The Women’s Foundation of Boston’s Grants team traveled to Western Massachusetts in early October to connect with several women’s and girls’ organizations dedicated to advancing female economic empowerment in the Commonwealth.
“It was exciting to see all of the incredible work our grantees and other women- and girls- serving organizations are doing in the Western part of the state. We expanded our funding into Western MA this year because we saw a lack of investment by other funders and a dearth of programming for women and girls. It was inspiring to visit the facilities and meet the staff, who are amazing, and the participants, who are thriving!”
– Annie Tallas, Director of Grants Management
Explore our recap to experience some highlights from our inspiring day with Western MA women’s and girls’ nonprofits!
Stop 1: O’Dell’s Women’s Center
Our Western MA Day kicked off at O’Dell Women’s Center (OWC), whose mission is to empower low-income Springfield area women to transform their lives through improved educational and career opportunities that will lead to financial security. We spoke with Margaret Tantillo, the organization’s Executive Director, to gain insights on the current status of women in Western MA, including their barriers to success, paths to livable wages, and opportunities for continued support.
“It is imperative for us to understand the social structure and systems perpetuating poverty. Through understanding and acting with compassion, we can support women who are working to provide a better life for themselves and their families.”
– Margaret Tantillo, Executive Director
Stop 2: Dress for Success Western Massachusetts
In the same building as OWC, we headed to the first floor to tour Dress for Success Western Massachusetts, a 2024 Grant Recipient! We had the pleasure of seeing the renovation progress for DFS’s Workforce Development Center, a community resource that will provide drop-in services, such as resume writing, job search strategies, and interview preparation.
“Western MA Day was a valuable experience because, not only were we able to meet the members of the Women’s Foundation of Boston team who support us and show them all the exciting work we’re doing, we were also able to connect with leaders of like-minded organizations.”
– Jess Roncarati Howe, Executive Director
Stop 3: The Care Center
Our morning continued at the Care Center – home to the nation’s first college for young mothers and low-income women! During our visit, we toured the beautifully decorated halls lined with students’ artwork, explored Bard Microcollege Holyoke, and saw firsthand the essential services, such as onsite childcare, that support the participants during their educational journey.
“The Care Center provides the services and support needed to break down systemic barriers and break the cycle of poverty. By offering free onsite childcare, counseling, transportation, meals, healthcare, and housing vouchers, we make success possible. Historically, funding for small organizations in Western Massachusetts has been limited, and we appreciate the Women’s Foundation of Boston highlighting the need for additional resources so that women can continue to receive these critical services.”
– Oona Cook, Executive Director
Stop 4: Group Lunch
Next stop… lunch! We hosted a collaborative discussion with leaders from Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts, Girls on the Run Western Massachusetts, Girls Inc. of the Valley, and Dress for Success Western Massachusetts. The conversation addressed the challenges facing nonprofits and participants in Western MA, current trends in the region, and the impact of multi-year funding. Some of the benefits of our multi-year funding approach discussed were:
- Helpful for growth and strategic planning
- Enables multi-year programming commitments to participants, instead of offering 1 year programs
- Allows organizations to try new ideas and fill in gaps of already successful programs
- Provides the opportunity to pivot and adapt during program implementation
Stop 5: Girls Inc. of the Valley
Our site visits continued with Girls Inc. of the Valley (GIV), a 2024 Grant Recipient. After touring the organization’s new program center and getting a glimpse of the renovation progress for the future MakerSpace & Library Learning Center, we sat down with GIV staff to learn more about their STEM curriculum. Some of the after-school participants proudly showed off their nature-themed projects, including their group tree!
“In addition to providing substantial, multi-year funding, the Women’s Foundation of Boston has been intentional about providing additional support to fuel our mission. They’ve taken the time to visit our programs and learn about the challenges of running a non-profit and serving girls in our region. It’s very rare for a Boston-based foundation to reach west of Rt 495 and we couldn’t be more thrilled to be on this journey with the Women’s Foundation of Boston.” – Suzanne Parker, Executive Director
Stop 6: Girls on the Run Western Massachusetts
Our Western MA Day crossed the finish line with Girls on the Run (GOTR) Western Massachusetts, a 2024 Grant Recipient! During the after-school programming, the girls participated in a mix of running and social-emotional development activities, such as breathing exercises to help manage stress. Participants also shared other helpful resources they’ve learned at GOTR, including “Yet” Shields, a tool that fosters a growth mindset and shows that obstacles can be overcome.
