New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
The Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts is now the SouthCoast Community Foundation, the organization announced Tuesday at its 25th Annual Meeting.
The Foundation unveiled its new name and logo at the virtual event, also announcing that the organization awarded nearly $3.5 million in grants and scholarships in 2019.
John Vasconcellos, Foundation President, said the new name reflects the momentum, excitement, and aspirations of this region, as well as a growing sense of regional identity. The new name does not change the foundation’s commitment to continuing to serve all 41 cities and towns in our region, he said.
“Over the past year, our Board, with significant input from many of you in our community, has embraced the energy, excitement, potential, and self-defining spirit that is the SouthCoast. This does not change our mission to mobilize philanthropy by matching donors and resources with community needs for the benefit of our region, nor does it change the region we serve – stretching from Cuttyhunk up to Stoughton, from Plymouth over to North Attleboro – nor does it affect the services we provide – but it does embrace the spirit of renewal and vitality of our work,” said Vasconcellos.
The new name also underscores the Foundation’s position as a leader and convener of philanthropy in the SouthCoast. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of regional cohesion, as leaders in health care, government, business, and social services have come together to respond to this health and economic crisis. We are proud to be a leader in this response through the SouthCoast Emergency Response Fund, which since the start of the pandemic has raised more than $4.2 Million and has awarded more than $2.6 Million to non-profits that are on the frontlines of helping the region’s most vulnerable communities through this crisis.
The Annual Meeting celebrated the awarding of more than $3 Million in grants to nonprofits during 2019. In addition, the foundation awarded more than $450,000 in scholarships to students in the region, five percent more than the previous year’s total. These grants and scholarships ranged from $100 to $100,000 and each tells a story of an individual, family or business committed to philanthropy. Since its founding in 1995, the Community Foundation has distributed over $25 million from over 175 funds to humanitarian, educational and cultural organizations in the region.
To see the foundations redesigned website, as well as its 2019 Annual Report, visit https://southcoastcf.org/.
The SouthCoast Community Foundation is a public charity serving thousands of people who share a common goal of improving the quality of life through philanthropy throughout the region. More information about the Foundation can be found at https://southcoastcf.org/
