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Investing in Community: Webster Five Foundation Awards $47,500 in Grants

Auburn, MA – Building on a record-breaking year of charitable giving in 2024, the Webster Five Foundation is proud to announce the first round of grant recipients for 2025. This quarter, the Foundation has awarded $47,500 in grants to 14 nonprofit organizations.

Each quarter, the Foundation provides grants to nonprofit organizations or programs that support expanding or improving access to education, culture and the arts, social services, charitable activities and community development.

The following organizations received grants in this cycle:

  • Assabet Valley Mastersingers Inc. (AVM) –– $500 to provide free tickets to senior citizens, ensuring access to professional and high-quality musical performances. AVM is a regional chorus with performances in Shrewsbury, Westborough, Northborough, Southborough and Marlborough, MA.
  • Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Mass and MetroWest (BBBS CMMW) –– $6,500 to support the One-to-One Mentoring program, which fosters healthy relationship modeling for youth. For over 60 years, BBBS CMMW has helped transform the lives of more than 30,000 children facing adversity.
  • Center for Women & Enterprise (CWE) –– $3,500 for general operations at the CWE Central MA office. The mission of CWE is to help women business owners and aspiring female entrepreneurs launch and grow their business by providing greater access to the resources, tools and support they need.
  • Genesis Club House, Inc. –– $5,000 for the Employment Services for Adults with Senior Mental Illness program. Genesis Club helps people in recovery from serious mental illness attain competitive employment, education, physical health and stable housing.
  • Jeremiah’s Inn Inc. –– $5,000 for its Nutrition Center, which serves approximately 14,000 South Worcester residents annually. Since 1982, Jeremiah’s Inn has worked to foster a strong sense of community and mutual support through partnerships, volunteerism and the nutrition center.
  • Literacy Volunteers of Greater Worcester (LVGW) –– $1,500 for the ESOL and Workforce Readiness Program for New Americans in Greater Worcester. LVGW provides social and economic empowerment to adult immigrants, refugees and basic literacy students through culturally compassionate English education.
  • MAB Community Services –– $1,000 to support the organization’s Vision Rehabilitation services for older adults in Central Massachusetts. MAB aims to eliminate barriers and create opportunities to ensure people with disabilities can live full, independent and healthy lives.
  • Massachusetts 4-H Foundation, Inc. –– $1,500 for the nonprofit’s Worcester County 4-H Fair, which enables 4-H youth and outside youth to show livestock, gardening projects and crafts at the fair. The Massachusetts 4-H Foundation is committed to enriching and advancing 4-H youth development programs throughout the Commonwealth.
  • Regional Environmental Council, Inc. (REC) –– $5,000 as the first installment of a $25,000 multi-year grant for its Center for Urban Agriculture and Food Security, located in Worcester’s Main South neighborhood. The mission of REC is to bring people together to create a just food system and to build healthy, sustainable and equitable communities.
  • Render Creative, Inc. (DBA Main IDEA) –– $2,000 for its Annual Appeal Campaign. The organization empowers youth by providing quality, accessible arts programs to under-resourced communities through an equity framework.
  • Science from Scientists (SciSci) –– $2,500 to help fund the In-School Module-Based STEM Education Program for Title 1 Worcester Public Schools. SciSci sends science educators into classrooms to guide students through hands-on STEM lessons chosen by teachers.
  • South Middlesex Opportunity Council –– $1,500 toward its year-round emergency shelter for unaccompanied adults experiencing homelessness. South Middlesex Opportunity Council works with low-income individuals and families to assist them in becoming economically independent.
  • Straight Ahead Ministries –– $2,000 to support the Worcester Youth Reentry Program. Straight Ahead Ministries provides resources to justice involved young people including social services, educational assistance and job training.
  • YMCA of Central Massachusetts –– $10,000 for the Achievers Program, which supports underserved teens through college preparation programming, adult mentorship and career cluster workshops. The YMCA of Central Massachusetts has evolved into one of the region’s most significant charitable institutions, serving 26,000 members across nearly 70 cities and towns.

“These grants empower organizations that are driving change, solving problems and creating opportunities where they’re needed most,” said Don Doyle, President/CEO, Webster Five. “We’re proud to champion their work and help fuel their impact in 2025 and beyond.”

Since its inception in 1996, the Foundation has awarded $4,213,070 to 301 organizations. The next round of grant recipients will be awarded in the second quarter of 2025. To learn more about the Webster Five Foundation, click here.

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