ATASK Receives Cummings Foundation Grant

ATASK is one out of 100 local nonprofits to receive a grant of $100,000 through Cummings Foundation's "$100K for 100" program.  ATASK was chosen from a total of 549 applicants during a competitive review process.

Dawn Sauma and Cristina Ayala, Co-Executive Directors, joined approximately 300 other guests at a reception at TradeCenter 128 in Woburn to celebrate the $10 million infusion into Greater Boston's nonprofit sector.  With the conclusion of this grant cycle, Cummings Foundation has now awarded more than $170 million to local nonprofits alone.

Funds from the Cummings Foundation will be used to support the Asian Shelter and Advocacy Program, which includes advocacy and case management, legal services, an emergency shelter, and ESOL classes for domestic violence survivors.

The $100K for 100 Program supports nonprofits that are not only based in but also primarily serve Middlesex, Essex and Suffolk counties.  This year, the program is benefiting 35 different cities and towns within the Commonwealth.  

Through this place-based initiative, Cummings Foundation aims to give back in the areas where it owns commercial buildings, all of which are managed, at no cost to to the Foundation, by its affiliate Cummings Properties.  Founded in 1970 by Bill Cummings of Winchester, the Woburn-based commercial real estate firm leases and manages more than 10 million square feet of space, the majority of which exclusively benefits the Foundation.

"Nonprofit organizations like ATASK are vital to the local communities where our colleagues and clients live and work," said Joel Sweets, Cummings Foundation's Executive Director.  "We are delighted to invest in their efforts."

This year's diverse group of grant recipients represents a wide variety of causes, including homelessness prevention and affordable housing, education, violence prevention, and food insecurity.  Most of the grants will be paid over two to five years.

The complete list of 100 grant winners is available at www.CummingsFoundation.org.

2017 ATASK Community 5K Race

We would like to thank our volunteers and the following organizations for supporting the ATASK Community 5K.  Without their generous support, the event would have not been possible.

Survivors Create a Song About Hope

Recently, shelter clients met with local musician Julia Mark to create their very own song. They wanted the world to know that life was getting better, and that they had hope for the future. They wanted the song to be uplifting and joyful. The result was a song entitled "All We Need" with a powerful message about love and hope. Click here to watch the video.

"All We Need" Lyrics

They're some things I've been dreaming of
I don't need a lot of stuff
And I've got a lot of life to live
I just need a lot of love
I've got a lot of love to give
So I'm gonna keep on looking up

Refrain:
Gonna put my worries on an outbound train
I've got this hope that I cannot contain
Your love is my umbrella when it starts to rain
When the storm has passed, only simple things remain
That's all I need today
All we need
Oh it's all we need

I've been dreaming of a place of my own
All those bad, bad days go on and leave me alone
And when the darkness starts to creep
And there's no respite in my sleep
I'm gonna keep on searching for the sun

Music + Lyrics by Julia Mark
www.juliamarkmusic.com