Homeless Children Nonprofit Wins $100,000 Cummings Grant

WOBURN, MA — Woburn's Cummings Foundation recently awarded a $100,000 grant to Horizons for Homeless Children, a Roxbury-based nonprofit.

The foundation awarded grants to 140 local nonprofits as part of its $25 Million Grant Program. Horizons for Homeless Children will receive $25,000 a year for the next four years, the second $100,000 grant the nonprofit has received from Cummings.

"Horizons recently moved into a new space which includes a dedicated hands-on STEM room and Art Zone," the nonprofit said in a news release. "The grant from the Cummings Foundation will allow Horizons to incorporate STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) activities into the curriculum developed for the children attending Horizons’ Early Education program."

Robotics will be a key piece of the curriculum, helping teach computer science and engineering concepts and promoting teamwork and social-emotional growth in other subjects, according to the release.

“We aim to help meet the needs of people in all segments of our local community,” Cummings Foundation Executive Director Joel Swets said. “It is the incredible organizations we fund, however, that do the actual daily work to empower our neighbors, educate our children, fight for equity, and so much more.”

The 2021 grant class of nonprofits are spread across 43 communities and a variety of causes.

“The Cummings Foundation is a valued supporter of Horizons’ mission," Horizons Chief Development Officer Tara Spalding said. "Their gifts help deepen our work with families experiencing homelessness. Children living in poverty must not miss out on academic and developmental opportunities because of their housing status. With the help of organizations like the Cummings Foundation, we can make sure that children have a foundation in learning that will set them on the course for academic success."