University Relations
Government & Community Relations

2014 Tufts Neighborhood Service Fund Recipients

April 1, 2014

The Tufts Neighborhood Service Fund (TNSF) committee awarded grants to five organizations in Grafton, eight organizations in Chinatown, ten programs in Medford, and twelve 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’s Chinatown) 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.  In 2014 there was a total of $18,500 available to distribute through TNSF.  The committee received 60 proposals representing more than $90,000 in requests and selected 35 programs and projects for awards.

The Grafton grant recipients for 2014 are:

  • Community Harvest Project — $500 towards the purchase of a Bale Shredder.
  • Grafton Senior Center — $500 to provide free medical van rides for seniors.
  • North Grafton Elementary School — $250 for supplies needed for pond study field trips.
  • Grafton Food Bank — $1,500 for non-perishable foods for their pantry.
  • St. James Church Outreach Program — $1,500 for emergency relief and food supplies.

The Chinatown grant recipients for 2014 are:

  • Asian American Civic Association (AACA) — $500 to support their job training program.
  • Asian Community Development Corporation (ACDC) — $400 towards the purchase of translation devices for meetings with residents who do not speak English.
  • Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association of NE — $400 for books and shelving for their reading room.
  • Chinese Progressive Association — $300 to help cover costs for their Youth Days and General Assemblies Programs.
  • Greater Boston Chinese Golden Age Center — $500 towards a program created to awareness of dementia and reduce the stress of caregiving in the Chinese American community.
  • Josiah Quincy Elementary School — $500 for basketball hoops for the Sports and Scholars after-school program.
  • Ricesticks and Tea Asian Food Pantry — $1,500 to purchase culturally appropriate food for their pantry.
  • Wang YMCA of Chinatown — $500 to support their Teen Job Readiness and Training program.

The Medford grant recipients for 2014 are:

  • Boys & Girls Clubs of Middlesex County — $500 for the implementation of “Art Attack!” a joint program of the Medford Clubhouse and Tufts Occupational Therapy students.
  • Columbus Elementary School — $300 to support the school’s annual Science Night;
  • Friends of the Medford Community Gardens — $300 towards the cost of establishing a community garden by the Condon Shell.
  • McGlynn Elementary School — $250 towards equipment costs to outfit a classroom that serves English Language Learners and Literacy students.
  • Medford Council on Aging — $200 for two Kindles and accessories for the Senior Center.
  • Medford Family Resource Coalition — $200 to purchase books for the Columbus School Library.
  • Medford Public Library — $400 for materials for a series of multi-media stories created, illustrated, and voiced by children.
  • West Medford Community Center, Inc. — $300 to purchase new folding tables for the center and $400 to help augment their After-School Youth Activities program.
  • Community Cupboard Food Pantry of the Unitarian Universalist Church — $2,000 for food for their pantry.

The Somerville grant recipients for 2014 are:

  • Arts At The Armory — $300 towards the Skillshare Monthly Workshop Series.
  • CASPAR, Inc. — $275 to purchase personal-care products for clients staying at their shelters.
  • Community Action Agency of Somerville — $750 for new books for their Head Start classrooms.
  • Community Cooks — $500 for two dollies to help with food deliveries.
  • Eagle Eye Institute — $500 to help support their youth leadership program.
  • Hearty Meals for All — $250 for food and supply costs for clients.
  • Second Chances — $275 to help expand their clothing donation program.
  • Shortstop Somerville Wayside Youth and Family Services — $250 to purchase personal-care products for clients.
  • Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services — $300 for their evening, weekend, and emergency home-delivered Meal-on-Wheels Program.
  • The Elizabeth Peabody House — $400 to help expand their Health and Wellness initiative.
  • The Welcome Project — $500 towards portable transmitters for the LIPS program, involving bilingual high school students.
  • Walnut Street Center — $500 to purchase materials to begin a horticulture program.