News acorns

Educational grants available

The St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lincoln and Weston administers a grant from the Codman Trust to provide need-based scholarships to Lincoln residents. If you or somebody in your family is a student enrolled in any type of formal educational or skills training program and would like to apply, please send an email to svdplincolnweston@gmail.com indicating your interest, need, and type of program. Grants vary in size from under $100 to $2,000 and are offered on a rolling basis depending on the availability of funds.

Donate to challenge grant for domestic violence victims

Due to the pandemic, the Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable (DVR) had to cancel its annual Shower for Shelters fundraiser, and it’s not feasible to collect in-kind donations. Stay-at-home orders, closed schools and camps, and job losses present unique challenges and dangers for families struggling with domestic violence or trying to get free from an abusive relationship. DVR agency partners who deliver direct services say that the demand for services is at historic levels. This increased demand is expected to continue for some time and will exceed normal operating costs for these agencies.

The DVR has received a special donation from a generous donor that will allow it to offer a challenge grant., matching up to $2,500 in new contributions through Labor Day (Sept. 7, 2020). All money raised will be given to DVR agency partners to fund the most urgent needs of their clients during the pandemic. Donations may be made online via the DVR website www.domesticviolenceroundtable.org, or mail checks to:

Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable
P.O. Box 543
Sudbury, MA 01776

Mass Audubon earns top rating from Charity Navigator

For the seventh consecutive year, Lincoln-based Mass Audubon has earned a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, the nation’s largest and most consulted evaluator of charities, recognizing Mass Audubon’s consistent financial health and commitment to accountability. Charity Navigator has placed the state’s largest nature conservation organization within the top 10 percent of the thousands of charities it assesses. Only 7% of the evaluated charities have received at least seven consecutive four-star evaluations.