From left, GLCF Board Chair Chet Szablak, LHS students Jolette Buhendwa, Rachel Ngene and Abygail Karame, LHS teacher Kendra Bauer with GLCF President and CEO Jay Linnehan.

Lowell – On Tuesday, June 10, the Greater Lowell Community Foundation hosted its annual meeting at UMass Lowell’s Coburn Hall with nearly 200 community members. A record number of grant funding was awarded to 26 nonprofits serving Greater Lowell within funding focus areas of: Children’s Services, Elder Services, and LGBTQ+ Services.

These grant awards are part of a competitive grant process in which nonprofit organizations apply for funds, and independent committees review the proposals and select awardees. The GLCF Discretionary Grants is one of several competitive grant programs offered through the foundation each year.

“With the largest discretionary grant distribution in our history, we’re affirming our commitment to addressing critical local needs,” said GLCF President and CEO Jay Linnehan. “These investments are a direct result of generous donors and thoughtful stewardship, and they help ensure that vital services reach those who need them most.”

A highlight of the Annual Meeting was a keynote address by Kendra Bauer, a longtime educator at Lowell High School, who presented “The Power of Building Community.” Bauer, who has taught for 22 years, specializes in courses on race, gender, and identity in literature and leads the Early College and Dual Enrollment programs.

GLCF presented Representative Vanna Howard with the 2025 Bankers’ Volunteer Award for Lifetime Achievement in recognition of her lifelong dedication to volunteering.

In her keynote, Bauer shared personal insights into how building community through trust, connection, and relationships has empowered students and driven meaningful change. She invited three Lowell High School students to share their own powerful experiences, which were a standout moment of the evening.

The foundation also presented Representative Vanna Howard with the 2025 Bankers’ Volunteer Award for Lifetime Achievement in recognition of her lifelong dedication to volunteering. This honor celebrates her unwavering spirit of selflessness and commitment to local causes that have enriched the Greater Lowell community.

2025 Discretionary Grant Awards

Children’s Services:

• Aaron’s Presents: Deepening Mentorship for AP Youth in Lowell – $10,000
• City of Lowell Recreation Office: FY 26 Swim Lessons – $10,000
• Cocotree Kids: Cocotree Kids Underwear Distribution – $10,000
• Dignity Matters, Inc.: Dignity for Greater Lowell Teens and Young Women – $10,000
• Lowell Community Health Center: Children’s Vision Screener Project – $10,000
• Lowell Youth Leadership Program Inc.: LYLP 2025 Summer Program – $10,000
• Mission of Deeds, Inc.: Beds Program – $5,000
• North Star Family Services, Inc.: Bonnie’s Place, family homeless shelter – $5,000
• PAL of Massachusetts: Shop with a Cop – $10,000
• Project Home Again: A Good Night’s Sleep, Bed Bundles for Kids – $10,000
• Refuge Art School Inc.: Refuge Access Fund: $10,000
• Sibling Connections: Expansion of Weekend Retreats – $10,000

Leclair Elder Services:

• Lowell Association for the Blind: Easy Healthy Cooking for the Blind – $10,000
• Merrimack Valley Food Bank: Mobile Pantry – $10,000
• The Nature Connection: Nature Connects: Outreach Programs & Memory Cafés for Elders – $10,000
• Open Table: Support for Senior Hunger Relief Programs – $10,000
• Project Citizenship: Citizenship Services for Immigrants Aged 55+ in Greater Lowell – $10,000
• Ramps for Neighbors, a program of the Parish of All Saints, dba as All Saints Episcopal Church: Ramps for Neighbors – $10,000

LGBTQ+ Services:

• BAGLY Inc. dba Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition: Regional Expansion of MTPC’s Programs and Services to the Greater Lowell Area – $10,000
• Danny’s Place Youth Services: Mosaic, Empowering LGBTQ+ Youth Through Expression and Belonging – $10,000
• Greater Boston PFLAG: Affirming Families, LGBTQ+ Support & Education Expansion – $10,000
• Greater Lowell Health Alliance (GLHA): The Pride Playbook, Prioritizing Mental Health in Every Step – $10,000
• History UnErased, Inc.: “The Past Is Always Present” – $10,000
• MA LGBT Business Network: Building a Welcoming and Inclusive Workplace for LGBTQ+ Communities: An Educational Series – $10,000
• Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Inc. (MRT): Amplifying LGBTQ+ Theatre Artists and Stories: KWEEN by Vichet Chum – $10,000
• Pathway To Better Health: Expand Chroma Sessions – $10,000

2025 Discretionary Grant Total: $250,000

“These grants demonstrate how strategic philanthropy, driven by community input, can tackle pressing challenges,” said Jennifer Aradhya, GLCF’s VP of Marketing, Programs and Strategy. “We are honored to fund organizations that are creating inclusive, supportive, and lasting impact across Greater Lowell.”

Applications are currently being accepted through June 16 via the Women Working Wonders Fund for programs/projects that impact the lives of women and girls while advancing an organization’s mission. For more information, visit www.glcfoundation.org.

Grant recipients gathered at GLCF’s Annual Meeting on June 10.