Charity Spotlight Initiative
At SullivanKreiss Financial, we have developed our Charity Spotlight program to give back to our community through organizations that have made an impact in our clients’ lives. The amazing charities and organizations we spotlight have each been specifically nominated by one of our clients. Every month SKF donates a portion of our profit to the deserving cause. Our goal within this program is to not only help contribute financially to each organization, but to also gain awareness for the work they are doing to help benefit our community.
If you or someone you know has a charity or organization you would like to see us spotlight in the future, please email Morgan at [email protected] to nominate them.
What is important to you is important to us!
The Women's Fund of Essex County – POP Plus!
On May 5th, The Women’s Fund of Essex County held a phenomenal fundraising event, POP (power of the purse) Plus! This event has been held annually (with the exception of covid). This event celebrates the power of women, and the power of financial independence for Women. We were lucky enough to help support their efforts as the platinum sponsor for the event.
The Women’s Fund changes the lives of women and girls in need by helping to support organizations that address specific issues or risks to them. Through empowerment and education, the Women’s Fund of Essex County positions women and girls to reach their fullest potential. We are honored to be able to align ourselves with an organization such as The Women’s Fund of Essex County.
UMass Memorial Children’s Medical Center
For the month of February, we are spotlighting the wonderful Certified Child Life Specialists at UMass Memorial Children’s Medical Center. When children are working through illness, injury, or a loss of their normal day-to-day life, their needs are magnified. The Child Life Specialists at UMASS have a goal of helping patients and their families during stressful times by making each child feel more comfortable and supported.
One of the programs run by the Child Life Specialists is the Animal Assisted Therapy program. Valentina, the wonderful “full-time canine caregiver” promotes positive coping and a unique kind of healing to patients and families. The Animal Assistant program is sustained through community support and individual donors. SKF is helping to fund Valentina, and her amazing contribution to the UMASS community.
To learn more, please visit their website: https://www.ummhealth.org/umass-memorial-medical-center/services-treatments/childrens-medical-center/z-list-pediatric-services/child-life
The Greater Boston Food Bank
The Greater Boston Food Bank GBFB is the largest hunger-relief organization in New-England and is one of the largest in the country. Last year they distributed 117 pounds of nutritious food (the equivalent to 96 million meals) to individuals in need.
The Greater Boston Food Bank has initiatives in place to advance policies that accelerate food access programs with the goal of alleviating the current hunger crisis in the US. They also have a nutrition team that oversees the nutritional value of the food they distribute and provide nutritional education from registered dieticians through various programs. They believe that by providing adequate nutrition, and education, communities will be much stronger and healthier as a whole.
To learn more about the amazing initiatives of the GBFB, please visit their website: https://www.gbfb.org/
Tufts Children's Hospital – Annual Toy Drive
Tufts Children’s Hospital (formerly known as Tufts Floating Hospital for Children) has delivered high-qualify, accessible, family-centered care to children and their families in the greater Boston area for over 125 years. They are truly dedicated to helping their young patients experience the very best childhood possible. It is our hope that by contributing to the Annual Toy Drive, we help their mission to bring more smiles, joy, and a bit of normalcy to into their world. Toys donated will be utilized by patients staying in the hospital. They will also be given as gifts to brighten holidays and birthdays for children having to spend those times undergoing treatment.
If you have an interest in donating to Tufts Children’s Hospital Annual Toy Drive, it’s super easy to do so. Child Life Services, with the help of “Bob the Dog”, the resident service dog that is there to comfort the young patients and their families, has put together an Amazon wish list. You can find the list by scanning the QR code.
To learn more about this amazing establishment, please visit their website: https://www.tuftschildrenshospital.org/
Birthday Wishes
The Birthday Wishes organization was founded locally in 2002 by three friends who organized a birthday party for a five-year-old boy at the Second Step Shelter in Newton, MA. Since then, over 26,000 underprivileged children have been gifted a birthday celebration.
One of many amazing programs Birthday Wishes has put in place is the “Build a Birthday-in-a-Box” program. This initiative allows Birthday Wishes to reach homeless children in various living situations. These boxes are compiled by volunteers and have decorations, cake mix, frosting, candles, and a brand-new toy gift for the recipient. This program empowers families who are financially unable to buy these things and allows them to share in special moments, regardless of the hard times they are experiencing.
