Investing in Our Communities

foundation-focus Since the Bristol County Savings Charitable Foundation began, close to $20 million in grants have been committed to 501(c)(3) organizations in our local communities. Last year the Foundation awarded in excess of $1.9 million in support of organizations that are dealing with some of our area’s most critical issues. To focus our efforts on these issues, we’ve identified three areas of focus that may receive special consideration for funding:

Photo of BCSB VP/Residential Lending, David Tipping, presenting a check for $60,000 to Pro-Home Executive Director Michael Duff.

Pro-Home, Inc. - Taunton

Pro-Home, a HUD approved Housing Assistance Agency, provides counseling, down payment assistance and property development for affordable housing in the greater Taunton area. The Bank continues to be a leading supporter of Pro-Home through a $60,000 multi-year grant that is targeted for the organization’s operations and a range of programs from Financial Literacy classes to Mortgage Delinquency and Default Resolution Counseling. In addition to the funding, David Tipping, Vice President, Residential Lending for the Bank, has helped lead the Agency for over a decade, currently serving as the President of the Board of Directors. His participation helps the Bank assess the challenges the community is facing and, in turn, develop products and services to meet those needs.

Photo of the $50,000 check presentation to Bishop Connolly High School in Fall River.

Bishop Connolly High School - Fall River

In 2016, the Foundation completed its $50,000 commitment to The Advancement Initiative for Bishop Connolly High School with a grant earmarked to fund upgrades to its Life Sciences and Chemistry Labs, including lab equipment. The renovated lab spaces will provide a 21st Century learning environment aligned with Connolly’s newest science offerings, including a Biotechnology and Microbiology course that will teach students the college-level laboratory skills and research techniques in demand by today’s biotechnology, medicine, health care and bio-manufacturing industries.

Photo of a group of individuals who benefited from the Attleboro Big Read program, pictured at the Attleboro Pulic Library.

Friends of the Attleboro Public Library

The Foundation provided a grant in the amount of $7,000 to the Friends of the Attleboro Public Library to fund The Big Read, Attleboro’s community-wide reading project. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the program which is a reading initiative to broaden understanding of our world and our communities, and inspire conversation and discovery. Our continued investment in the fundamental ability to read is important because reading is one of the building blocks of a good education and is a skill that is required to be a productive member of our community.

Photo of the $200,000 grant presentation at the Buttonwood Park Zoo.

Buttonwood Park Zoo - New Bedford

The BCSCF provided a $200,000 grant to the Buttonwood Park Zoological Society to fund The Nature Connection Education Center (NCEC), which will soon become the go to destination for the Zoo’s environmental education programs. The Zoo is developing the NCEC as a means to better connect the community, particularly children, to nature and signiﬁcantly increase the quantity and quality of programs offered. The Buttonwood Park Zoo is currently one of the largest environmental education organizations in southeastern Massachusetts and the addition of this multi-sensory, hands-on and interactive NCEC will allow the Zoo to signiﬁcantly expand the impact of its conservation education message throughout the region.