Greater Lowell Community Foundation Grant Awardees from a past Philanthropy Day

Last night the Greater Lowell Community Foundation presented its annual “Celebrate Giving” evening – an event held since 1998 – first as a daytime event of workshops and lunch now as an early evening event more accessible to people of the communities of their Greater Lowell/Northern Middlesex/Merrimack Valley catchment area.

It was Ray Riddick’s first “Celebrate Giving” event as Executive Director. He noted that “changing people’s lives” is what the Community Foundation does and confirmed that would be the theme as long as he was involved. Riddick – a Lowell native – took over the reins at the Foundation just five months ago. He declared the Foundation fiscally sound with over $21 million in assets that includes $2.5 million in new donations. A recent anonymous donation of $100,000 to the discretionary fund which supports the many grants given to regional non-profits – came with a challenge to raise more donations for this fund and thus make it able to sustain the grant-making long term.

As a founding member of the Greater Lowell Community Foundation along with Atty. Dick Donohue, Peter Stamas, Mary Bacigalupo, George Duncan and others – and as a member (and longtime chair) of the hardworking Distribution Committee that recommends the grant recipients, it was with great pride that I attended this local celebration of philanthropy along with nearly 250 others. The Greater Lowell Community Foundation is a community treasure that needs our continued support.

Read the article here in today’s Lowell SUN to see who got the grants – to learn more about the keynote speaker – Dave McGillivray and the volunteer award recipients – Joan O’Brien, Chris Schott and the group Four Friends, Four Years for a Difference.

Read more: http://www.lowellsun.com/ci_19476687#ixzz1fnISgSrT

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