CFCS Receives $5000 Grant from Cambridge Community Foundation
By Catherine Martin
We’re excited to announce that we’ve been awarded a $5,000 grant from our partner the Cambridge Community Foundation (CCF) to support the social services CFCS helps to provide to Cambridge residents, which predominantly include clients in our Developmental Disabilities program (DDP). This fall, CCF awarded grants to 66 nonprofits to help Cambridge’s residents economically, socially and emotionally as many are still experiencing the effects of the pandemic. Reflecting on their continued efforts to address the needs created by the pandemic, CCF president Geeta Pradhan said “Nonprofits are the glue that hold our community together and we are thankful for their dedication to Cambridge.”
In Cambridge, we are proud to offer training, advocacy and social opportunities to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. Our program provides housing assistance, assists families with benefits applications, supports individuals with developmental disabilities navigating their education, and ensures they have the life skills training and respite care they need.
Some of the services we offer to those with developmental disabilities and their families include:
The Family Support Center offers a wide range of services for the Charles River West Region of the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services (DDS). These services include cooking classes, police safety trainings, financial trainings, and social events.
Agency With Choice is a program that supports adults living with their families who require additional care. The program’s co-employment model lets parents be more involved in goal setting and the staff members caring for their children.
The Department Of Elementary And Secondary Education (DESE)/Department Of Developmental Services (DDS) Program provides extra support for students with developmental disabilities to ensure that they can continue learning at home rather than a residential facility.
Intensive Flexible Family Support Services Program provides services to families with a DDS-eligible child who is between 3-18 years of age and has the need for intensive care management. This program also provides flexible funding for short-term needs and to help prevent out-of-home placement.
We want to thank CCF for their support of our programs. Earlier this year, CCF distributed $22,000 in Executive Office of Housing & Economic Development COVID-19 relief grants for food and bills for our low- and medium-income residents in Cambridge, Somerville and Medford. CCF’s constant support of our agency over the years helps us to deliver consistently excellent care to our clients. From addressing the impacts COVID has had on the families we serve to funding specific services we provide such as our Family Support Center, CCF has generously supported our clients.
CCF serves the city of Cambridge in many ways, including as a civic leader, a grantmaker and a philanthropic partner. By funding and investing in nonprofits, CCF helps provide services to individuals of all walks of life.