Charity

Tufts Health Plan Foundation Awards More than $1.5 Million in Grants

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The Tufts Health Plan Foundation announced investments of more than $1.5 million to move communities toward achieving age-friendly policies and practices that are relevant, focus on the most vulnerable, and include older adults in the process.  The investments represent collaborative work among more than 200 organizations. “Advocating for public policy or systems change is critical to achieving social change at scale,” said Nora Moreno Cargie, president of the Tufts Health Plan Foundation and vice president, corporate citizenship for Tufts Health Plan.  “We are investing in initiatives that promote coalitions and advance strategies that bring government, community organizations, and older adults together to create a vision for the future of their communities.  And we are supporting the development of policy recommendations that will make communities more vibrant and livable for everyone.”

Fourteen organizations, including Watertown-based Home Care Aide Foundation, were funded this cycle.

Business

Watertown Savings Bank Donates $10,000 to Help Vets, Food Pantries

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Watertown Savings Bank (WSB) has donated $5,000 to five local food pantries in Arlington, Belmont, Lexington, Waltham, and Watertown; and $5,000 to the New England Center and Home for Veterans (NECHV). The bank presented the donations at their recent Club 50 Holiday Parties in Waltham, on behalf of Club 50 members, according to the announcement from the bank. “The Bank and its more than 3,500 Club 50 members, are pleased to support these important organizations that give aid to those in need, and to those who have served our country,” said Club 50 Coordinator, Connie Braceland. WSB Club 50 members were thrilled to have a surprise, celebrity guest at their holiday parties this year as well. Boston’s own Livingston Taylor made a surprise appearance at the Dec.

Business

Kids in Need Get to Shop with a Cop for Christmas Presents at Target

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Dozens of children from Watertown and Brighton got a special Christmas treat this week when they got to pick out toys and other gifts for themselves at Target with a police officer. Shop With a Cop has become a tradition at Watertown Target. This year about 40 children who may not have a gift got to have some pizza before heading out into the aisles to look for gifts. Each received a $50 gift card to spend. “We’ve been doing this for the last three or four years,” said Jonathan Kingsley, Target’s district loss prevention manager.

Charity

Watertown Insurance Agency Gets Record Haul for Toys for Tots

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Every year the H & K Insurance Agency has participated in the local Watertown, MA Toys for Tots drive, and this year was no exception, according to an announcement sent by H & K. Annually Toys for Tots distributes toys to over 469 million toys to children throughout the United States thanks to individual and community donations such as those provided by H & K Insurance. And while this year’s drive didn’t surpass last years as had been hoped, every donation helps make the holidays real for children everywhere. Like last year, CISR, CPIA, AAI Treasurer/General Manager Paul Perry and his wife, Daralyn Perry, CISR Commercial Lines Manager, have contributed heavily out of their own wallets, buying toys to stoke the fires of charity in both the office and the local community. The toys are then picked up by ServiceMaster by Gilmore, the associate company organizing the donations, who then offers the toys to the local Marines running the drive. “This year’s donations wasn’t as high as last year’s, which had help of a major contributor,” said Paul Perry of H & K. “But we’re already looking to next year and have plans in place with the office manager of the neighboring apartment complex to extend the drive to her tenants next year.

Charity

Watertown Resident Helped Create Party to Fight Hunger

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More than 400 foodies came together at MIT’s Morss Hall, Walker Memorial Building to “Party Under the Harvest Moon,” an annual benefit for Food For Free, including a Watertown resident. The event raised more than $69,000 to support the nonprofit’s food rescue and transportation programs which feed more than 25,000 families in Greater Boston and beyond. Car Talk’s Ray Magliozzi, WBUR’s Here and Now host Robin Young and Executive Director of Food For Free, Sasha Purpura lead the evening as the night’s emcees. The local faces in the crowd included Watertown resident, Patrick Mertens, Party Under the Harvest Moon planning committee member and Founder/Senior Recruiter at Pure Placements of New England. Since 1981, Cambridge based Food For Free has responded to local hunger by rescuing food that would otherwise go to waste, and distributing it to local emergency food programs including food pantries, youth programs, and shelters.

Charity

Foundation Honoring Former Police Officer Collecting Gifts for Kids

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Each year, the Whooley Foundation gathers gifts to make sure that no child in Watertown goes without a present during the holidays. The Watertown Police Department sent out the following announcement:

The Whooley Foundation is a non-profit organization that was founded in the memory of John “Sonny” Whooley a Watertown Police Officer, resident, father and husband. He loved the community and served it for over 30 years as a Watertown Police Sergeant. He always had a special place in his heart for those less fortunate than himself. He would always strive to make others just a little happier during the holidays.

Around Town

Watertown Community Foundation Hands out $12K in Health Grants

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More than $12,000 in grants went to organizations working to make Watertown a healthier place, and will fund efforts to stop substance abuse, a school gardening program and more

The Watertown Community Foundation (WCF) Board of Directors has awarded $12,550 in “Healthy Watertown” grants funded by Tufts Health Plan Foundation to the following organizations serving Watertown. Improbable Players: A grant to continue alcohol and drug abuse prevention education for the 6th grade students at Watertown Middle School. Watertown Health Department and Live Well Watertown: A grant to help implement an after school wellness program that prepares high school students to educate and empower middle school students to make healthy lifestyle choices when enter high school. Watertown Health Department and Watertown Police Department: A grant to help fund a substance abuse task force coordinator to raise awareness of substance use disorder in the community and further goals of prevention and education, and support, intervention, treatment and recovery. Watertown High School Counseling and Academic Program: A grant for transportation so WHS students with emotional and behavioral disabilities can attend tours at two nearby colleges.

Alzheimer's Association

Tufts Health Plan Raised Most Money for Walk to End Alzheimer’s

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Tufts Health Plan announced it has been named the No. 1 fundraising team in Massachusetts and No. 5 in the country for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. The Watertown-based company sent out the following announcement:

More than 150 Tufts Health Plan employees and family members walked to end Alzheimer’s last month, raising a combined $160,000 that included a match from the Tufts Health Plan Foundation. The money will go toward advancing research and supporting those living with the disease. “My father had Alzheimer’s, so I know how valuable the Association’s support services are,” said Tom Croswell, Tufts Health Plan’s president and chief operating officer.