Linda Henry is the CEO of the Boston Globe Media Partners. She is a co-founder of HUBweek, a civic collaboration between the Boston Globe, Harvard University, Massachusetts General Hospital, and MIT that explores the future being built at the intersection of art, science and technology. Linda is also an early-stage impact investor, an Emmy-Award winning television producer with two shows currently airing, and a community activist. She serves as a director of the Red Sox Foundation, is a trustee of the Liverpool Football Club Foundation, chair of the Boston Globe Foundation, and chairman of the John W. Henry Family Foundation. In addition, she is a founder of the Boston Public Market, serves on the advisory board of MassChallenge, and is on the board of the Engine at MIT. She earned a BS from Babson College and her MS from MIT.
Laurie H. Glimcher, MD, was named President and CEO of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in 2016. She is also Director of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center and the Richard and Susan Smith Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Previously, she was the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean and Professor of Medicine of Weill Cornell Medicine and Provost for Medical Affairs of Cornell University. Dr. Glimcher is a distinguished immunologist, widely renowned for her work in one of the most promising areas of cancer research.
Bekah Salwasser joined the Red Sox Foundation as the Executive Director in January of 2018. She earned her B.A. in Psychology from Brown University and has extensive experience in philanthropy and both professional and semi-professional sports. After four years working as Community Relations Director for the Boston Celtics, Bekah went on to lead Scholar Athletes as its Executive Director, a program that supports public high school athletes with both their athletic and academic achievements. Earlier in her career, Bekah served as a professional soccer player for the Boston Breakers and as Executive Director of the Charlestown Lacrosse and Learning Center.
Kimberly Fay Boucher is a business executive who has driven high performance organizations in technology, consumer products and social enterprise/nonprofit industries over the past 25 years. She is currently the Technology Commercialization Business Leader for the CTO at Analog Devices, where she is responsible for driving new technologies from incubation stages to successful businesses. Kim is also a Senior Lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management, where she teaches Disciplined Entrepreneurship in the Martin Trust Center. She holds a BS in Management Industrial Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and an MBA from Harvard Business School. She is a NCAA Academic All-American Women’s Basketball player and has been inducted into the WPI Hall of Fame.
Ami Kuan Danoff (Co-Founder and CFO) is a private investor and the trustee of a foundation. She is a Harvard Quantum Founder and a member of the Harvard FAS Dean’s Council. Ami earned a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University in Visual and Environmental Studies and holds a dual master’s degree in Applied Economics and International Finance from the Sloan School of Management at MIT. She was a portfolio manager in global equities at Putnam Investments and co-manager of the Putnam International New Opportunities Fund, and also worked as an international equities analyst at Fidelity Investments.
Christina Heenan Suh holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania in English and Marketing and a master’s from Columbia University. A former management consultant, her work focused on strategy and implementation projects for Fortune 100 clients. She was also an account executive at Hill+Knowlton (WPP) marketing consumer packaged goods. As an Executive Board Member of the Brookline Education Foundation, which funds professional development in the Brookline Public Schools, Christina led their Grant and Oversight Committees. She currently sits on the board of the Brookline Library Foundation and teaches ESL at Rosie’s Place in Boston.
Christina Gordon (Co-Founder and CEO) holds a dual master’s degree in International Finance and Applied Economics from MIT’s Sloan School of Management. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Boston University and also studied for a joint master’s degree in Women’s Studies and Sociology at Brandeis with a focus on women in the workplace. Christina is a former assistant fund manager and technology industry equity analyst at Wellington Management. She also worked as a stock analyst at Fidelity Investments. She is a trustee of a private foundation, a member of Women Moving Millions and currently sits on the board of Rosie’s Place, a sanctuary for poor and homeless women in Boston.