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Dear Neighbor,
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During the holiday season, you can count on the
Acton-Boxborough United Way to continue to work for those in need in
our community, from infants to teens to elders. With your
support, we can care for our neighbors, together.
If you've already made a contribution to our campaign, thank
you! If you have not, please consider making a contribution
to the ABUW today!
From all of us, Happy Holidays! Your neighbors on the ABUW staff and board
of directors. |
Community
Forum - Agencies Say Needs Continue to
Rise
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The
Acton-Boxborough United Way held a Community Forum on November 4th,
where representatives from 20 non-profit agencies told of struggles
to meet increasing demands for their services while cuts in funding
continue.
Needs for basic services continue to rise. Bob Moore, Pastor of St. Matthew's United
Methodist Church in Acton, noted a dramatic increase in
families coming to the Acton Food
Pantry, housed at the church. The Acton Networkers, a job transition
support group, which meets in the church, has seen its numbers soar
in recent months. Job loss often means the loss of health insurance,
noted Deborah Garfield of Eliot
Community Human Services, and the inability to cover even a
co-payment.
With tough times has come an increase in
substance abuse and depression. Jacquelin Apsler of the Domestic Violence Services Network
said that domestic violence is on the rise, including more reports
of elder abuse.
To read more about this or any of our other
community forums, click here.
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Adopt a Family for the
Holidays
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During the
December holiday season low-income families give the Acton Housing Authority wish lists
for the holidays and the Housing Authority gives the information to
donors.
 If your family, friends, neighbors, religious
community or business would like to adopt a family for the holidays
please e-mail or call Kelley Cronin, Executive Director of the Acton
Housing Authority before December
17th at kelley@actonhousing.net or 978-263-5339
x7.
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Salsa
Night - Spotlight on Sponsors
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Thank
you to all who came and enjoyed our Salsa Night fundraiser on
November 7th!
Thank you also to our business sponsors who
helped cover the cost of the event: CBC Fitness and Wellness Center,
Enterprise Bank, Colonial Spirits, Latin Dance by Jacqueline
Quiñones, Paino Organics and Roche Bros. We asked three of the
event's business sponsors why they decided to make their
contribution.
Armand Chery,
owner of CBC Fitness and Wellness Center on Main Street,
Acton chose to donate to the ABUW because his passion for serving
the local community matches perfectly with the ABUW mission. He
adds, "I believe that the passion for giving does not stop with the
economy being down. People will choose to give to the right
organization for the right cause."
Enterprise Bank sponsored Salsa
Night because their corporate mission statement dovetails with the
ABUW's work. According to Deborah LaPointe, vice president of
Enterprise Bank, "part of [our] mission statement speaks to building
vibrant, prosperous communities. We fulfill that mission by
partnering with and supporting community based non-profit
organizations like the AB United Way. In difficult times like these,
the exceptional work of the AB United Way is needed now more than
ever and it's a pleasure to be a part of it."
Jacqueline Quiñones, a full time
teacher and dance instructor, has a strong concern for children in
need. She appreciates how "the United Way helps remove barriers for
children so they can achieve their potential." She decided to become
a sponsor of the event because she saw it as a great way to support
the community while sharing one of her passions: dance. Jacky's
personal outlook on charity donations applies to many people. "I
think that people who can afford to give are doing so in larger
numbers because they know that many families are struggling to put
food on the table".
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 Give.
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When you give to the Acton-Boxborough United Way, it's an
investment in our community. Click here to
donate securely online, or mail a check to the ABUW at P.O. Box
2258, Acton, MA 01720-6258. |
Participate.
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The local business community has been very supportive of the
work of the Acton-Boxborough United Way over the years. We invite
your business to partner with us to improve the quality of life for
our community. For more information, click here. Our office is in need of some
furniture, including a desk, credenza, a small conference table and
chairs. If you know anyone who would be willing to donate this type
of furniture to our organization, please call our office at
978-263-1777 or email abuw@abuw.org. |
Volunteer.
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 Click here if you
are interested in volunteering your time to work with one of the
many agencies and organizations that serve our
area.
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Get
Help.
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Click here to see
a list of over a dozen organizations that are ready to help Acton
and Boxborough residents.
For a more complete list, click here to see
the ABUW Local Human Services Directory.
Call Massachusetts 2-1-1 or visit www.mass211.org to find assistance for basic
human needs, physical and mental health resources, employment
support, and support for children, families, senior citizens, and
people with disabilities.
Massachusetts 2-1-1 is available 24
hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week. It is free and confidential and is
staffed by trained counselors. Several languages are
spoken.
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