For additional information, please visit their website: https://birthdaywishes.org
Freedom Service Dogs of America
The Freedom Service Dogs of America was founded in 1987, and quickly grew into one of the leading service dog training organizations. They train dogs specifically to assist and enhance the lives of people with physical disabilities, veterans with post-traumatic stress or traumatic brain injury, as well as children (5 years and older) and adults on the autism spectrum or with other neurocognitive disabilities.
Currently, there are three training programs available for service dogs through Freedom Service Dogs of America: Traditional, Disco’s Dogs, and Operation Full Circle. Traditional training is suitable for any type of client above the age of 12 years old. Disco’s Dogs is specifically for individuals on the autism spectrum or with neurocognitive disabilities over the age of 5 years old. Operation Full Circle is for veterans with post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injuries, and/or physical disabilities. Across all programs, these service dogs truly enhance the overall independence, confidence, and well-being of the clients they serve.
We encourage you to check out the Freedom Service Dogs of America website for more information: https://freedomservicedogs.org/about/
St. Alfio Society – Lawrence, MA
The St. Alfio Society is an Italian-American non-profit organization founded in Lawrence, MA. The society was nominated by Gino Baroni, a long-time member. The St. Alfio society is a culture and faith-based organization that was established in 1921.
One of the most important purposes of the society, as noted by Gino, is its devotion to mutual aid and its efforts to offer support to others in the Lawrence community.
The St. Alfio Society is dedicated to preserving Italian faith, culture, and traditions - the main event of the year being the Feast of the Three Saints. This celebration, an annual tradition in Lawrence since 1923, is held annually on Labor Day Weekend and welcomes all members of the community (and beyond) to come together to enjoy food, meet up with friends, and honor the three saints, Alfio, Filadelfo, and Cirino.
For more information about the St. Alfio society, please visit their website: http://www.threesaintsinc.org/
Pan-Mass Challenge — Alison Reif
The Pan-Mass Challenge is a Massachusetts-based bike-a-thon that raises more money for charity than any other single athletic fundraising event in the country. The PMC raises funds for life saving research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. SullivanKreiss Financial is honored to be sponsoring one of our own clients, Alison Reif, as she is riding in the Pan-Mass Challenge this August.
This will be Alison’s 13th year riding in the Pan-Mass Challenge. On August 7-8, 2021 she will join with others from all over the world to ride 162 miles to support Dana-Farber Institute’s mission of a world without cancer. Alison rides in honor of several friends and family members.
Alison’s PMC story is best told in her own words. To learn more about Alison’s journey with the PMC or to donate to her effort, please visit her website at: https://profile.pmc.org/AR0097
The Women's Fund of Essex County
The Women’s Fund focuses on the belief that stronger women and girls build stronger families, and stronger families build stronger communities. Today, their 100% volunteer-based board of 20 women is dedicated to creating positive social change within the community.
The Women’s Fund supports a wide variety of programs that target solutions to complex and often overlapping social issues. Since being founded in 2003, they have donated more than $2,300,000 to over 100 non-profit organizations serving women and girls in need and at-risk across Essex County.
In 2017, The Women’s Fund created a new initiative of its own: The Fund for Single-Mothers at North Shore Community College. This fund offers single mothers additional financial support to complete their respective degrees. Over 100 women have received this financial assistance since 2017.
For more information on The Women’s Fund of Essex County, please visit: https://www.thewomensfundec.org/
The Alzheimer’s Association — Massachusetts and New Hampshire branch
The Alzheimer's Association has a mission of leading the way to end Alzheimer's and all other dementia through global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support.
The Massachusetts and New Hampshire branch supports the local community through helping to provide services such as support groups, virtual education for families and individuals facing Alzheimer’s, early-stage prevention programs, and care consultations for those facing hard decisions and challenges associated with the disease. They also help to educate people on the process of new treatments and help connect individuals with clinical trials to help potentially advance their treatments.
SullivanKreiss Financial has personally experienced how hard this disease is for individuals and their families. This organization helps to enhance the treatment of those struggling with Alzheimer’s, while also allocating and fundraising to help support the research helping to find treatments and hopefully a cure.
