The Parker Foundation

TEParker Foundation Press Release 5.13.2025

For Immediate Release Contact: Karen Carpenter
May 15, 2025 President
941.225.3893
karenhansencarpenter@gmail.com

Lisa Tellekson
Foundation Administrator
617.888.2081
info@parkerfoundationlowell.org

Annual Meeting and election of officers: The Theodore Edson Parker Foundation met at their Annual Meeting on April 30, 2025, to elect and re-elect officers, trustees, and advisors who together guide the foundation’s grantmaking to organizations working with the citizens of Lowell. The Parker Foundation paid special tribute to Sophy Theam who has ably served as Clerk/Secretary for over ten years.

Karen Hansen Carpenter, President
Mercy Anampiu, Advisor
DJ Donahue, Treasurer
Yun-Ju Choi, Advisor
Maria Cunha, Clerk/Secretary
Shamir Rivera-Quintal, Advisor
Vlad Saldaña, Trustee
Sophy Theam, Trustee

Grantmaking: The same evening, the Parker Foundation held their quarterly grantmaking meeting.

  • Nine mini grant applications were received with a total of $64,500 requested.
  • 15 regular grant applications were received with a total of $753,600 requested.

After carefully reviewing and discussing the proposals, the trustees and advisors selected three organizations for mini grant funding and six organizations for regular grant funding with grant commitments totaling $503,500 including two multi-year grants. All projects funded focused on food, shelter, and youth work in Lowell.

This quarter’s grant recipients are:

The Bike Connector, $10,000 for the Earn-Your-Bike program
Community Teamwork, Inc., $250,000 over five years to support the new women’s shelter
Fiesta Borincanas Inc., $7,500 for the annual festival
Green Dragons, Inc., $7,500 to connect kids to wellness programs
Lowell Alliance, $7,500 for diapers
Mass Audubon, $10,000 for the Lowell Leaders in Stewardship program
Mill City Grows, $150,000 over three years for the Local Food for Lowell program
Refuge Art School, Inc., $30,000 for the Refuge Access Fund
Shelter Music Boston, $3,500 for concert programming for immigrants and refugees
YWCA of Lowell, $27,500 for the Restorative Justice Art Project

Multi-year commitments continue for the Merrimack Valley Food Bank, Girls, Inc., Angkor Dance Troupe, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Middlesex Community College Foundation, and Lowell Parks and Conservation Trust.

 

 

TEParker Foundation Press Release 5.13.2025

For Immediate Release Contact: Karen Carpenter
May 15, 2025 President
941.225.3893
karenhansencarpenter@gmail.com

Lisa Tellekson
Foundation Administrator
617.888.2081
info@parkerfoundationlowell.org

Annual Meeting and election of officers: The Theodore Edson Parker Foundation met at their Annual Meeting on April 30, 2025, to elect and re-elect officers, trustees, and advisors who together guide the foundation’s grantmaking to organizations working with the citizens of Lowell. The Parker Foundation paid special tribute to Sophy Theam who has ably served as Clerk/Secretary for over ten years.

Karen Hansen Carpenter, President
Mercy Anampiu, Advisor
DJ Donahue, Treasurer
Yun-Ju Choi, Advisor
Maria Cunha, Clerk/Secretary
Shamir Rivera-Quintal, Advisor
Vlad Saldaña, Trustee
Sophy Theam, Trustee

Grantmaking: The same evening, the Parker Foundation held their quarterly grantmaking meeting.

  • Nine mini grant applications were received with a total of $64,500 requested.
  • 15 regular grant applications were received with a total of $753,600 requested.

After carefully reviewing and discussing the proposals, the trustees and advisors selected three organizations for mini grant funding and six organizations for regular grant funding with grant commitments totaling $503,500 including two multi-year grants. All projects funded focused on food, shelter, and youth work in Lowell.

This quarter’s grant recipients are:

The Bike Connector, $10,000 for the Earn-Your-Bike program
Community Teamwork, Inc., $250,000 over five years to support the new women’s shelter
Fiesta Borincanas Inc., $7,500 for the annual festival
Green Dragons, Inc., $7,500 to connect kids to wellness programs
Lowell Alliance, $7,500 for diapers
Mass Audubon, $10,000 for the Lowell Leaders in Stewardship program
Mill City Grows, $150,000 over three years for the Local Food for Lowell program
Refuge Art School, Inc., $30,000 for the Refuge Access Fund
Shelter Music Boston, $3,500 for concert programming for immigrants and refugees
YWCA of Lowell, $27,500 for the Restorative Justice Art Project

Multi-year commitments continue for the Merrimack Valley Food Bank, Girls, Inc., Angkor Dance Troupe, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Middlesex Community College Foundation, and Lowell Parks and Conservation Trust.

 

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