April 25, 2023 |Cummings Foundation, Essex County Community Organization (ECCO), Housing, News, Non-profits

ECCO Receives Major Grant for Affordable Housing Work

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The Essex County Community Organization is one of 140 local nonprofits to receive grants of $100,000 to $500,000 each through Cummings Foundation’s $25 Million Grant Program. The Lynn-based organization was chosen from a total of 580 applicants during a competitive review process. It will receive $100,000 over three years.

ECCO is a network of 59 congregations and the North Shore Labor Council working for a world where everyone belongs, everyone can thrive, and we all have a say in the decisions that affect our lives.  ECCO will be using the funds to support its affordable housing campaign, which recently claimed major victories in getting local cities to allocate ARPA funding towards affordable housing, including $15 million in Lynn, $9 million in Salem, and $1 million in Gloucester.

“This grant means so much to us as we double down on affordable housing as a key issue that affects so many people in our community, especially people of color. With funding from Cummings, we will better be able to organize people of faith and values across the North Shore to fight for affordable housing and confront the legacy of racial redlining in our area.” 

Rabbi Margie Klein Roinkin, ECCO’s Executive Director

The Cummings $25 Million Grant Program supports Massachusetts nonprofits that are based in and primarily serve Middlesex, Essex, and Suffolk counties. Through this place-based initiative, Cummings Foundation donates to local organizations in areas where its affiliate, Cummings Property, owns commercial property.  

“We are so fortunate in greater Boston to have such effective nonprofits, plus a wealth of talented, dedicated professionals and volunteers to run them,” said Cummings Foundation executive director Joyce Vyriotes. “We are indebted to them for the work they do each day to provide for basic needs, break down barriers to education and health resources, and work toward a more equitable society.”

With the help of about 90 volunteers, the Foundation first identified 140 organizations to receive grants of at least $100,000 each. This is ECCO’s second time receiving this three-year grant.

The complete list of 140 grant winners, plus more than 900 previous recipients, is available by clicking here.

Photo above courtesy of ECCO. From left to right: Rabbi Margie Klein Ronkin, Lorreta Rocha, Cherish Casey, Rev. Wendy Von Courter, Jeff Gross, Arthur Akers, and Dr. Alexandra Pineros-Shields.  

About ECCO

ECCO is a multifaith network of 59 congregations and the North Shore Labor Council that works to create a world where everyone belongs, where we all can thrive, and where we all have a say in the decisions that shape our lives. 

ECCO brings people together across lines of difference to build people-power, provide moral clarity, and change policies to address root causes of injustice in our midst.

About Cummings Foundation

Woburn-based Cummings Foundation, Inc. was established in 1986 by Joyce and Bill Cummings and has grown to be one of the largest private foundations in New England. The Foundation directly operates its own charitable subsidiaries, including New Horizons retirement communities, in Marlborough and Woburn, and Cummings Health Sciences, LLC. Additional information is available at www.CummingsFoundation.org.

The above press release was submitted to us by the Essex County Community Organization (ECCO).