Refugee & Immigrant Assistance Center (RIAC)

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Donation Total: $100

Cummings Foundation

RIAC awarded $100,000

 Boston nonprofit receives Cummings Foundation grant

Boston, June 3rd, 2019 – Refugee and Immigrant Assistance Center (RIAC) is one of 100 local nonprofits to receive grants of $100,000 each through Cummings Foundation’s “$100K for 100” program. The Boston-based organization was chosen from a total of 574 applicants during a competitive review process.

RIAC is a community-based, non-profit, grassroots human service agency that provides comprehensive services to refugees, asylees, and immigrants. Services provided include refugee resettlement, asylee case management, counseling, outreach and education, and other social services.

Representing RIAC, Executive Director Mariam Gas, and Director of Community Services Naima Agalab joined approximately 300 other guests at a reception at Trade Center 128 in Woburn to celebrate the $10 million infusion into Greater Boston’s nonprofit sector. With the conclusion of this grant cycle, Cummings Foundation has now awarded more than $260 million to Greater Boston nonprofits alone.

“With this grant we will be able to better assist the community we serve. We are very thankful for the Cummings Foundation,” said Mariam Gas, executive director of RIAC.

The grant will support the academic and social development of refugee and immigrant youth through tutoring, community building, leadership development, case work, mental health services, higher education and vocational training guidance.

The $100k for 100 program supports nonprofits that are based in and primarily serve Middlesex, Essex, and Suffolk counties. Through this place-based initiative, Cummings Foundation aims to give back in the area where it owns commercial buildings, all of which are managed, at no cost to the Foundation, by its affiliate Cummings Properties. Founded in 1970 by Bill Cummings, the Woburn-based commercial real estate firm leases and manages 10 million square feet of space, the majority of which exclusively benefits the Foundation.

“By having such a local focus, we aim to make a meaningful positive difference in the communities where our colleagues and leasing clients live and work,” said Joel Swets, Cummings Foundation’s executive director. “We are most grateful for the nonprofit organizations that assist and empower our neighbors, and we are proud to support their efforts.”

This year’s diverse group of grant recipients represents a wide variety of causes, including homelessness prevention, affordable housing, education, violence prevention, and food insecurity. Most of the grants will be paid over two to five years.

The complete list of 100 grant winners is available at www.CummingsFoundation.org.

Cummings Foundation announced an additional $15 million in early May through its Sustaining Grants program. Through these awards, 50 local nonprofits will receive ongoing funding of $20,000 – $50,000 for 10 years.

The history behind Cummings Foundation is detailed in Bill Cummings’ self-written memoir, “Starting Small and Making It Big: An Entrepreneur’s Journey to Billion-Dollar Philanthropist.” It is available on Amazon or cummings.com/book.

About Refugee and Immigrant Assistance Center (RIAC)

RIAC, formerly known as the Somali Women and Children’s Association, was founded in 1993. RIAC is a community-based, non-profit, grassroots human service agency that provides comprehensive services to refugees, asylees, and immigrants as well as the larger community. RIAC offers the following range of services to support successful resettlement and to self-sufficiency: Refugee Resettlement, Post-Resettlement Support Services, Community Education & Outreach, and Counseling Services. Additional information is available at www.riacboston.org.

About Cummings Foundation

Woburn-based Cummings Foundation, Inc. was established in 1986 by Joyce and Bill Cummings. The Foundation directly operates its own charitable subsidiaries, including New Horizons retirement communities in Marlborough and Woburn. Its largest single commitment to date has been to Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. Additional information is available at www.CummingsFoundation.org.

RIAC youth basketball competition on World Refugee Day on 6/22/19
#100Kfor100
RIAC kids on World Refugee Day on 6/22/19 #100Kfor100