BYW Board Member Nic Miragliuolo and BYW Program Director Bior Guigni alongside Founder & Director José Valenzuela received the $20,000 check from The Lenny Zakim Fund on February 6, 2017 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Boston, MA.
THE LENNY ZAKIM FUND AWARDS $625,000 TO 53 GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS
Boston MA – As we enter a time of significant uncertainty, with increased signs of discrimination and active bigotry, supporting the individuals and communities most affected has become more vital than ever. That call to action speaks directly to the mission of The Lenny Zakim Fund (LZF). Today that mission is reinforced as we announce fifty-three community-based social-justice organizations that will receive $625,000 in grants in 2017. All we present at the Award Ceremony on February 6th.
The grantee list is extremely diverse and will help to change the lives of thousands in MA communities. There are many good stories here. For example:
The Muslim Justice League is one of LZF’s new grant recipients, and an example of the many LZF grantee organizations with a focus on civil rights. Their mission has become more pertinent as the human and civil rights of Muslims in America continue to be threatened.
Resilient Coders is another new LZF grantee, and one of seventeen who fulfill LZF’s mission of supporting youth development and education in underserved communities. By teaching technical software coding skills, Resilient Coders offers hands-on experience to help young people thrive in this growing field, providing more than a job, but the skills needed to build a career.
Sibling Connections helps to reconnect sisters and brothers separated by foster care. Adaptive Sports New England provides opportunities for young people who have visual or mobility challenges to participate in a wide range of sports. In New Bedford, Centro Comunitario de Trabajadores organizes immigrant workers to protect them from abusive working conditions.
The work being done by the organizations funded by The Lenny Zakim Fund represents commitment, creativity and activism at its best. They will be honored at The LZF’s annual awards ceremony on Monday, February 6 at The Four Seasons Hotel in Boston. As founder Lenny Zakim said “They have the will. They have the creativity. But they lack the means. We give them the means.”
Please click here for a complete list of the 2017 Lenny Zakim Fund grantees.
ABOUT THE LENNY ZAKIM FUND The mission of The Lenny Zakim Fund is to identify, listen to, support and connect grassroots community organizations and programs operating “below the radar screen” of many large charitable groups and government grants. The Lenny Zakim Fund provides assistance to those who demonstrate the will and potential to make a difference but lack the necessary resources.
Contact: Jude Goldman, Executive Director, The Lenny Zakim Fund, jgoldman@thelennyzakimfund.org 617-794-7314 www.thelennyzakimfund.org
