For those of you who are unfamiliar, Designing for Good gives our worldwide talent a chance to use their creativity to help their favorite nonprofit. This year, we’ll be awarding three $10,000 grants to deserving nonprofits to help bring the winning ideas to life!
Contestants need to create a 90-second video, pitching an idea of how the nonprofit could use the money in a creative way for the greater good.
Submission videos from last year’s grant recipients are on the Designing for Good site.
During this time especially, we think it’s a great way to encourage people to do something to help out their favorite nonprofits.
To help you get talent to participate, we’ve prepared these materials:
Email:
Social Media:
We’ll begin sharing information about the content on 3/27 and will have posts every week (typically on Fridays). Go to our sites to like and share the content.
Aquent
Vitamin T
Last year we received 150 submissions, we’re hoping to get over 200 this year.
Category: Do Good
Charities and volunteer opporunities in Newton, MA and Boston.
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Nonprofits: Chance to Win 1 of 3 $10k Grants from Aquent
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Donations of masks and supplies to Boston Hospitals
Donations of masks and supplies:
As you have undoubtedly been seeing in the news, hospitals are increasingly facing shortages of the personal protective equipment required to prevent infection of healthcare workers taking care of patients with COVID-19. This includes masks (N95 and surgical) and gloves. We have had several patients approach us regarding donating to Boston hospitals extra supplies that they had purchased. These donations are generous, desperately needed, and greatly appreciated. Information regarding which items are accepted for donation and where these can be dropped off can be found HERE:
For donations to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center: https://www.bilh.org/
donations You can also email Chris Minette at cminette@bidmc.harvard.edu with any questions.
For donations to Mass General Hospital: https://www.
massgeneral.org/news/ coronavirus/ppe-donation-form For donations to Brigham and Women’s Hospital: https://www.
brighamandwomens.org/ deptforms/covid-19-donations? fbclid= IwAR0NnGhuEsOTGDpY0Z90oZawu55y YYTXZ1NhSynvmgfW-axoImVWN_ DtUb0&utm_campaign=covid19_ social&utm_content= ORGFB032020&utm_medium=social& utm_source=facebook We know these are challenging times for everyone as our daily lives are disrupted and our families sometimes separated. We remain available to address individual questions and concerns by email and phone, by video-telephone conference, and in the office for medical consultations when appropriate. The single most important aspect to controlling this outbreak is for each of us to continue to rigorously and seriously follow the guidelines of social distancing and personal hygiene. Please remember that we will continue to follow the previously outlined protocols for all office visits to ensure the safety of our patients and staff for all office visits:
-Any patients that feel they need an office visit, must call in advance and speak with a physician
-Our door remains locked, and all patients will need to ring our doorbell.
-After being cleared to enter the office by a physician, all patients will be asked to wear a surgical mask upon entry to the office and will be asked to use hand sanitizer upon entry to the office.
Stay home and stay well.
Sincerely,
Personal Physicians HealthCare
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Please Support the Newton Food Pantry
Dear NFP Supporters,
COVID-19 has brought about a challenging and uncertain time for many in our community, but we have had some amazing support from our community over the past week in the form of financial and in-kind donations and offers to volunteer. Thank you, Newton!
Please help us to continue this support by donating HERE today!
In the face of COVID-19, our top priority is to keep our clients and volunteers healthy and safe. Therefore, our pantry procedures have changed until further notice. We are open during the City Hall closure and providing food to Newton residents (including both NEW and EXISTING clients) during our regularly scheduled hours, but instead of running a “choice” pantry where it can be difficult to maintain safe distancing, we are providing pre-packaged bags of food to our clients. Important safety procedures that we have implemented during this crisis are summarized HERE.
Through the generosity of our community, we are able to now offer all Newton residents who need food the opportunity to pick up pre-packaged bags of groceries twice per month until this crisis subsides. Every client will receive the same pre-bagged food, but the amounts will vary based on family size.
In addition to revamping our operations to change from a choice pantry to pre-bagged food, we have been working with numerous local businesses to expand our inventory. For example, Great Harvest Bread has been providing us with freshly baked bread offerings, and Johnny’s Luncheonette has been providing us with homemade soup offerings.
Another amazing example of how just one person can make a huge difference in our community is volunteer Ethan Diamondstein. Ethan, who is a Saturday volunteer, contributed donations to the NFP from his canceled bar mitzvah, where he was actually going to speak about the issue of hunger. He has also walked and raised money for the NFP’s Walk For Hunger team. Yay Ethan!
