The real estate and lending communities gave back to their communities in so many ways this year, both big and small. Here is a small selection of these good works:
January
International Union of Operating Engineers Local 4 donated $8,000 to the Greater Boston Food Bank. Left to right: Greater Boston Food Bank representative Alisha Collins, Local 4 business manager Bill McLaughlin, Local 4 apprentice Nicole Shepard and Local 4 retiree Ed Harrington. Photo courtesy of Operating Engineers Local 4.
February
Hyannis-based Cape Cod 5 presented 87 grants totaling $39,932 to 110 teachers from 46 local schools to fund educational projects they developed. The teachers estimated these projects would impact close to 24,000 students. Photo courtesy of Cape Cod 5
March
Florence Bank Customers’ Choice Community Grants Program distributed $100,000 to 57 area nonprofits. Attendees celebrated at an awards event held on March 10 by Florence Bank to honor the recipients. Photo by Jim Gipe courtesy of Florence Bank and Pivot Media
April
Boston-based City Realty donated new Chromebooks to help dozens of underserved Boston students continue learning at home during the pandemic. The students were selected through The BASE, the Roxbury-based nonprofit which supports education and athletic opportunities for urban youth. Photo courtesy of City Realty
May
Mechanics Cooperative Bank President and CEO Joseph T. Baptista Jr. posed with members of the Taunton Fire and Police departments as he delivered a donation of 2,000 KN95 masks. Photo courtesy of Mechanics Cooperative Bank
June
Braintree commercial real estate brokerage Jay Nuss Realty Group paid for meals to be delivered to patients and employees of Dorchester’s Harvard Street Neighborhood Health Center at the clinic’s Blue Hills Avenue site. The meals were prepared by Panera Bread Co. Photo courtesy of Jay Nuss Realty Group
July
East Cambridge Savings Bank, developer Brookfield Properties, Pro EMS and Trinity Property Management joined forces to purchase $60,000 in reusable protective gowns for three Cambridge nursing homes. The 1,500 gowns were distributed to Neville Center at Fresh Pond, Sancta Maria Nursing Facility and Cambridge Rehabilitation and Nursing Center. Photo courtesy of East Cambridge Savings Bank
August
Clinton Savings Bank employees collectively raised, and the bank matched, a total of $1,000 for Fostering Change Inc. through its “jeans day” fundraising program. Lindsey English, founder of the Leominster-based nonprofit, posed with supplies purchased for foster children using the donation. Photo courtesy of Clinton Savings Bank
September
Hanscom Federal Credit Union presented a $1,500 check to America’s VetDogs on behalf of the Armed Forces Financial Network. The grant matched the Board Memorial Award of $1,500 given to the America’s VetDogs at the end of 2019 by Hanscom FCU. Photo courtesy of America’s VetDogs
October
Cummings Properties selected 30 Greater Boston nonprofits to share in $10 million in donations, ranging from $250,000 to $500,000, as part of its foundation’s $20 Million Grant Program. Pictured: Cummings Foundation founders Bill and Joyce Cummings. Photo courtesy of Cummings Properties
November
Lowell-based Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union surprised customers at the Fletcher Street Market Basket in Lowell with gift cards on World Kindness Day, Nov. 13, as part of its Small Acts That Give Back initiative. Employees handed out $15 gift cards to 100 shoppers. Photo courtesy of Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union
December
Pipefitters Local 537 collected about $20,000 worth of new toys for Marine Toys for Tots, in addition to hundreds of pounds of non-perishable food items for Catholic Charities Food Pantry in Dorchester. Left to right: Pipefitters Local 537 business manager Tom Kerr, Santa Claus, Marine veteran Danny O’Brien and organizer Chris Brennan. Photo courtesy of Pipefitters Local 537
