April 21, 2026 |News, Non-profits

Unitarian Church to Surpass $1 Million in Local Philanthropy

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From UUCGL: The Unitarian Universalist Church of Greater Lynn (UUCGL) is proud to announce a major achievement: by the end of 2026 the church will have awarded more than $1 million in grants and scholarships in the Lynn/Swampscott area during the last five years.

UUCGL, located on Forest Avenue in Swampscott, has provided more than 300 awards to non-profit groups, families and students located primarily in Lynn and Swampscott, plus Salem, Peabody and other North Shore communities since 2021.

“Support of the people and non-profits in need throughout our region is part of our mission,” said Board of Trustees President David Innis. “UUCGL has a long-standing commitment to philanthropy, and our congregation continues to carry that legacy forward.”

Over the last four years, UUCGL has funded:

$191,000 in Scholarships

Awarded to 76 high school graduates and college students from Lynn and Swampscott, including 23 graduates of Swampscott High School and 53 graduates of Lynn English, Lynn Classical and Lynn Vocational High Schools.

$70,000 in Emergency Family Grants

Supporting 164 families with emergency awards to pay for rent, utilities and other unmet critical needs.

$565,000 in Non-Profit Grants

Distributed to more than 50 non-profit organizations that support the arts, legal services access, shelter, education, senior citizens, youth, food security, human rights and immigration services. Recipients have included:

• Lynn Shelter Association – Provides emergency and long-term shelter to more than 1000 homeless individuals and families annually on the North Shore.
• The Salem Pantry – Provides food with a storefront market, mobile pantry and home delivery to over 30,000 people in 12 communities.
• RAW Art Works (Lynn) – Free art programs for over 400 school-age children in Lynn.
• Essex County Community Organization – Multi-faith network that unites diverse communities to provide housing, immigration, and criminal/economic justice support.
• Girls Inc. of Lynn – Academic, career, community and leadership programs to encourage girls to become healthy, educated and independent adults.
• St. Stephen’s (Lynn) – Kids in Community free summer camp for about 45 school-age children.
• Newhall Fields Community Farm (Peabody) – Provides about 17,000 pounds of food to food pantries and individuals.
• St. Stephen’s Food Pantry (Lynn) – Provides 150,000 pounds of food annually to families.
• UU Mass Action – The MA Unitarian Universalist advocacy group.
• Children’s Law Center (Lynn) – Provides advocacy and legal services for over 500 low-income children per year in the areas of foster care, immigration, education, justice and family integrity.
• The Food Project (Lynn Grows) – Grows and distributes food, providing 200,000 pounds of food annually to families.

About 23% of UUCGL’s endowment income is dedicated every year to charitable work in the Lynn/Swampscott area, guided by historic bequests and congregational votes. These bequests — some more than a century old — were carried forward through the 1960s merger of three Unitarian and Universalist churches in Lynn and Swampscott that formed today’s UUCGL.

The modern congregation is a progressive spiritual community committed to truth-seeking, mutual support, and compassionate action, welcoming people of every age, identity, background and belief.