It was a celebratory atmosphere in the Knights of Columbus Hall on Tuesday evening when the Charlestown Neighborhood Council (CNC) and Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Partnership awarded $100,000 in grants to 18 small community groups.
It was the third year for the Spaulding mitigation money to be distributed, with $100,000 to be given out over a five-year period. That means there are two more years of distributions.
Shelley Mogil of the CNC and Rebecca Kaiser of Spaulding headed up the selection committee – which heard a series of detailed presentations from local non-profits and youth sports programs over the spring months.
Others on the committee included Katie Alitz and James ‘Mac’ MacDougall from the CNC – though all CNC members voted for the awards and their individual votes are posted online at the CNC website for all to see.
Mogil said transparency in the process is very important to the CNC through this five-year grant distribution period.
This year, three organizations received the maximum award of $10,000.
There were also several first-time awardees such as Charlestown Babe Ruth and the Mel Stillman Tennis Center and the Charlestown Nursery School.
The presentations were made in a ceremony prior to the regular CNC meeting on Tuesday night, June 5.
The awardees included:
- Charlestown Boys & Girls Club, $9,196.
- Charlestown Babe Ruth, $4,576.
- Charlestown Girls’ Softball, $5,000.
- Charlestown Little League, $5,000.
- Charlestown Nursery School, $5,000.
- Charlestown Youth Soccer, $5,000.
- Charlestown Working Theatre, $5,000.
- Charlestown YMCA, $5,000.
- Charlestown Youth Football and Cheer, $5,000.
- Charlestown Youth Hockey, $5,000.
- Courageous Sailing Center, $4,850.
- Friends of Mel Stillman Community Tennis Center, $5,000.
- Harvest on Vine Food Pantry, $5,000.
- Gardens For Charlestown, $1,378.
- Kennedy Center, $10,000.
- Special Townies, $10,000.
- Town Track Club, $5,000.
- Warren Prescott Foundation, $5,000.