Agencies and Organizations We Support
Your contribution to the Maynard Community Chest goes to local organizations that provide important human services to Maynard residents in the following categories:
To find out about the organizations we support in each category of services, click on the links below.
» Youth Programs
(services include after-school care, child care, extracurricular activities, preschool programming, mentoring, summer and school vacation programs)
» Family Assistance
(services include legal assistance, support for persons with disabilities, crisis intervention, advocacy and mental health care)
» Food Assistance
(services include groceries and basic supplies on an as-needed basis and community suppers)
» Senior Citizen Programs
(services include social gatherings, help with independent living, adult day care services and counseling)
Youth Programs
The agencies below provide a host of services for children of all ages. Services include preschool, day care, half-day kindergarten, and before and after school programs.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Mass/Metrowest
Website: www.bbbscm.org
484 Main Street, Suite 360, Worcester, MA 01608
(508) 752-7868
Contact:
Christina Fleury, Program Director
Jeffrey Chin, CEO
Big Brother/Big Sister matches at risk youth between the ages of 6 and 13 with an adult mentor to act as a positive adult role model. There is a waiting list for mentors for Maynard youth.
Girl Scouts of America
Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts Council (GSEMA)
Website: www.gsema.org
420 Boylston Street, Suite 505, Boston, MA 02116
(857) 453-5337 or (844) 306-4736
Contact: Robin Elliott, Associate Director of Development
Maynard Girl Scouts
Contact: Joyce Kraley, Maynard Girl Scout Coordinator
Email: Jkraley83@gmail.com
Girl Scouts is an informal educational organization dedicated solely to girls.
Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts serves more than 45,000 girls ages 5-17 and 15,000 adult volunteers in the 178 communities we serve in Eastern Massachusetts.
Girl Scouts Mission: Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place.
In partnership with trained adults, girls develop qualities and skills that will serve them all of their lives.
Boys and Girls Club of Assabet Valley
Website: www.bgcav.org
212 Great Road, Maynard, MA 01754
(978) 461-2871
Contact: Rebecca Lynch, Executive Director
The Boys and Girls Club is open to kids ages 7-17 from all neighborhoods in Maynard, Stow, and surrounding communities. The club is a drop-in youth center with an “open door” policy, providing a wide variety of programs in five core areas: Fitness and Recreation, Education and Career Development, Character and Leadership Development, Health and Life Skills, and The Arts.
The Community School
Website: www.communityschoolmaynard.com
28 Main Street, Maynard, MA 01754
(978) 897-9708
Contact:
Sally Jackson, Executive Director
Peggy Ladd, Assistant Director
Email: communityschool@verizon.net
The Community School is a unique non-profit preschool and day care center providing high quality early education. We believe that every child deserves a safe and joyful childhood in a nurturing and age appropriate environment. The Community School is licensed by Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care and has been providing services for a diverse group of children ages 3-5 from Maynard and the surrounding communities since 1968.
EXCEL: Maynard School Age Child Care
Website: www.excel.maynard.k12.ma.us
5 Tiger Drive, Maynard, MA 01754
(978) 897-8021
Contact: Lois Cohen, Executive Director
Email: lcohen@maynard.k12.ma.us
The Excel Program is a tuition-based before and after school program for children in kindergarten through grade eight, operated under the auspices of Maynard Public Schools.
Family Assistance
There are many situations that families find themselves in where they can benefit from outside help. Agencies in this category provide many services from heating and housing, various types of counseling, and legal services for low income families or individuals.
A Friend in Need
c/o South Acton Congregational Church, 35 School Street, Acton, MA 01720
Contact:
Tina Rzasa
Charlene Twente
A Friend in Need provides one-time financial help per year to families and individuals in the Acton/Boxborough/Maynard area whose circumstances have left them with an immediate need for assistance with necessities such as food, housing or heat. Clergy or social service professionals who know of someone in need should contact them and leave a brief message describing their request. 100 percent of the money received by A Friend in Need goes to help people in need.
MetroWest Legal Services
Web site: www.mwlegal.org
63 Fountain Street, Suite 304, Framingham, MA 01702
(508) 620-1830 phone
(800) 696-1501 phone
(508) 620-2323 fax
Contact: Elizabeth “Betsy” Soule, Executive Director
Email: bsoule@mwlegal.org
MetroWest Legal Services provides free, civil legal representation to low-income people. Typical cases are: victims of domestic abuse with contested family law matters, tenants with eviction cases facing homelessness, children with unmet special education needs, individuals needing help obtaining medical and disability benefits, immigration issues for victims of domestic violence, representing homeless individuals and families to transition into permanent housing, and people transitioning from welfare to work.
