November 2007 - Newsletter Top Story 

Another Fun Summer for Lawrence Children        

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2007 may have been a long, hot summer for many, but for children in Greater Lawrence, it was filled with adventure, learning and old-fashion summer fun.  The Greater Lawrence Summer Fund (GLSF) made it happen for over 10,000 children.  From building self-confidence through art at the Essex Art Center to learning to swim at the Lawrence YMCA, kids found many exciting ways to spend their summer vacation.

Children from Greater Lawrence have enjoyed similar summer experiences since 1990.  Modeled after a comparable program in Boston, Betty Beland, former Administrator for the Stevens Foundations in North Andover, created this local version which provides opportunities for children from Lawrence, Methuen, Andover and North Andover each summer.  ECCF has administered the GLSF since 2001. 

ECCF works with the GLSF Advisory Committee to raise funds and to review and award grants to individual agencies. By providing a central funding source, agencies are spared the time consuming effort of soliciting support from multiple sources while donors are provided with information on agencies and their summer programs. Donors have the option of supporting the entire program or designating their donation to their choice of agencies.

Since its inception, the GLSF has raised and granted over $3,000,000 to support summer programming.  In 2007, 43 agencies received over $200,000 in grants from the Fund.

Lawrence is one of the poorest cities in New England with the highest rate of unemployment in Massachusetts.  Many families are without the resources to provide safe, active summer experiences for their children.  The GLSF programs provide opportunities for these children to fill their summer hours with academic, art, recreational, athletic and music enrichment.  Programs combine fun and learning. More importantly, they teach teamwork and help children to develop self-esteem and leadership skills.

With the ongoing success of the GLSF, ECCF receives new proposals each year for programs to serve an even wider cross section of children.  This summer a new project placed high school students behind the lens of a video camera through a program at Movement City in Lawrence.  Students learned about documentary film making, and contributed to the GLSF by writing and producing a video about the history of the Fund.

Pictured in this newsletter are participants in the Lawrence Youth Volunteer Service Corps. The service learning program, operated by the Merrimack Valley Service Corps, connects youth with grass-roots community organizations for volunteer opportunities.  These children are working on a quilt making project with members of the Lawrence Senior Center.

As we look to the summer of 2008, our goal is to increase funding so that more children can benefit summer enrichment in Lawrence.  Please consider the Greater Lawrence Summer Fund when reviewing your charitable giving this year.  

Please view the video or for information about making an on-line donation to the Greater Lawrence Summer Fund.