BOSTON – The Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy (MIRA) Coalition is thrilled to announce that the Cummings Foundation has selected MIRA as a local nonprofit that will share in the Cummings Foundation’s major annual grants program totaling $30 million. Chosen as one of the more than 700 applicants, the $225,000 in funding will work to advance the rights and inclusion of immigrants through coalition building, policy analysis, legislative advocacy, community organizing, training and education, strategic communications, and direct legal services.
“The Cummings Foundation’s incredible support will prove instrumental in supporting the MIRA Coalition’s efforts to empower immigrants and refugees across the Commonwealth,” said Elizabeth Sweet, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy (MIRA) Coalition. “Whether it is through helping asylum seekers apply for work authorization,
advocating for our immigrant workforce on Beacon Hill, or providing reliable information to immigrants about resources and rights, the Cummings Foundation’s support will aid many across Massachusetts.”
The Cummings $30 Million Grant Program primarily supports Massachusetts nonprofits that are based in and serve Middlesex, Essex, and Suffolk counties, plus six communities in Norfolk County: Brookline, Dedham, Milton, Needham, Quincy, and Wellesley.
“Greater Boston is fortunate to have a robust, dedicated, and highly capable nonprofit sector that supports and enhances the community in myriad ways,” said Cummings Foundation executive director and trustee Joyce Vyriotes. “The entire Cummings organization is thankful for their daily work to help all our neighbors thrive.”
The Cummings Foundation gives back in 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. 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 49 different cities and towns.
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.
Additional information is available at www.CummingsFoundation.org.
