Wildflower News

Wildflower, Inc. was selected from a total of 580 applicants during a competitive review process to receive a $350,000 grant from the Cummings Foundation. The Lexington-based organization is one of 140 local nonprofits to receive a Cummings grant.

Wildflower is dedicated to serving children and families who have experienced the death of a parent. We provide the gifts of camp, enriching experiences, and consistent, long-term support to help families strengthen their resilience and create positive opportunities for the future.

Wildflower will use this sustaining grant in direct support of our bereaved children and families, with particular emphasis on providing our core programs of camp and year-round support. “This vote of confidence by the Cummings Foundation makes it possible for Wildflower to increase the number of children and families we serve. It is transformational for every part of our organization.” says Audrey Loria, Executive Director.

The Cummings Foundation’s $25 Million Grant Program supports Massachusetts nonprofits that are based in and primarily serve Middlesex, Essex, and Suffolk counties.

Through this place-based initiative, Cummings Foundation aims to give back in the areas where it owns commercial property. Its buildings are all managed, at no cost to the Foundation, by its affiliate, Cummings Properties. This Woburn-based commercial real estate firm leases and manages 11 million square feet of debt-free space, the majority of which exclusively benefits the Foundation.

“We are so fortunate in greater Boston to have such effective nonprofits, plus a wealth of talented, dedicated professionals and volunteers to run them,” said Cummings Foundation executive director Joyce Vyriotes. “We are indebted to them for the work they do each day to provide for basic needs, break down barriers to education and health resources, and work toward a more equitable society.”

With the help of about 90 volunteers, the Foundation first identified 140 organizations to receive grants of at least $100,000 each. Among the winners were first-time recipients as well as nonprofits that had previously received Cummings Foundation grants. Forty of this latter group of repeat recipients were then selected to have their grants elevated to 10-year awards ranging from $200,000 to $500,000 each.

“Our volunteers bring diverse backgrounds and perspectives, which is so critical to our grant selection process,” said Vyriotes. “Through this democratized approach to philanthropy, they decide more than half the grants every year.”

This year’s grant recipients represent a wide variety of causes, including food insecurity, immigrant and refugee services, social justice, education, and mental health services. The nonprofits are spread across 45 different cities and towns.

The complete list of 140 grant winners, plus more than 900 previous recipients, is available at www.CummingsFoundation.org.

Cummings Foundation has now awarded more than $375 million to greater Boston nonprofits.

About Cummings Foundation

Woburn-based Cummings Foundation, Inc. was established in 1986 by Joyce and Bill Cummings and has grown to be one of the largest private foundations in New England. The Foundation directly operates its own charitable subsidiaries, including New Horizons retirement communities, in Marlborough and Woburn, and Cummings Health Sciences, LLC. Additional information is available at www.CummingsFoundation.org.

Learn more about the Cummings Foundation here.

Wildflower signed the COVID Collaborative letter sent to President Joe Biden encouraging support for the nearly 200,000 children who have lost a parent or caretaker to COVID. Wildflower has been a passionate champion of families experiencing parental loss for 17 years and we are honored to join this important group.

Over 80 experts in public health, civil service, education, youth mental health, and more urged President Biden to take action in support of the children. Read the letter here.

Learn about the COVID Collaborative here.

The MDRT Foundation has awarded a $10,000 grant to Wildflower, a local nonprofit dedicated to serving children and families who have experienced the devastating loss of a parent. The grant was sponsored by Wayland resident and MDRT member Jeff Baron, a Wildflower Board member and tireless advocate for camp and Wildflower families.

Through its global grants programs, the MDRT Foundation is committed to building stronger families and communities around the globe. This year, the MDRT Foundation will award over $1.5 million in MDRT member-endorsed grants to more than 250 charitable organizations worldwide.

The generous grant from The MDRT Foundation will fund Wildflower’s Camp to College program. Teens will receive help selecting schools of interest, readying applications, increasing test readiness, and applying for financial aid and college scholarships identified through this program. Jeff Baron, MDRT Member and Wildflower Board member wrote, “Wildflower’s Camp to College Program will open doors for many teens who have already suffered enough in their young lives and deserve every chance we can give them!”

About the MDRT Foundation:
The MDRT Foundation was created in 1959 to provide MDRT members with a means to give back to their communities. Since its inception, the Foundation has donated more than $38 million in more than 72 countries throughout the world and in all 50 U.S. states. These funds were raised by MDRT members and industry partners.

Learn more about the MDRT Foundation here.

“Boston. The marathon that all other marathons are measured by. This isn’t only the world’s oldest, but regarded as one of the world’s most challenging races.”

The 2020 Boston Marathon was like no other. For the first time in 124 years, the Boston Marathon was a virtual event. While this news was certainly not what anyone wanted, we were not stopped.

Chris Warnat represented Wildflower, running 26.2 miles through the streets of St. Simon’s Island, GA. It is Chris’s second year running for Team Wildflower. When applying to run, Chris said, “I have a burning desire to do something that will test everything about me as a person, athlete & runner. It’s the BOSTON MARATHON. If you run, you dream of running this race. It’s a benchmark & an exclusive club to be a member of.”

We so appreciate Chris’s perseverance and resolve in the face of so much change. From everyone at Wildflower, “thank you for running to help our families!”