Happy GivingTuesday!
We have much to celebrate and be thankful for this giving season, including the generous spirit of our community. Worcester County is the second-largest home to immigrants in Massachusetts, welcoming individuals and families who have left their countries of origin in search of a better life.
Here at the Foundation, we are proud to partner with many local nonprofit organizations that have been working tirelessly to support the ongoing influx of refugees and newcomers to the community— thousands of whom are currently living in motels— while also providing ongoing crucial services to immigrants as they settle into their new homes.
This GivingTuesday, we hope you consider making a contribution to any of the nonprofits highlighted below. Your support will help them meet the urgent and constantly evolving needs of the individuals and families seeking to start a new life in Worcester County.
Thank you for your continued support for this community and all who call it home.
Featured Nonprofits
Friendly House, Inc. Neighborhood Center
For many immigrants arriving to Worcester, Friendly House is their first stop. Through its team of case managers, Friendly House staff help immigrants get their needs met, including basic immigration services and access to shelter, housing, food and supplies.
Friendly House is also home to Worcester's Office of New Americans, which Greater Worcester Community Foundation was proud to help launch. The Office serves as a service navigator for immigrants and refugees, connecting people in need to language learning, school engagement and job training opportunities.
Current Needs
- Case Managers (immigration and housing focused)
- Child Care Workers
- New Baby Welcome Kits for refugees and migrants
- Emergency Supports (diapers, formula)
How to Help
- A gift earmarked for Immigrant Services will support Friendly House's case managers and its delivery of wrap-around supports like those mentioned above.
- A gift earmarked for the Office of New Americans will help build the capacity of this central destination for services and care.
Worcester Refugee and Immigrant Services Empowerment (RISE) for Health
Worcester RISE for Health aims to provide culturally-responsive health services for newly-arriving refugees and immigrants. Housed at African Community Education (ACE)'s new center, RISE provides care coordination for families currently living in motels, identifying individuals with the highest health needs and working with healthcare organizations to accommodate them in their already over-strained practices.
RISE is currently focused on pregnant women and newborns — more than a dozen babies in migrant families have been born since arriving in Worcester — as well as those with significant chronic diseases or medical needs.
Current Needs
- Community Health Workers (Haitian, Afghan)
- Mental Health Group Workers
How to Help
- Make a gift to RISE's migrant health coordination campaign
- Make a gift to RISE's general operating fund
Welcoming Alliance for Refugee Ministry
The Welcoming Alliance for Refugee Ministry (WARM) engages community volunteers to provide stewardship and direct support to new immigrant and refugee families. Through a broad range of direct services — new mother groups, apartment set-ups, English language circles, and more — WARM strives to provide a soft, successful landing into our community, helping individuals and families who have found their way to Worcester.
Current Needs
- Walmart Registry for Apartment Set Up Supplies
- Welcome Baskets
- Warm Blankets
How to Help
Additional Nonprofits
There are many more nonprofits doing important work to help new immigrants and refugees in the region. We are proud to support the following through our Community Grants program and invite you to visit their websites to learn more about their work and how to contribute to their efforts:
Legal assistance support:
New resettlement support:
Culturally-appropriate wrap-around support:
- Advocacy for Refugee & Immigrant Services for Empowerment, Inc
- African Community Education Program (ACE)
- Angels Net Foundation
- Cultural Exchange Through Soccer
- LGBT Asylum Task Force
- Literacy Volunteers of Greater Worcester
- Literacy Volunteers of South Central MA
- Organization for Refugee and Immigration Success
- Saheli
- Southeast Asian Coalition of Central MA
- Worcester Refugee Assistance Project
Ways to Give
Supporting the pressing needs of immigrants and refugees in Worcester County can take many forms, and every contribution makes a meaningful impact. Here are some of the ways you can give back this GivingTuesday:
Give Directly
Visit each organization's website, linked above, to donate directly to the nonprofit or learn about other ways to support.
Give Through our Portal
If you have a donor advised fund with Greater Worcester Community Foundation, use our donor portal for a simple and efficient way of supporting the nonprofits of your choice.
Start a Fund
Explore how you can make a lasting impact in Worcester County by starting a fund at the Foundation. Contact us to learn about different ways to give now and in the future.
Discover More
Worcester County is home to many nonprofits making a positive impact in the community. Visit our 2023 Community Grants Summary to see the full list of our grantees this year that are doing work in our four focus areas: youth & families, arts & culture, basic needs, and health.
Contact Us
To learn more about our grantees, contact Jonathan Cohen, Vice President of Community Impact at jcohen@greaterworcester.org or 508-755-0980 ext. 111.
To learn more about fund options at the Foundation, contact Kelly Stimson, Vice President of Donor Services and Relations at kstimson@greaterworcester.org or 508-755-0980 ext. 112.
To make an unrestricted gift to the Foundation, give online to our Civic Leadership Fund or mail a check to Greater Worcester Community Foundation at One Mercantile Street, Suite 010, Worcester, MA 01608.