We have also been expanding our delivery of groceries to individual households and providing bags of groceries in bulk to Senior Housing complexes. During this time when City Hall is closed, if you wish to contribute non-perishable goods, you can drop them off at 36 Metacomet Road or 61 Ballard Street. 
Anyone who wishes to volunteer and is between the ages of 18-60 and not in a high risk group for COVID-19, please email Regina Wu at volunteercoordinator@
newtonfoodpantry.org. A huge thank you to all of you for remaining committed to NFP and we hope you all remain safe and healthy.
With Gratitude,
Tracie, Regina, Maria, Ron, Peter, and Carol
Newton Food Pantry Board
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Please Donate: Dr. Ibokette’s Scholarship Fund for Nigerian Children
These are trying times, and with the current state of uncertainty amid this pandemic, it is easy to get lost in the confusion and anxiety of the moment. It is easy to feel powerless and scared. But even as we remain sequestered in our homes, there are still actions we can take to make the world a better place.
Dr. Ibokette’s Scholarship Fund for Nigerian Children
For the last few years, Dr. Ibokette has organized a fundraiser to support his Scholarship Foundation. Launched in August 2017, the primary goal of this Foundation was to provide financial assistance to a group of indigent kindergarteners and first graders in Government School, Etinan (Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria). This assistance focused on the scholars’ basic school and medical needs throughout their elementary schooling that ends in sixth grade.
The foundation was very successful in meeting these needs in the 2017/2018 & 2018/2019 school years. By the spring of last year, however, we had become more conscious of the tremendous challenges that these scholars face in their daily struggles for survival. Through his work, he supports his scholars in four main ways: the scholars’ medical (including dental) needs; nutrition; clothing; and school-based needs.
By donating to his foundation you will be contributing to the following:
- Medical (physical) and dental exams and treatments
- Feeding program
- A two-week Summer Enrichment Program
- School uniform, other items of clothing, shoes, school supplies, toothbrushes and toothpastes
- Shipment of donated supplies to Nigeria
To donate, please visit this link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/1oe43ax8yo
Additionally, we would welcome donations that support the needs of the children and can be shipped to Nigeria.
These items include:
- Lightly worn and/or new clothes and shoes for 7 to 10 year old boys and girls
- Hygiene/Sanitation products (new and in wrapping) – toothbrush, toothpaste, bar of soap, comb
- School supplies – crayons, markers, pencils, notebooks
- Recreational sports equipment (will be deflated for shipping purposes) – soccer balls and footballs
Due to coronavirus, students from the Leadership class have offered to pick up donations from individual houses.
If you wish to donate, please fill out this google form: https://forms.gle/mqwumL1Tk5GN5Br67 and leave the donation in a waterproof bag (such as a trash bag) outside your house on the day you have chosen.
Stay safe!
NNHS Leadership class students
Jeeval B., Van S., Serena J., Hallie Z.-J., Sophie W., Ben A.
