Downsize for Diversity evolves to raise funds for Boston initiative

After pulling in $170,000 in its earlier incarnation, Downsize for Diversity ART (Anti-Racists Together) is continuing to raise money for METCO in Lincoln in partnership with Boston Bridges Initiative — and the effort made the evening news recently.

From 2017-2022, Downsize for Diversity collected donated items including paintings, furniture, carpets, fine china, linens, dolls, estate jewelry, antiques, and other curiosities and sold them, with the proceeds going to Lincoln’s METCO Coordinating Committee. “I thought it was time to take Downsize for Diversity to another platform to see if it can spread and pollinate in other towns,” said METCO Coordinating Committee (MCC) fundraising chair Joanna Schmergel, who spearheaded DforD. Schmergel now heads up DforD ART, which is a scaled-down version of  DforD that accepts and sells only donated artwork and sculpture. She welcomes anyone who would like to help with or take over that effort, or who’d like help establish a similar fundraising effort in another town.

The Boston Bridges Initiative is a nonprofit that offers grants to programs that foster cross-racial social interaction and understanding between urban and suburban students. Its reach extends beyond the 29 towns that currently participate in METCO. DforD ART has raised $17,000 for the initiative thus far.

Interest from the fund established by the DforD sales covers about 30% of the annual need for financial aid to help METCO-enrolled students attend Lincoln Summer Day Camp, supplemented by other monetary donations. “Last year, applications [for financial aid] were so high that even though we were able to increase our giving amount, we still didn’t fully fund applications for financial aid from METCO-enrolled students,” said MCC President Kristen Ferris.