Winning Home Supports Caring Schools

Winning Home Foundation, Inc. recently awarded the Woburn Community Educational Foundation (WCEF) a $20,000 grant, which represents year 2 of a multi-year investment in a new initiative in the district’s middle schools: Caring School Community. This generous gift will help educators address the social emotional needs of today’s students, to support their academic achievement and overall success in school and in life.   

Caring School Community is a comprehensive, research-based social and emotional learning (SEL) program that builds assets in young people. This program will be implemented at both the Joyce and Kennedy Middle Schools to help foster a positive learning environment at each school, one in which students feel heard, known and cared for; a Caring School Community.

“WCEF is proud to partner with the Winning Home Foundation to offer this important program in Woburn’s Middle Schools” comments WCEF Executive Director Maureen Willis. “By helping our middle schools build Caring School Communities, Winning Home is supporting the overall health, wellness and success of a generation of Woburn students.”  

About Winning Home: The Winning Home Foundation was formed through the sale of land assets of what was locally known as “Winning Farm for Children”.  The sale process produced cash assets for long-term investment, and preserved approximately 50 acres of the farmland as permanent open space.  Winning Home, Inc. remains true to the spirit and intent of its benefactor by working “for the benefit of children who are economically, socially, physically, emotionally or mentally handicapped or disadvantaged and their families.” Since its conversion from a landowner to a charitable trust, Winning Home has made grants over $5 million to area charitable organizations.  Learn more at www.winninghome.org

Photos:   

Photo 1: Members of the Winning Home and WCEF Boards at the recent check presentation. Pictured are (l-r):  WCEF Board and School Committee Member Colleen Cormier, WCEF Board Chair Brian Teague, Winning Home Treasurer Chip Curran, WCEF Executive Director Maureen Willis, Winning Home Board and WCEF Emeritus Board Member Robert E. Maguire.

Photo 2: Members of the WCEF Board celebrate Winning Home Grant. Pictured are (l to r):
WCEF Board Vice-Chair Eric Skeffington, Superintendent of Schools Matt Crowley, WCEF Board Members Ernie Wells, Bill Johnson, Robert E. Maguire, WCEF Board Chair Brian Teague, Member Nancy Whalen, WCEF Treasurer Maria Zeqo, Board Member Joe Crowley.  

Winning Home Foundation Funds New Programs in Woburn Schools

WCEF is pleased to announce receipt of a $15,000 charitable grant from Winning Home, Inc. to support the 2022 Educator Grants Program as well as a new out-of-school time program for Woburn’s low-income and English-language learner students. This year’s generous award brings the total investment from Winning Home, Inc. to $55,000 in just 6 years; past grants provided critical support to Woburn Schools during COVID-19, as well as funding for 35 innovative school-based projects that continue to benefit every student in the Woburn Public Schools. 

“Woburn educators are concerned about their most at-risk students, many of whom have experienced learning setbacks due to the loss of in-person instruction during COVID-19, explains WCEF Executive Director Maureen Willis. “To address this educational disparity, they have developed a new program, designed to offer engaging and educational experiences during school vacation and summer breaks to low-income and English language learner students. We were pleased to invite Winning Home to partner with us to fund this important new initiative.”

“Access to meaningful learning activities during out-of-school time has been shown to level the playing field for those who may otherwise academically fall behind their peers,” confirms WPS Superintendent Matt Crowley. “This grant will allow us to bring students in Grades 4-12 on excursions to local museums and places of historical interest across Greater Boston during school vacations, providing supplemental learning opportunities for our most at-risk students.”

Winning Home grants are helping to improve the educational achievement of Woburn’s most at-risk students, opening doors of opportunity in the future. These funds are making a difference for these students in every grade and at every school in the district.   We are grateful to the board of Winning Home for its continued commitment and investment in the potential of Woburn’s children.

About Winning Home:  The Winning Home Foundation was formed through the sale of land assets of what was locally known as “Winning Farm for Children”.  The sale process produced cash assets for long-term investment, and preserved approximately 50 acres of the farmland as permanent open space.  Winning Home, Inc. remains true to the spirit and intent of its benefactor by working “for the benefit of children who are economically, socially, physically, emotionally or mentally handicapped or disadvantaged and their families.” Since its conversion from a landowner to a charitable trust, Winning Home has made grants over $4.8 million to area charitable organizations.  Learn more at www.winninghome.org

Photo Caption:  Members of the Winning Home and WCEF at the recent check presentation. Pictured are (l-r):  Winning Home Board Member Michael Maher, WCEF Board Member Nancy Whalen, Winning Home Board Chair Robert E. Maguire, WCEF Board Member Colleen Cormier, WCEF Executive Director Maureen Willis, Winning Home Treasurer Chip Curran.           

Winning Home Grants WCEF $10,000 to Support Woburn’s Most At-Risk Students

WCEF is proud to announce the receipt of a $10,000 charitable grant from Winning Home, Inc., to fund Educator Grants which address the special educational needs of high-risk students in the Woburn Public Schools.  This year’s award brings the total investment from Winning Home, Inc., to $30,000 in just 5 years; past grants have supported 22 innovative new projects that continue to benefit Woburn students at every elementary school and both middle schools. 

“Winning Home grants are making an immediate and lasting impact on the learning experiences of today’s students”, comments WCEF’s Maureen Willis.  “Winning Home grants have empowered our students to make positive life choices through a district-wide wellness initiative, imagine their future with career exploration in our middle schools, build literacy skills and a love of reading with diversified texts. Winning Home grants have also connected hundreds of students with technology and innovative programs that spark excitement in learning and student achievement.  We are grateful for the continued investment by Winning Home in the potential of Woburn’s most at-risk students, as part of its mission to serve the needs of Woburn’s children and their families.” 

This funding from Winning Home, Inc. will be made available to Woburn Educators as part of this year’s round of grant awards.  Woburn Educators are invited to submit proposals for grants now through January 21, 2020.     

 

Pictured at the check presentation (l-r):

Winning Home Board Member Michael Maher, Winning Home Treasurer/Director Albert “Chip” Curran, WCEF Board Member Nancy Whalen, Winning Home Board Chair Thomas Martin, WCEF Executive Director Maureen Willis, WCEF Board Chair Joe Crowley, WCEF Board Member Robert E. Maguire.