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How To Help During Coronavirus Shortages
My neighbor sent these suggestions to help:I. It is not an exaggeration to say that every health care facility is experiencing a critical shortage of protective equipment for health care workers.1. If you are handy with a sewing machine, you can try to make some masks. We don’t know whether home sewn masks are as effective as standard masks, but they could be used as a last resort which is in keeping with CDC guidance – and they could be sterilized and reused. I’d advise checking ahead with health facility to see if they would be accepted, as well as safe drop-off directions. Here is a video link: https://www.deaconess.com/SpecialPages/How-to-make-a- Face-Mask?fbclid= IwAR1H25JhviFlqeBjj-LEwCUCGNf- PbJcst4fHxcnXOThUqoTk6CVQ8cuyR M 2. If you are handy with other craft materials, you could try to make some face shields. One hospital made them from marine-grade vinyl, industrial tape, foam, and elastic. As above, check ahead before donating. Here is a link: https://www.fastcompany.com/90479200/hospital-workers- design-their-own-face-masks- using-craft-supplies 3. If you have store-bought masks of any kind that you are able to donate, please consider doing so.II. There is a blood shortage. If your health and ability allows, you could donate blood.To make an appointment, call 1-800-RED-CROSS (800-733-2767) or visit www.redcrossblood.org/give.The American Red Cross has seven locations in MA where you can donate:1. Boston – 274 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 021162. Danvers – 99 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 019233. Dedham – 180 Rustcraft Road, Dedham, MA 020264. Raynham – 275 New State Hwy, Raynham, MA 027675. Springfield – 150 Brookdale Drive, Springfield, MA 011046. Weymouth – 208 Main Street, Weymouth, MA 021887. Worcester – 381 Plantation Street, Worcester, MA 01605 -
Donate to Immigrants in Our Community: WELCOME HOME Charity
From Dawn Davis Yoga newsletter:If you are interested in helping immigrants, please consider donating to WELCOME HOME. Welcome Home (formerly Newton At Home) is headed up by our very own Julie Plaut Mahoney! The mission of Welcome Home is to make new and gently-used home goods available to people who can use them. Located on the same corridor as the Centre Street Food Pantry, Welcome Home provides aid to immigrants moving into our area, families moving from shelters to their own apartments, and Food Pantry clients.There is absolutely no barrier to entry – if someone needs items, they take them.When cleaning out a linen closet or kitchen drawer, would you please consider donating: sheets, towels, silverware, dishes, glasses, and pots and pans? Donations can be brought to the porch of Jordana Alford’s home at 917 Commonwealth Avenue, Newton Center. If it’s more convenient for you, please arrange with Julie so you can drop any donation items to class. Her email is welcomehomemass@gmail.comFinancial donations go directly to support this important work. If you’re inclined to help in this way, please make checks payable to Welcome Home, Inc. and mail to 33 Irving Street, Newton Center, MA 02459. For more information, check out https://newtonathome.org Thank you very much for your support. -
Registration Open for HopeWalks
Registration Open now for HopeWalks!
Newton-Wellesley Hospital has announced that online registration is now “live” for the eighth annual Hope Walks event to be held on Sunday, October 1, 2017. One of Newton-Wellesley’s most beloved traditions, Hope Walks is a 3.3-mile walk to benefit patients of the Vernon Cancer Center.
Proceeds from the fundraiser support access to clinical trials and research, nutrition and genetic counseling, art therapy, yoga, psycho-social services, patient navigation, survivorship initiatives as well as the Pappas PACT (Parenting at a Challenging Time), a parent guidance program for patients with children impacted by a cancer diagnosis.
The Hope Walks route begins and ends at the Hospital. All ages are welcome. Check-in begins at 9:00 AM, with opening ceremonies starting at 9:30 AM. The walk will start at 10:00 AM. Each walker is encouraged to raise a minimum of $100.
NEW THIS YEAR: Register by September 15th to save $10 and pay a reduced fee of $30. After September 15, the registration fee is $40. Online registration is now open at www.nwh.org/hopewalks.
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Join Ride for Food to help Centre Street Food Pantry
Join Ride for Food on September 24 to benefit Centre Street Food Pantry!
Friends of the Centre Street Food Pantry (age 14 and older) are invited to join our bicycle team for the 6th Annual Ride for Food on Sunday September 24, 2017.The Ride for Food is a bicycle fundraising event sponsored by Three Squares New England, an organization devoted to combating hunger in our community. The Ride will take place on September 25th, 2016 and will begin and end at the Noble and Greenough School in Dedham, MA. Participants will have the choice of a 10, 25, or 50 mile route, all of which wind through neighboring towns.Our ambitious goal is to raise $20,000 to help provide good food for our shoppers at CSFP. Each team member will be asked to raise a minimum of $350, with a best efforts goal of $1,000. Those who raise $1,000 or more will receive the coveted 2017 event bike jersey as token of appreciation for all the hard work involved in raising money for such an important cause.Registration is now underway. Go to the CSFP Team Page and click on the Join our Team button. Be sure to register early, as we may be limited to 20 riders on our team!Unable to ride, but want to help on Ride Day? Many volunteers are needed to make the Ride for Food a success. To sign up, go to the Three Squares New England website and click on the Volunteer button.Unable to ride, but want to sponsor a rider? Go to the CSFP Team Page and click on the Donate Now button. You will be given the option of contributing to the team or an individual rider.Marnie Bolstad is the Team Captain for Centre Street Food Pantry. Please email her at m.bolstad@centrestfoodpantry.org if you wish to participate in this fun event or if you have any questions. Contact her if you are even thinking about it!We hope you will join our team!
