Around Town

Watertown Community Foundation Distributes $7,000 in Donations to Food Pantries

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Tia Tilson, Executive Director, Watertown Community Foundation, delivers a donation check for the Watertown Food Pantry to Jenna Bancroft, Director of Human Services, City of Watertown. The Watertown Community Foundation announced the donations received in the first days of the drive to support local food pantries. The drive runs through December. See details in the announcement from the Watertown Community Foundation, below. The Watertown Community Foundation received $7,000 in donations to support both of Watertown’s food pantries to date.

Around Town

Second Empowering Watertown in Women Workshop Features First Responders, a Disability Advocate & Entrepreneurs

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The tent at the Commander’s Mansion was full for the second Empowering Women in Watertown in August to hear from female first responders, a librarian and disabilities advocate, and entrepreneurs who started fitness and studios Watertown. During the first panel, Watertown Police Officers Kerry Kelley and Anna Margaryan (and her police dog, Raider), joined with Firefighter/Paramedic Kate Boudreau to share their experiences as women working in male-dominated professions. The workshop also focused on Wellness, Community Action, and Communications. Other presenters included:

• Liz Padula, Founder of Artemis Yoga, will lead an interactive presentation about wellness• Kim Charlson, Executive Director of the Braille and Talking Book Library at Perkins, will share insights on advocacy and community action• Tia Tilson, Executive Director of the Watertown Community Foundation, will give closing remarks on building relationships and connection

Other presenters were Jan Taylor, who talked about starting Get Lively Health & Fitness Studio in her home and how she grew the business; and Julia Dunoyer, who first started working on the front desk at Artemis and now works full time as the studio’s marketing and client relations manager. Attendees also had the option of getting a professional headshot session with Natalie Nigito Photography, and enjoyed coffee, tea and baked goods provided by O’some Café

View the Empowering Women http://vodwcatv.org/internetchannel/show/4043?site=1

Women in Business, Non-Profit & City Government Speak at Sold Out Event in Watertown

Around Town

Watertown Community Foundation Launches Summer Matching Fund Campaign

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The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Community Foundation:

The Watertown Community Foundation (WCF) launched a summer matching gift campaign to raise $25,000 in gifts and unlock up to $25,000 in matching gifts, made possible by individual donations from Watertown Community Foundation board members and other community supporters. Through July 25, 2025, all gifts to the Watertown Community Foundation will be matched, dollar for dollar — to double the amount, and the impact, of every donation. “We have this remarkable opportunity,” said Lauren Coughlin Unsworth, Foundation Board Co President. “The Watertown Community Foundation has a history of responding to challenging times; first during the 2008 recession, and most recently during the COVID pandemic. Many of our local non-profits are bracing for major funding cuts – planning for staff cuts or program changes, if necessary.

Around Town

Watertown Community Foundation Awards Inaugural Community Engagement Grants

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The recently unveiled Arshile Gorky mural received two years of funding from the Watertown Community Foundation. (Photo by WCF)

The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Community Foundation:

The Watertown Community Foundation awarded $53,185 to support 21 programs in the inaugural cycle of the Community Engagement Grant Program. Funded programs will strengthen community connections, increase access to programs and services, and foster intercultural communication and understanding in Watertown. An additional $15,000 was awarded to MetroWest Collaborative Development and Watertown Cable Access TV for operational support in the final grant cycle of the Institutional Grant Program. “This first call for Community Engagement grants was extremely competitive, and the program ideas were top-notch,” said Mary Ann Mulligan, Board Co-President and Grants Committee Chair.

Letters

LETTER: Thank You to the Community for Joining Watertown Helps Out

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Dear Editor,

The Watertown Community Foundation sends a big THANK YOU to the Watertown Community! You are amazing! Thank you to the more than 350 community and corporate volunteers who volunteered during the 11th annual Watertown Helps Out (WHO), a month of community service organized by the Watertown Community Foundation. We got a lot of stuff done this month! Together, we removed invasive plants on the Bike Greenway, picked up trash on the river and the Sculpture Walk, filled potholes and did outdoor spring clean-up at the Watertown Housing Authority.

Around Town

Community Foundation’s Food Drive Delivers Cart Loads of Items to Watertown’s Two Food Pantries

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Tia Tison, Executive Director of the Watertown Community Foundation and WCF Co-President Lauren Coughlin Unsworth push a cart of food into the Watertown Food Pantry. (Courtesy of the Watertown Community Foundation)

The two food pantries in Watertown received a special delivery of supplies courtesy of donations made by the Watertown community during the Watertown Community Foundation’s Food Drive. The collection took place during May, which is the Foundation’s annual month of volunteering called Watertown Helps Out — or WHO. The food was delivered Thursday afternoon to the Watertown Food Pantry, located in the former United Methodist Church, and the Watertown Catholic Collaborative Food Pantry, located the Sacred Heart Church, made Thursday afternoon, said Tia Tilson, Executive Director of the Watertown Community Foundation. “We delivered food to both pantries, unloading roughly six full grocery carts at each pantry,” Tilson said.

Around Town

Volunteers Lent a Hand at the Watertown Housing Authority During Watertown Helps Out

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The Watertown Housing Authority hostedannual Watertown Helps Out Day and got a hand from volunteers from C4 Therapeutics. The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Housing Authority. On May 14th the Watertown Housing Authority participated in this year’s annual Watertown Helps Out Day, put on by the Watertown Community Foundation. The Watertown Housing Authority took part in the 2025 Watertown Helps Out, organized by the Watertown Community Foundation. We’re so grateful for the volunteers from C4 Therapeutics who came out to work alongside WHA staff to pick up trash, recycle used bulk items, dispose of household waste, landscape, make our parking lots safer, and add cosmetic upgrades to our buildings.

Around Town

See Where to Donate to Watertown Helps Out’s City-wide Food Drive

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The City-wide Food Drive to benefit Watertown’s two food pantries will be held from May 12 – 21, 2025. The following information was provided by the Watertown Community Foundation. Drop off non-perishables at local collection sites to stock Watertown’s Food Pantries. FOOD DRIVE COLLECTION SITES

Watertown Parker School Annex (124 Watertown Street)

Watertown Police Department

Watertown Free Public Library

Watertown Fire Station (564 Mt. Auburn Street)

Watertown Public School Students: Look for the collection box at your school

Spread the word.