COVID-19 RESPONSE
Watertown Community Foundation created the Community Resilience Fund in March 2020, to address the most immediate needs of our neighbors who have been directly affected by the COVID-19 crisis. We are here to help.
Responding to urgent community-wide needs
The Community Resilience Fund (CRF) is a restricted fund at Watertown Community Foundation. It will be used to respond to urgent, community-wide needs or significant unexpected financial challenges from closures of core community institutions. The Community Resilience Fund enables WCF to rapidly make grants, with minimal application requirements, when the critical need is financial. WCF will rely on community partners to identify, and enable us to respond rapidly to, immediate needs. The Community Resilience Fund will be managed with other WCF funds to be readily available. Donors can designate contributions to the Community Resilience Fund knowing that urgent needs of the community will be met.
Watertown knows how to come together during difficult challenges. We showed grit, strength, and compassion in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombings uniting our community and showing that we are Watertown Strong. Watertown Helps Out (WHO), our town wide day of service, was created as a result of our strength and resolve. During the financial crisis of 2008 it became clear that our community needed extra social services to assist families with resources to help them through financial difficulties. WCF, along with other organizations, helped create and fund a fulltime Social Services Resource Specialist.
With the COVID-19 pandemic it became clear very quickly that WCF needed to act. From its inception the Community Resilience Fund (CRF) was designed for rapid response. Through our front-line community partners we identify immediate needs and deploy funds. We're already experiencing a surge in requests for assistance as members of our community grapple with COVID-related challenges.
Need Help? Offering Help?
If you need assistance, please reach out to Sophia_Suarez-Friedman@waysideyouth.org And visit our Mutual Aid Network.
You Can Help!
We remain committed to serving the needs of our community in these unprecedented times, and we hope you will join us if you can. With an initial commitment from WCF and our board and staff of $40,000, the fund has reached well over $100,000 and deployment of funds has been ongoing. Thank you for helping to build a supportive, caring community that we all can count on in uncertain times.
Thank you!
We are grateful to the following who have made donations in support of WCF’s Community Relief Fund and Online Donations to the Watertown Food Pantry.
Adam Brewster
Albrik Avanessian
Alex Gottlieb
Allison Eck
Allyson Schumacher
Andre Compagna
Andrea Schuler
Andreas Aeppli
Andrew Pramberger
Ann Bellefontaine
Ann Cox
Ann and William Forbush
Ann Walters
Anna Heller
Anne Hammett
Anonymous #13
Anonymous #14
Anthony and Kelly Donato
Arlene Smith
Arranta Bio
Barbara Epstein
Barbara and Jeremy Ruskin
Becca Salmaso
Beth Barrett
Beth Houston
Bevin Croft
Bob Airasian
Bob and Missy Shay
Brian McDonald
Bright Funds
Carole-Jean Smith
Caroline Bays
Cass Sapir
Charlie Breitrose
Chloe Green
Christine Parker
Christine Madigan
Christopher Leitz
Chuck Dickinson
Clarence Butler
Colleen Treacy
Constance Holmes
Cornelia Janke
Cynthia Col
Cynthia Grzelcyk
Cynthia Wentz
Darshna Varia
David Fram
David Siegel and Erika Geeter
Debra Kodiak
Diane Pellagrini
Dolores Mitchell
Donna and Ric Calleja
Dylan Marshall
Edward Nardi
Eileen Hsu-Balzer
Eileen McCluskey
Elaina Themistos
Eleanor Donato
Ellen Isenstein
Ellen Rothman
Ellen Wineberg
Emily Barclay and John Hawes
Enanta Pharmaceuticals
Eric Maillis
Erin Morgan
Eversource Energy Foundation
Ferreira Family
FM Global
Francesca Simon-Carboni
Gail Franck
George Snowdon
Harry Stoddard
Harvey Steiner
Heather Leary
Helen and Joseph Soussou
Hsiaolin Chang-**
Ilana Mainelli
Jane and Josephine Faccenda
Janet Buck
Janet Jameson
Janice Craige Singer and Stephen Singer
Jason Dunklee
Jeffrey Follett
Jenna Willis
Jennifer Davis
Jennifer Smith
Jeri Bayer
Jessica Middlebrook
Joan Blaustein
Joan and Leo Martin
Joan Oustifine
Joan Stoddard
Joanne Hammil
Joanne Shapiro
JoAnne Yates
Jocelyn Tager
John Foote
John Gannon
John Portz
Jonathan Bockian and Sharon Teitelbaum
Josephine White
Judith Fallows
Judith Katz and Dean Solomon
Judy Kaplan
Julie Candiello
Julie White
Katelyn Boller
Katherine Button
Katherine Kopp
Katherine Klosowski
Katie White
Kendall Palmer Watts
Kendra Eshleman
Kerry Biddy
Kristin Engdahl
Kristin Rosner
Larry Raskin
Laura Pabo
Lauren Unsworth
Laurie Garden
Laurie O'Reilly
Lee-Anne Famolare
Leonta Longman
Leslie Horst
Linda Cocca
Linda Corinne
Linda Sultan
Linnie Chang
Lisa Port White
Lora Sabin and Jonathan Hecht
Marcus Williams
Margaret Nairn Wesel
Marguerita Beiser
Maria Ruggiero and Eileen Michaels
Marian Friedman
Marian Grogan
Marjorie Wayne
Mark Hernandez
Mark Ottensmeyer
Mark Peterson
Mark Wagner and Melina Jacovides
Marta Flores
Mary Ann Mulligan
Matthew Boxer
Meghan O'Connell
Melissa Maslin
Merryl Gross
Michael Schade
Michael Ward
Michelle Casey
Mike Mandel and Chantal Zakari
Nancy Ballantyne
Nathan and Joanna Weston
Nicole Ledoux
Norah Mulvaney-Day
Nyssa Patten
Pamela Simos
Paula Mazza, Sis Realty
Peter Robertson
Richard and Katherine Diamond
Robert and Myrna Siegel
Roche Brothers
Sanofi
Sarah Jacqz
Sarah Wharton
Sasaki Associates, Inc.
