The Martha’s Vineyard Bank’s Charitable Foundation gave $30,450 through grants and donations to local nonprofits in the final quarter of the 2020 fiscal year. The foundation’s grants committee meets quarterly, and is dedicated to bettering the community through organizations in the areas of education, economic development, health and human services, culture, art, and historic heritage, and community services.
The 11 organizations that were allocated funding this quarter are Cape Cod Marathon 2021, Falmouth Community Television, Museums on the Green, Falmouth Academy’s Science & Engineering Fair, M.V. Figure Skating Club Sponsorship, Massachusetts Military Support Foundation, ACE MV Adult & Continuing Education, Belonging to Each Other, Falmouth VIPs, the Oak Bluffs School PTO’s Project Gratitude, and YMCA of Cape Cod.
The Massachusetts Military Support Foundation was awarded a large donation in order to aid in the organization’s holiday food distribution to families struggling with continued food insecurity. As a distributor for the USDA Farmers to Families program, the Massachusetts Military Support Foundation transported food boxes throughout Martha’s Vineyard and Falmouth. A multitude of volunteers and other local agencies ensured the success of the distributions, with special coordination efforts provided by Rebecca Haag of Island Grown Initiative, Alicia Nicholson of Vineyard Committee on Hunger, and Joe Capobianco of Good Shepherd Parish. The families were provided with a 32-pound box of groceries, including cheese, produce, milk, and meat.
Applications for the first cycle of funding are due Jan. 14, and the educational mini grant deadline is Friday, June 18. The mini grants are only applicable to Martha’s Vineyard public schools and Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School. This grant is available through the Martha’s Vineyard Superintendent’s Office at staylor@mvyps.org, or through Martha’s Vineyard Bank’s community relations director, Patti Leighton, at pleighton@mvbank.com.