Nonprofit uses hands-on learning to teach students in Lowell about advancing technologies through after school programming
Representing Kids in Tech, Inc., Olu Ibrahim, Founder and CEO joined approximately 300 other guests at a reception at TradeCenter 128 in Woburn to celebrate the $10 million infusion into Greater Boston’s nonprofit sector. With the conclusion of the grant cycle, Cummings Foundation has now awarded more than $260 million to Greater Boston nonprofits alone.
“Kids in Tech is beyond excited to have been selected as a $100K for 100 grant recipient,” said Olu Ibrahim, Founder and CEO of Kids in Tech. “This grant will help expand our afterschool tech club program, providing more kids with the skills they need for the jobs of the future earlier in the afterschool setting.”
From fashion tech to blogging, this grant will assist Kids in Tech afterschool tech club program in inspiring creativity across the board as well as strengthening their computer science, computer literacy, and computational thinking skills. Overall, this grant will help Kids in Tech ensure more kids develop the necessary tech skills and aptitudes to participate in and be future leaders of innovation economy.
The $100K for 100 program supports nonprofits that are based in and primarily serve Middlesex, Essex and Suffolk counties. Through this place-based initiative, Cummings Foundation aims to give back in the area where it owns commercial buildings, all of which are managed, at no cost to the Foundation, by its affiliate Cummings Properties. Founded in 1970 by Bill Cummings, the Woburn-based commercial real estate firm leases and manages 10 million square feet of space, the majority of which exclusively benefits the Foundation.
“By having such a local focus, we aim to make a meaningful positive difference in the communities where our colleagues and leasing clients live and work,” said Joel Swets, Cummings Foundation’s executive director. We are most grateful for the nonprofit organizations that assist and empower our neighbors, and we are proud to support their efforts.”
This year’s diverse group of grant recipients represents a wide variety of causes, including homelessness prevention, affordable housing, education, violence prevention, and food insecurity. Most of the grants will be paid over two to five years.
The complete list of 100 grant winners is available at www.CummingsFoundation.org.
Cummings Foundation announced an additional $15 million in early May through its Sustaining Grants program. Through these awards, 50 local nonprofits will receive ongoing funding of $20,000 – $50,000 for 10 years.
The history behind Cummings Properties and Cummings Foundation is detailed in Bill Cummings’ self-written memoir, “Starting Small and Making It Big: An Entrepreneur’s Journey to Billion-Dollar Philanthropist.” It is available on Amazon or cummings.com/book.
About Kids in Tech
Kids in Tech seeks to inspire and create the next generation of technology-savvy leaders through after-school computer science programs for kids and advancing computer literacy for all. Kids in Tech excites, educates, and empowers children to use technology, promoting a positive environment, and fostering lifelong interest through our after-school programming.
About Cummings Foundation
Woburn-based Cummings Foundation, Inc. was established in 1986 by Joyce and Bill Cummings. The Foundation directly operates its own charitable subsidiaries, including New Horizons retirement communities in Marlborough and Woburn. Its largest single commitment to date has been to Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. Additional information is available at www.CummingsFoundation.org.