Domestic Violence Services of Central Middlesex
Website: http://www.dvsn.org
c/o Concord Police Department, 219 Walden Street, Concord, MA 01742
(978) 318-3441
Help Line: (888) 399-6111
Contact: Jacquelin Apsler, Executive Director
Email: apsler@verizon.net
Domestic Violence Services Network, in partnership with the police departments in Maynard, Acton, Bedford, Boxborough, Carlisle, Concord, Lexington, Lincoln, Stow, and Wayland, Hanscom AFB, the Concord District Court, and volunteer advocates, provides outreach and direct support to victims of domestic violence. The organization also promotes education and programs that build awareness and help to prevent domestic violence.
Eliot Community Human Services, Inc. (The Eliot Center)
Website: www.eliotchs.org
86 Baker Avenue Extension, Suite 100, Concord, MA 01742
(978) 369-1113
Contact: Deborah Garfield, LICSW, Director of Outpatient Services
The Eliot Center in Concord offers outpatient mental health services to children, adolescents, adults and elders. Services include crisis intervention, diagnostic evaluation, individual, couple, family and group therapy, psychopharmacological services, psychological testing, and 24-hour emergency coverage. In addition, our services help Maynard residents obtain additional resources that impact their functioning, such as housing, entitlements, medical or educational services. A multi-disciplinary team of psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, mental health counselors and other professionals provide a full range of clinical and support services resulting in a comprehensive and collaborative approach to mental health treatment. Most insurances are accepted and a sliding fee scale is available.
First Connections, a program of Justice Resource Institute (JRI)
Website: www.firstconnections.org
179 Great Road, Suite 104A, Acton, MA 01720
(978) 429-8284
Contact: Mary Beilman, Program Director
First Connections offers its programs for free or at a low cost. First Connections provides parent education, support groups, playgroups, and a myriad of social activities to connect young families to each other and to their communities.
All Maynard families with children birth through age eight are welcome to take part in the full range of First Connections activities. First Connections works collaboratively with the Maynard Family Association to strengthen the net of parenting support services available to Maynard families.
First Connections is primarily funded through a Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care Coordinated Family and Community Engagement grant.
Minute Man Arc for Human Services, Inc.
Website: www.minutemanarc.org
35 Forest Ridge Road, Concord, MA 01742
(978) 287-7932
Contact:
Stephanie Parish, Chief Development Officer
Jean Goldsberry, CEO
The Minute Man Arc supports people with developmental disabilities throughout their lives.
The Arc strives to promote inclusion in the greater community, to maximize personal choice, and to help individuals reach their full potential in all areas of their lives. They serve more than 1,000 infants, toddlers, children and adults annually.
Dignity in Asylum (DIAS)
Website: www.dignityinasylum.org
P.O. Box 1244, Concord, MA 0174
(978) 201-9590
Contact: Andrea Hewitt, President
Email: dignityinasylum@gmail.com
DIAS was founded to offer free housing and community support to people seeking asylum. Apart from a room for each supported asylum seeker, they also provide daily meals, transportation to lawyers’ and doctors’ appointments, English classes and overall direct, caring and comforting support. Their mission is to provide safe transitional housing and support for asylum seekers, refugees, people who have been granted asylum and unaccompanied minors at risk of homelessness.
Neighbor Brigade
Website: www.neighborbrigade.org
PO Box 735, Maynard, MA 01754
(781) 325-8580
Contact: Polly Mendoza, Executive Director and Maynard Chapter Leader
Email polly@neighborbrigade.org
Neighbor Brigade establishes community-specific networks of volunteers that can be mobilized to help residents facing sudden crisis manage day-to-day tasks such as meal preparation, rides, and basic household chores. Using web-based coordination tools, we manage recipient requests and the recruitment of volunteers to fulfill those requests sensitively, quickly and free of charge.
Food Assistance
Few needs are more basic than the need for food. Thanks to these agencies, families are able to get the help they need when they need it. Services range from assistance with groceries to a night’s meal.