Shawna Searles
Stephanie Venizelos
Stephen MacLellan
Stephen Meuse
Steve Owens
Sue C Hanfling
Susan Baldwin
Susan Fish
Sydney Mason-Barrett
Tara Mahoney
Thomas Berryman and Joan Ellersick
Thomas Goodwillie
Tiffany Bertolozzi
Tod and Jacqui Gross
Todd Rivers
Tony and Maureen Paolillo
Trip Advisor
Tufts Foundation
Vanguard
Watertown Fire Fighters
Watertown Savings Bank
Wendy Gulley
William and Genevieve Salemi
World in Watertown
Wrobel Family
Online Donations to the Watertown Food Pantry
Alan Fortunate
Amy Bell
Andrea Schuler
Anthony Donato
BC Lyon
Bevin Croft
Carol Tierney
Clarence Butler
Colleen Treacy
Eileen McCluskey
Elisabeth Shaw
Elizabeth Yong
Elodia Thomas
FM Global Foundation
Gail Walker
Heather Leary
Holly Johnson
Ilana Mainelli
Joan and Leo Martin
Joan Stoddard
Katharine Shapleigh
Katherine Klosowski
Katherine F Kopp
Kendra Eshleman
Kristin Engdahl
Laurie O'Reilly
Lisa Hum
Lisa Port White
Lynn Bratley
Lynn Walder
Mark Ottensmeyer
Michael Corcoran
Nicholas Zinser
Pam Phillips
Patricia Rathbone
Robert Finn
Sarah Scala
Tara Mahoney
Thomas Thuene
Tiffany Bertolozzi
William Lukesh
Updates
April 30, 2020
For Immediate Release
WATERTOWN’S MUTUAL AID NETWORK UP AND RUNNING—NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS AS COMMUNITY RESILIENCE FUND DONATIONS GROW
April 30, 2020 (Watertown, MA) –
The Watertown Community Foundation’s (WCF) Community Resilience Fund, created to respond to the impacts of the COVID-19 emergency and similar crises, has teamed with Wayside Youth and Family Services to fund a new part time Community Coordinator. Sophia Suarez-Friedman, a Master of Social Work candidate at Boston College, has been a clinical intern with Wayside for the past year. She will add the duties of coordinator as she completes her clinical work.
In a few short weeks, Sophia has created Watertown’s Mutual Aid Network that is currently already connecting individuals in need with resources and volunteers who can help. Aid includes providing cleaning and safety supplies, personal care items, clothing, food and delivery, translation services, social support, care packages, transportation, housing, storage, childcare, activities for kids, dog walking, tutoring, and technology support.
Thus far twenty community members have signed up with needs and with more than forty have signed up to help. If you know a neighbor in need please let them know that there are people ready to help.
In addition to the Mutual Aid Network, through our grant partnership with Friends of Project Literacy, WCF has been able to take in a donation of 45 laptops to distribute to ELL adults. All language classes have gone online but many adults had no way of connecting. We've been able to clean the machines, purchase chargers, and distribute the laptops through Friends of Project Literacy.
We were also able to purchase 50 N95 masks to donate to frontline health care workers in Watertown.
Through years of partnering with programs and organizations, we are able to deploy resources quickly and efficiently to those in need. We remain committed to serving the needs of our community in these unprecedented times, and we hope you will join us if you can.
Donations may be made:
By check:
Watertown Community Foundation-
Community Resilience Fund
P.O. Box 334
Watertown, MA 02471
Online at
www.watertownfoundation.org
For instructions on donating appreciated securities, or other questions you may have,
please contact Jan Singer at jan.singer@watertownfoundation.org.
WATERTOWN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION’S COMMUNITY RESILIENCE FUND GROWS TO OVER 60K-ANNOUNCES FIRST DISTRIBUTIONS.
April 7, 2020 (Watertown, MA) –
The Watertown Community Foundation’s Community Resilience Fund was created to respond to the impacts of the COVID-19 emergency and similar crises. The initial response from the community has been outstanding. Nearly one hundred individuals, businesses, and foundations have stepped up with generous donations that have helped the fund grow to over $60,000 in just a few weeks.
From its inception the Community Resilience Fund (CRF) was designed for rapid response. Through our front-line community partners we have identified immediate needs and have deployed the first of the funds.
In this time of crisis access to food is critical. After a two week closing, the Catholic Coalition Food Pantry, located at St. Vincent’s Parish at 770 Mt. Auburn St., has reopened to the public on Thursdays from 10 AM-11:45 AM. Watertown Community Foundation is pleased to announce the CRF has made a major donation to the pantry that primarily serves the east end of town.
When families are forced to choose between food and rent, the need is immediate. Through the Social Services Resource Specialist at Wayside, Jenna Willis, LCSW, we are providing funds for grocery store gift cards. As the resource needs quickly grow, we will increase the capacity of the SSRS with additional support. CRF money will fund a part time coordinator to assist Jenna as she creates an online hub to match those in need with the appropriate resources including community volunteers.
We remain committed to serving the needs of our community in these unprecedented times, and we hope you will join us if you can.
Donations may be made:
By check:
Watertown Community Foundation-
Community Resilience Fund
P.O. Box 334
Watertown, MA 02471
Online at
www.watertownfoundation.org
For instructions on donating appreciated securities, or other questions you may have,
please contact Jan Singer at jan.singer@watertownfoundation.org.