Lifting the Load For and With Our Communities in Difficult Times
When the COVID-19 crisis began, we reached out to organizations across our region to hear about the challenges they were facing and learn how we could best support their efforts. In March 2020, we were one of the first funders to provide unsolicited grants to organizations and we persisted in our funding through five waves over two years, providing aid to organizations assisting immigrants, the elderly, victims of domestic violence, people coping with mental health issues, community health centers, food banks and pantries, multi-service providers, community foundations, early childhood education providers, safe and affordable housing providers, and organizations assisting businesses of color. Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have invested more than $16.5 million through 743 organizations focused on the health of our neighbors and our neighborhoods.
Our COVID-19 Support
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Learn more about our COVID-19 support here:
Even a pandemic could not stop our employees from giving back. They found new ways to make a difference through socially distanced and remote volunteer activities, and collectively volunteered more than 15,000 hours in the midst of the pandemic. They gathered gifts for food and book drives, packed backpacks with essentials for disadvantaged kids, mentored virtually, and wrote hundreds of holiday cards to active U.S. military service men and women.
Here are some examples of our support:
La Colaborativa
Chelsea was an epicenter of COVID-19 impact, and La Colaborativa provided critical support to those most in need by providing food, Covid-19 support, and valuable resources. La Colaborativa is a Latina-led, membership-based organization built, enriched and sustained by Latinos, immigrants, refugees, workers and youth who bear the burden of injustice. Our Foundation provided support in 2020 to assist them in their efforts to help those that were disproportionately affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
New England Center and Home for Veterans
The New England Center and Home for Veterans is one of the nation’s most prominent community-based providers of human services to Veterans who are experiencing challenges following their military service. Now in its third decade, the New England Center and Home for Veterans is a private institution with a very public mission of offering a broad array of programs and services that enable success, reintegration, meaningful employment and independent living. During 2020, the Eastern Bank Foundation provided funding for operational support to assist with COVID-19 related needs.
Community Health Center of Cape Cod
Community Health Center of Cape Cod has a mission to improve the health of the community through the provision of comprehensive, high quality, compassionate health care to all regardless of ability to pay. COVID-19 funds were used to purchase a van for vaccine outreach and education.
Family Promise Metrowest
In 2008, Family Promise Metrowest (FPM) opened their doors as a shelter to serve families with children facing homelessness. Over the years the organization expanded to provide support for families transitioning back into the community through the SAIL program and homeless prevention services through the LIFE program. With a focus on long term sustainability, families in all programs are provided guidance and support to reach education and career goals that will move them out of poverty. Since 2011, the Eastern Bank Foundation has been a valued community partner, supporting the organization’s growth through grants and sponsorships for events. With the onset of COVID-19, our Foundation provided emergency funds used to offset the emerging needs of families in all its programs.
Essex County Community Foundation
Essex County Community Foundation has a mission to inspire philanthropy that strengthens the communities of Essex County. It does this by managing charitable assets, strengthening and supporting non-profits, and engaging in strategic community leadership initiatives. It worked extensively with the Eastern Bank Foundation leadership and community partners to support COVID-19 VAX and culturally competent community outreach in: Lawrence, Methuen, Haverhill, Lynn, Salem and Peabody.
Building Community in New Hampshire
Building Community in New Hampshire is a multi-ethnic Mutual Assistance Association that provides an array of services required by refugee and immigrant communities that help residents understand and navigate the systems available to help with their everyday life. These funds were used to encourage and empower every refugee, immigrant, and person of color in Nashua, Manchester, and Concord to get vaccinated for COVID-19.
GOTVax (Get Out the Vaccine)
GOTVax (Get Out the Vaccine), led by a team of physicians and medical students of color, veteran campaign staffers, and field organizers led by Dr. Alister Martin and Dr. Jon Santiago, came together to focus on COVID-19 vaccine rollout in communities most in need. Eastern Bank Foundation support enabled them to expand into Brockton and Lowell in a similar manner as had been done throughout Boston and Chelsea. Their approach blends Get Out the Vote campaign grassroot efforts with healthcare provider volunteers. Funding also provided the ability to hire a Brockton-based organizing team to lead these efforts in coordination with the Boston hub.