Cummings Properties donates $53,000 to North Shore nonprofits

Thanksgiving week, Cummings Properties distributed $327,000 to local nonprofits, including a total of $53,000 to organizations in Beverly, Danvers, Peabody, and Salem. The donations were made in honor of the commercial real estate firm’s full-time staff members, who were each invited to select a charity to receive $1,000 through the Employee Directed Giving program.

The program, now in its third year, supports local organizations based and providing services in or near employees’ hometowns. Several charities received more than one check, thanks to multiple nominations, often the result of employees enthusiastically lobbying their coworkers.

In Salem, a total of $9,000 went to three organizations: Northeast Animal Shelter, Salem Academy Charter School, and the Salem YMCA.

“I don’t know of another organization that offers a benefit like this,” said Ana Pinto, Cummings Properties staff accountant and Salem resident, who designated Salem Academy Charter School to receive a donation two years in a row. “I was thrilled to be able to give back to Salem Academy, because I see how hard the teachers work with limited resources to give a college preparatory experience to students in a free and public school.”

In Peabody, Haven for Hunger received $3,000 and three organizations received $1,000 each: John E. Burke School, North Shore Community Action Program, and Peabody Boys’ Soccer.

Five nonprofits in Danvers received donations. Care Dimensions received $3,000; People to People Food Pantry received $2,000; and Danvers American Little League, Friends of the Peabody Institute Library, and Northeast Arc each received $1,000.

In Beverly, where the company has campuses at Cummings Center and Dunham Road, a total of $30,000 went to 17 Beverly organizations, including $2,000 to environmental education nonprofit Change is Simple.

“Change is Simple is teaching kids in elementary schools all over Massachusetts to be mindful of their impact on the world around them and is an expert consultant on waste diversion and reduction for many institutions, some right in Beverly,” said Julie DeSilva, communications specialist at Cummings Properties and lifelong Beverly resident. “This significant donation will have such a positive impact in our community.”

The other Beverly recipients are: Beverly Bootstraps, Beverly Composite Squadron (Civil Air Patrol), Beverly High School Hockey, Beverly Little League, Beverly Main Streets, Beverly Midget Football, Beverly High School Marine Junior R.O.T.C., Beverly Music & Performing Arts Association, Centerville Elementary School, Express Yourself, Futures Clinic, Greater Beverly YMCA, North Shore Flag Football, Pathways for Children, Spectrum Adult Day Health Program, and YMCA of the North Shore.

Beverly High School Marine Junior R.O.T.C. is one of nine Massachusetts nonprofits that received the maximum donation of $5,000 allowed by the program guidelines.

Employee Directed Giving is open to all regular full-time staff within the Cummings organization, including the firm’s affiliated New Horizons retirement communities in Marlborough and Woburn.

“Employee Directed Giving is a unique opportunity for the company to make an impact in the communities where our employees live in a way that is particularly meaningful to them,” said president and CEO Dennis Clarke. “The fact that families are sitting down having discussions about where to give and why has resulted in numerous colleagues feeling especially good about the program.”

A complete list of Employee Directed Giving recipient organizations is available at www.cummingsproperties.com/employee_directed_giving.htm.

PHOTOS:

Cummings Properties communications specialist Julie DeSilva delivers two Employee Directed Giving checks to Lauren Belmonte, executive director of Change is Simple, at the annual joint City Council and School Committee meeting at the Beverly High School library.

Beverly High School Marine Junior ROTC Chief Warrant Officer Tom Smith, accompanied by Cadet Major Justin O’Connor and Second Lieutenant Brandi Duzz, accepts $5,000 in Employee Directed Giving checks from Cummings Center night crew team leader Bill Center and his colleagues (back row, left to right) Bolivar Duran, Bob MacPhail, Jose Fana, John Kempton, and Cummings Center general manager Steve Drohosky.

Cummings Properties admin assistant Linda Jemery gives a $1,000 check to Laura MacNeil, executive director of North Shore Community Action in Peabody.