Around Town

Marshall Fund Home Looking for Grant Applications

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The Marshall Home Fund (MHF) is soliciting program grant proposals for the year 2015-2016. Since its inception in 2005, MHF has awarded over $300,000 to both public and private non-profit agencies serving older people in Watertown. Collectively, these grants have significantly increased the recipients’ program capabilities. Once again, MHF is looking forward to helping local agencies advance their goals in the coming year. Grant applications should address health, housing, transportation, and other quality of life issues for seniors in Watertown.

Charity

Whooley Foundation Provides Gifts for Watertown Kids in Need

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Each year, just before Christmas, the Community Room at the Watertown Police Station fills with toys destined for families struggling during the holiday season. The effort is the continuation of the work of the late-Sgt. John “Sonny” Whooley – a Watertown Police officer who made it his mission to make the children in the community a little happier, said Det. David Collins, who oversees the drive these days. Members of the Watertown Police and Fire departments do much of the work.

Business

Watertown Savings Bank Donates to Homeless Veterans

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Watertown Savings Bank (WSB) made a $5,000 donation to the New England Center for Homeless Veterans (NECHV). The bank presented the check at WSB’s annual Club 50 holiday party, on behalf of the more than 3,500 Club 50 members, according to the bank’s announcement. NECHV President and CEO Andrew McCawley was on hand to accept the donation. “Veterans are an incredibly important asset to this country, our society and to business; they bring a wealth of leadership, selflessness and commitment to mission to everything they undertake,” McCawley stated. “Your generous giving is essential to our providing the best and most effective aid to those who have served this country.”

The NECHV is dedicated to ending homelessness for our Nation’s Veterans.

Business

Tufts Health Plan Drive Brings in Gifts for Hundreds of Children

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Employees of Tufts Health Plan donated nearly 300 gifts to give out to those in need. 

Each year, the names, ages and requests of children and adults in need are strung on Wish Trees at Tufts Health Plan, giving employees the chance to grant those holiday wishes. This year, the nearly 300 gifts donated by employees were given to clients of three local service organizations: the Cambridge Salvation Army, the Malden Salvation Army and Fernald Center of Waltham, according to the Tufts announcement. In addition, the estimated value of the gift contributions was matched with a cash donation by the Tufts Health Plan Foundation.

Around Town

See Which Groups got Grants from the Watertown Community Foundation

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The Watertown Community Foundation handed out more than $19,000 in Healthy Watertown grants – see which groups got them. The Watertown Community Foundation (WCF) Board of Directors awarded the grants, which funded by Tufts Health Plan Foundation. The following ten nonprofit organizations serving Watertown got the grants:

Families for Depression Awareness: A grant to conduct a Teen Depression Program in Watertown to educate a minimum of 100 families. Improbable Players and Watertown Middle School: A grant to present WMS sixth graders with a performance about substance abuse prevention and healthy choices as well as to provide six related theater workshops for the seventh graders. Lowell Elementary School: A grant to expand the school’s Learning Garden so each grade level will have designated space for curriculum-connected, project-based learning.

Business

Watertown Insurance Agency Brings in Big Haul for Toys for Tots

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The H & K Insurance Agency set a goal and accomplished it – they broke their own record for the amount of items they could collect for the Toys for Tots Drive. 

For the past several years the Watertown Square insurance agency has hold the drive that benefits the U.S. Marine Corps effort to collect toys to distribute to less fortunate children during the holidays. This year they tried to spread the word so they could up the ante and bring in more toys. “So far each year has been a little more successful than the last. But this year, thanks to the kindness of everyone involved, we have pretty much doubled our haul for the kids,” said Paul Perry, CISR, AAI Treasurer/General Manager of H & K Insurance. Even after the drive had officially ended, people were still coming in to drop off toys.

Around Town

Watertown Boy Scouts Lend a Hand This Thanksgiving

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This year, members of Watertown’s Cub Scouts and Boys Scouts Pack 30 gathered at local grocery stores for a food drive to benefit residents of Watertown. By the end of the day on Nov. 22, 17 boys had collected hundreds of pounds of food to benefit Saint Patrick – St. Vincent de Paul’s Food Pantry and Watertown Food Pantry, according to the announcement from the Watertown Boy Scouts. Not only did the Cub Scouts gather nonperishables at Star Market in Cambridge on Saturday afternoon, they eagerly stocked the Saint Patrick’s shelves into the evening.

Charity

Watertown High School Students Raise Cash for Cancer Reserach

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A group of Watertown High School students decided to raise money to fight breast cancer and they were able to bring in more than $1,000 to fight the disease. The Think Pink drive in October raised money to fight breast cancer, said WHS Senior Class President Kayla Johnson. “I know five brave women battling this terrible disease,” Johnson told the School Committee earlier this month. The group made up T-shirts and sold pink ribbons. They also asked students and faculty to donate change.