Belmont Watertown United Methodist Church

Evening of Music in Watertown Raising Money for Immigrant Legal Fund

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The event organizers provided the following information:

The public is invited to Hearts for Homes – an evening of music ranging from Country to Classical at the Belmont-Watertown United Methodist Church. 

The event features Nashville singer-songwriter Hugh Moffat, the four-hand piano power couple Yilin You and Paul Jacobs, and the trombone stylings of Kirk Kolenbrander. The event is a fundraiser for New England Justice for Our Neighbors, a Methodist ministry which provides free legal services to low and no income immigrants. WHEN: Saturday, Feb 15, 7:00 PM

WHERE: Belmont-Watertown United Methodist Church, 80 Mt Auburn St, Watertown, MA. 

COST: $15

Light refreshments and child care will be provided.  There is parking next to the church. For info, see bwumc.org or email office@bwumc.org

Charity

Watertown Schools Collecting Gift Cards, Donations for Fire Victims

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After the devastating fire that displaced 31 Watertown residents on Friday, the Parent Teacher Organizations (PTOs) at the schools in town leapt into action to collect items to help those affected. The parent-teacher groups at the town’s three elementary schools, the Middle School and the High school all started collections over the weekend. “I am beyond overwhelmed with the response we have received to our call for donations!!!” wrote School Committee member Lily Rayman-Read on Facebook. “****A HUGE shout out to all the PTOs and the WHS PTSO for their incredibly hard work on organizing and setting everything up for donations.

Around Town

Scouts Hosting Fund Raiser With Pasta, Auction & Circus Performers

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Watertown Troop 30 will host a Pasta & Auction event, which also includes entertainment from circus performers. The event will be on Feb. 1, 2020, at the Watertown-Belmont United Methodist Church, 80 Mt. Auburn St., beginning at 6 p.m. The event is handicap accessible from the parking lot to the left of the church. Dinner will be served downstairs hall for dinner, and circus performances will be held in the gym.

Around Town

Ice Skate on New Year’s Day, Help the Watertown Food Pantry

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Join a Watertown New Year’s Day tradition by skating at John A. Ryan Arena and help the Watertown Food Pantry. The New Year’s Day Family Skate will be from 2-4 p.m. on Jan. 1, 2020. The event is organized by the Venezia family, and donations will be collected to support the Watertown Food Pantry. Skate rentals will be free that day.

Business

Voting Ends Soon for Which Local Non-Profit Will Win $15,000

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Watertown Savings Bank customers can help their favorite non-profit receive $15,000 in honor of its 150th anniversary, but the deadline to vote is approaching. The bank will give away $150,000, and the top vote getter receives $15,000. Votes for the Customer Choice Awards must be cast by Dec. 31, 2019. The bank sent out the following information:

Watertown Savings Bank (WSB) President and CEO Brett Dean is pleased to announce that $150,000 will be distributed among local non-profits in the Bank’s 24th Annual Customer Choice Awards.

Around Town

Watertown-Based Foundation Hands Out Nearly $1 Million in Grants

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Tufts Health Plan Foundation today announced nine new community investments totaling $972,000 and demonstrating the Foundation’s commitment to policies and practices that support healthy aging. These investments are in addition to $3.9 million in grants announced earlier this year. “The Foundation is proud to support community efforts to be vibrant, healthy and equitable,” said Tom Croswell, Tufts Health Plan president and CEO and a member of the Foundation’s board of directors. “Advocating for public policy change is essential to achieving social change at scale.”

Tufts Health Plan Foundation is the only regional funder exclusively focused on healthy aging. The new grants support engagement of older people as advocates on critical policy work to include addressing gaps in food and health care access, transportation and community safety.

Around Town

Marshall Home Fund Receives Payment from Trust of Generous Donor

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The following announcement was provided by the Marshall Home Fund:

The Marshall Home Fund recently received the final payment from the Henry H. Drew Trust. This trust was originally written in 1930. Henry H. Drew was a Watertown resident. The 1930 Watertown directory lists him as a “gold refiner.” His will stated that any funds remaining in his estate after the death of his heirs was to be divided between the Watertown Home for Old Folks, now known as The Marshall Home Fund, and the Cambridge Home for the Aged, now known as Neville Place. This past year the managers of the remaining funds began a series of payments to the two named entities. The total amount received from the trust to each was $90,470.14, a truly outstanding gift thanks to the thoughtfully drawn estate of Mr. Drew. 

Perhaps Mr. Drew was grateful to the services provided to loved ones at each of the named facilities.

Charity

Watertown Community Foundation Awards $14.5K in Health Grants

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The Watertown Community Foundation (WCF) is pleased to announce the awarding of the Fall 2019 Healthy Watertown Grants.  A total of $14,500 will be distributed in support of organizations that work to create new or existing programs to keep our community healthy.    

Five of this year’s grantees address the growing challenge of food insecurity among all ages within our community.  These include support of preschoolers and their families with Communities United: Cooking with Kids and Families Program, helping the Watertown Boys and Girls Club provide Healthy Lunch and Snacks during School Vacations, a Summer Supper Club for Seniors and funds for the SNAP Match Program at the Watertown Farmers Market. 

Grantees include: 

Watertown Police Free Community Narcan Program  

Communities United: Cooking with Kids and Families  

Boys and Girls Club – School Vacation Healthy Lunch and Snack Program  

Watertown for All Ages: Travel Resources for Older Residents  

Watertown Council on Aging: Summer Supper Club for Seniors 

Watertown Council on Aging: Food Pantry New Shelving 

Zen Art II For Mind-Body Wellness for Seniors  

Watertown Farmers Market SNAP Match Program  

W.A.T.E.R  Erase the Stigma: Recovery is Possible (Education) Event 

For questions, please contact Jan Singer at jan.singer@watertownfoundation.org.   

The Watertown Community Foundation works to build and sustain a vibrant, close-knit community in Watertown – now, and for future generations. To accomplish this, WCF raises funds from people and partner institutions, awards grants to non-profits and community projects, and builds networks of donors, grantees, program participants and stakeholders. 

Since its inception in 2003, WCF has awarded over $1,000,000 in grants to programs and organizations serving Watertown.  

WCF Board of Directors  

David Siegel and Darshna Varia, Co-Presidents; Robert Airasian; Albrik Avanessian; Emily Barclay;  Lauren Coughlin Unsworth; Eleanor Donato; William B. Ford; Antonia O’Hara; Maria Panaggio-Phillips; Ashley Morris; Mary Ann Mulligan; Tony Paolillo; Lora Sabin; Robert Shay;  Elaina Themistos; and Kathryn White.