at the time. Hawthorn has continued to grow and now includes more than 140 of the area’s most respected physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners. Hawthorn Medical joined forces with the Steward Health Care System in 2012. To learn more about Hawthorn Medical, visit www.hawthornmed.com
The SouthCoast Community Foundation has been overseeing the management of the Hawthorn Medical Associates Charitable Fund since 2007 when Hawthorn Medical Associates created a $500,000 endowment, which is now more than $675,000. The Foundation is a public charity serving thousands of people throughout Southeastern Massachusetts who share a common goal of improving the quality of life through philanthropy. Since 1995, the Community Foundation has distributed over $39 million from more than 200 funds to humanitarian, educational, and cultural organizations in the region. To learn more about the Community Foundation, visit www.southcoastcf.org
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A child filling out a pre-group Caring Network questionnaire which helps group facilitators identify the needs of each group member.