Maynard Food Pantry
Website: www.maynardfoodpantry.com
P.O. Box 55, Maynard, MA 01754 (mailing address)
82 Main Street, Maynard, MA 01754 (physical address)
(978) 764-5279
Contact: Mary Brannelly, Town Coordinator
The Maynard Food Pantry provides food assistance to any individual or family in need. Nonperishable items consisting of canned fruits and vegetables, pasta, baby food, cereals, rice, soups, canned meats, beverages, and health care items are available.
The Pantry is open for shopping on Mondays from 10am to noon. It is stocked through food donations from various Maynard locations, grocery store donations, and food drives throughout the year.
Stow Food Pantry
Website: www.stowfoodpantry.com
PO Box 437, Stow, MA 01775 (mailing address)
Pompo Community Center, 509 Great Road, Stow, MA 01775 (physical address)
(978) 897-4230
Contact: Amanda Bennett, Chairwoman
Email: stowfood@gmail.com
The Stow Food Pantry collects, packs, and distributes food with the help of numerous volunteers. Bags of groceries are distributed twice a month on Fridays.
The Pantry can be helped directly by donating food items in the Food Pantry containers at Star Market and the Stow Post Office. Volunteers are always needed in order to keep the Food Pantry running.
Open Table Maynard
Website: www.opentable.org
PO Box 42, Concord, MA 01742 (mailing address)
33 Main Street, Maynard, MA 01754 (physical address)
(978) 808-4103
Contact: Jeanine Calabria, President
Email: executivedirector@opentable.org
Open Table Maynard offers weekly nutritious community suppers and bags of groceries twice weekly at 33 Main Street, Maynard. The community supper and groceries are open to anyone and everyone – no questions asked.
Open Table’s purpose is to address the hunger that exists in our area and to do this in a manner that respects the privacy and dignity of our guests and provides them with a few moments of respite from their daily challenges. The Open Table is a way to open arms and hearts in the community, share success and gifts, practice values that enhance common humanity and to give and receive kindness.
Gaining Ground
Website: www.gainingground.org
PO Box 374, Concord, MA 01742 (mailing address)
341 Virginia Road Concord, MA 01742 (physical address)
(978) 610-6086
Contact: Amy Capofreddi, Executive Director
Email: office@gaininground.org
Gaining Ground, a nonprofit organic farm in Concord, Massachusetts, grows vegetables and fruit with the help of several thousand community volunteers and donates all of this fresh food to area meal programs and food pantries.
Gaining Ground’s produce donations support to the following organizations: Pine Street Inn (Boston), Boston Area Gleaners, Rosie’s Place (Boston), House of Hope (Lowell), Lowell Transitional Living, Open Table Maynard, Sudbury Food Pantry, Westford Council on Aging, Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry (Ayer), and Bedford Community Table.
Senior Citizens Programs
Elderly citizens and their families find themselves facing a host of challenges. The agencies below assist those individuals by providing services such as adult day care, meals on wheels, money management, legal services, and more.
Cooperative Elder Services, Inc.
Website:www.elderdayservices.com
2352 Main Street, Suite 108, Concord, MA 01742
Contact: Erica Johnson, Executive Director
(781) 863-1166
Contact: Meg Johnson, Outreach Coordinator (Concord)
(781) 863-1166 x104
Provides Adult Day Care, Alzheimer’s Day Care and Social Day Care to frail elders and disabled adults. The Program is aimed at individuals who can benefit from a structured and supervised day time environment and who are at risk for nursing home entry.
The Concord Center provides Adult Day Health and Alzheimer Day Care Services to frail elders and disabled adults who reside in Acton, Concord, Maynard and other surrounding communities.
Minuteman Senior Services
Web site:www.minutemansenior.org
26 Crosby Drive, Bedford, MA 01730
(888) 222-6171
Contact: Kelly Magee-Wright, Executive Director
Agency Contact: Patti Dubielak, Director of Marketing and Development
Minuteman Senior Services diligently works towards a common goal of enabling people to remain as independent as possible given their unique limitations. Minuteman Senior Services has acquired a reputation for excellence in meeting the changing needs of families and individuals coping with the issues of long term care.
Their mission is to help elders and others remain in their own homes safe, comfortable, and independent for as long as they are able, and to support their caregivers as they face the challenges presented by the competing needs of family, work and self.