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2019 Tufts Neighborhood Service Fund Recipients

The Tufts Neighborhood Service Fund (TNSF) committee awarded grants to 11 organizations in Boston, 3 organizations in Grafton, 11 programs in Medford, 11 organizations in Somerville.

TNSF collects donations from university employees throughout the year and then awards grants to community-based, charitable organizations that serve Tufts’ host communities (Somerville, Medford, Grafton and Boston) and that actively engage Tufts volunteers in their work.

A committee comprised of Tufts administrators, faculty and staff meets annually to review proposals and select grant recipients.  There was a total of $28,000 available to award to the 2018-19 TNSF applicants The committee received over 60 proposals and selected 36 programs and projects for awards. Members of the TNSF committee base their decisions on a desire to address the most pressing needs in the communities and to encourage expanded involvement of Tufts volunteers.

The Boston recipients:

  • Art Resource Collaborative for Kids – $500 to support a public art festival in the Fenway
  • Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center – $500 for transportation costs of their college access program
  • Chinese Progressive Association – $500 towards funding the Chinatown block party which supports preservation of affordable housing
  • Friday Night Supper Program – $1,000 for purchase of fresh produce for a weekly meal for homeless individuals
  • Gentle Giant Rowing Club – $250 towards the purchase of a coaching boat
  • Greater Boston Chinese Golden Age Center – $1,000 to expand their Memory Café program which serves memory impaired individuals
  • Josiah Quincy Elementary School – $1,000 for AV upgrades in their auditorium
  • Josiah Quincy Upper School – $1,000 for a student Chromebook charging station
  • Peer Health Exchange – $250 for T-passes for student volunteers providing health education in underserved Boston Public Schools
  • Ricesticks and Tea – $1,000 towards stocking their food pantry serving Chinatown
  • Strong Women Strong Girls – $1,000 to fund training of undergraduate student mentors working with girls in Boston Public Schools

The Grafton grant recipients:

  • Apple Tree Arts – $500 for new instruments for their Head Start Music Outreach program
  • Saint James Outreach – $2,000 for their emergency relief fund which supports residents in need
  • St. Mary Parish Market Sunday – $650 for new utility carts used to transport food pantry items

The Medford grant recipients:

  • Boston Shakespeare Project – $500 to support the “Shakespeare in Motion” theater literacy program in Medford
  • Columbus School PTO – $500 to support costs for their Annual Science Night
  • Community Cupboard – $2,000 towards the purchase of food for their food pantry
  • Congregational Church of West Medford dba Sanctuary – $2,000 to fund cost of preparing 10,000 free meals at a volunteer event
  • Malden YMCA – $1,000 to fund “Pop Up” food markets in Medford for individuals dealing with food insecurity
  • Medford Family Resource Coalition/Medford Public Schools – $250 for resources for a Social Emotional Learning lending library in the Medford Family Network Center
  • Medford High School/Center for Citizenship and Social Responsibility – $250 for building supplies for “Little Free Library” project
  • Mystic River Watershed Association – $250 for educational signage at MacDonald Park
  • Roberts Elementary School – $250 to support purchase of supplies for annual Field Day
  • Walnut Street Center – $640 towards the purchase of an adjustable changing table for the mobility impaired
  • West Medford Community Center – $250 for their Girls Basketball program

The Somerville grant recipients:

  • CASPAR – $500 for bed linens and towels for their Emergency Services Shelter
  • Catholic Charities – $500 to repair their shelter’s kitchen floor damaged by water
  • Friends of Healey – $250 for a scholarship to Nature’s classroom
  • Hearty Meals for All – $2,000 to fund their monthly free meal program
  • Mystic Learning Center – $565 for a piano bench, humidifier and seating for their performance area
  • RESPOND, Inc – $1,000 to fund summer programs for children living in their shelter
  • Second Chances, Inc. – $1,000 for upgrades to clothing donation bins
  • Somerville Council on Aging – $250 to hire visiting instructor for their Memory Café, which support individuals with dementia or cognitive decline
  • Somerville Food Security Coalition – $600 for their monthly free meal and pop-up food pantry
  • Somerville Homeless Coalition, Project SOUP – $1,295 to pay for a weekly truck rental to transport donated food to their pantry
  • Somerville Public Library – $1,000 to enhance their “Citizenship Corner” with educational resources for immigrants working towards US citizenship