If you are interested in additional information, please visit: https://www.alz.org/manh
The North and South Rivers Watershed Association (NRSWA)
The NSRWA is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting local waters for everyone, for good. They serve communities across the South Shore of Massachusetts through three foundational pillars: “Educate + Engage = Healthy Rivers”.
Through education, the NSRWA serves as the primary source of watershed information in the region. Through engagement, their river-based recreation and volunteer programs allow many participants their first time on the water exploring nature and experiencing hands-on learning outdoors. The NSRWA collects scientific data on water quality, river herring, horseshoe crabs, and salt marshes that help inform local and regional efforts.
SullivanKreiss Financial will be helping to sponsor the NSRWA as a corporate partner, specifically helping with their summer internship program. Every year, the NSRWA hosts an intern who assists their 6-person staff on a variety of programs, from educational programs, citizen science efforts, to engaging people in work at events.
If you are interested in additional information, please visit: https://www.nsrwa.org/
Daybreak Homeless Shelter – The Psychological Center
Daybreak is a part of The Psychological Center in Lawrence, MA. It is a 50-bed shelter that works with single men and women within the Merrimack Valley.
Daybreak guests are provided intensive case management services that may include recovery from addiction, housing, employment, health care, counseling services, etc. The guests at Daybreak are guaranteed a bed each night and there is no end date on when they must leave the shelter. Program director, Joshua White, reports that the mission at Daybreak is to help these clients get back on their feet and give them the skills necessary to become totally independent and self-sufficient.
SullivanKreiss Financial had the pleasure of experiencing the great work being done by Joshua and his team when we took the opportunity to provide dinner for Daybreak’s guests this past month. Working through their Community Meals program, we provided a big Italian dinner catered by a favorite local restaurant.
If you are interested in additional information, you can visit Daybreak’s website: https://psychologicalcenter.com/our.../daybreak-shelter/
Lifeworks – Norwood, MA
Lifeworks, an Affiliated Chapter of The Arc, is an organization that specifically helps to advocate for persons with developmental and intellectual disabilities and provides opportunities for empowerment and equity.
Their programs and services include adult day programs, community residences, individual employment supports, social activities and recreational programs for families and people with disabilities. Lifeworks emphasizes the focus of employment in all their programs. Staff members are trained to teach disabled individuals specific life skills they would need to be able to have and maintain a job in the community.
Specifically, SKF is helping to support their BRIDGE program. This is a day program that meets 2-3 times per week. In this program, there is a lower student to staff member ratio than other programs with 2 staff members to 6-7 participants. This focused attention helps students maximize their learning and allows for individualized support. This program helps to teach life-skills as well as provides volunteer opportunities and fun artistic group activities. Our donation is specifically going to purchase teaching supplies, art supplies, and visual aids to help support the educators in this program.
For additional information, please visit Lifeworks’ website: https://lifeworksarc.org/
Love Unconditional, Inc.
Love Unconditional is a nonprofit ministry partnership caring for the poor in the Dominican Republic. Kindly, one of our clients, Deb Allen, nominated Love Unconditional to be a part of our program. Deb has worked closely with this organization for 10 years. She is currently a board member and has been treasurer of the organization since 2018.
Love Unconditional provides approximately 500 kids in need lunch every weekday through their lunch program. They also have a program that allows individuals to directly sponsor a child or elderly person in need. These programs help children get proper nutrition, shelter, and education.
Due to COVID-19 and lack of resources for many children, Love Unconditional has set up mandatory, outside tutoring sessions for every child in their program to work outside in study groups of six, for two and a half hours a day. Following these study groups, the children are still able to receive their lunch from Love Unconditional.
For additional information, please visit Love Unconditionally website: https://loveunconditionalmission.org/
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) in an international nonprofit dedicated to the prevention, treatment, and cure of anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD, and other co-occurring disorders. The ADAA is a pioneer in research, education, and training. It is an association that helps connect people with what they need through medical professionals, as well as helpful resources like discussion boards, blog posts, mental health apps, and support in their local community.
Many individuals and families are impacted by anxiety and or depression. Due to COVID-19, the year 2020 has led to heightened stress, uncertainty, and feelings of loneliness for many individuals. We are proud to support an organization that has gone above and beyond to help people gain support and connect them to the appropriate resources.
For additional information, please visit the ADAA’s website: https://adaa.org