United Way funds winter coats for families
Families served by Father Bill’s & MainSpring supported by United Way Warmer Winters Fund
[BROCKTON, Mass., March 3, 2022] More than 100 children served by Father Bill’s & MainSpring (FBMS) received brand-new winter coats this season, thanks to the United Way of Greater Plymouth County’s 7th Annual “United Way Warmer Winters Fund.” Since 2015, this initiative has helped over 1,475 children in Greater Plymouth County keep warm during the cold winter months.
The fund was supported this year by generous donations from Beth Israel Deaconess Plymouth, Bluestone Bank, Commonwealth Alternative Care, Good Samaritan Medical Center, Macy’s, McGovern Automotive Group, Target, Whitman Homes, Rosemary Healy, Michael McCarthy, Rick and Maryanne Noll in honor of Walter L. Noll Jr. and Jean T. Noll, Cheryl Showstack, and Dr. Joyce Siogros Pepi.
With funds from the Hurley Trust and with these compassionate donations, United Way was able to allocate $17,450 to help low-income children in Greater Plymouth County, including $3,540 to FBMS.
FBMS utilized the grant funding to purchase winter coats for children served by the agency. FBMS, a regional provider of services to prevent and end homelessness in Southern Massachusetts, provides emergency shelter to more than 200 families per year, including more than 340 children.
“We’re grateful to the United Way of Greater Plymouth County for once again providing comfort and warmth to local children in need during the challenging winter months,” FBMS President & CEO John Yazwinski said.
The funds to purchase coats were also donated to The Arc of Greater Brockton, The Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro South, Brockton Day Nursery, The Family Center at Community Connections of Brockton, Family & Community Resources, Health Imperatives, and the Salvation Army of Brockton.
“As we all know, this year has been extremely challenging for our younger neighbors and we also wanted to increase our efforts this year for our 100th anniversary. We are continually thrilled to see the community come together to support our ‘Warmer Winters’ initiative,” said United Way President & CEO Dennis Carman, “Thanks to our generous donors, we have been able to provide children with 380 new coats this winter.”
To see more photos that will continue to be shared in United Way’s Warmer Winters series, please visit www.facebook.com/uwgpc.
About Father Bill’s & MainSpring
Father Bill’s & MainSpring (FBMS) is the leading provider of services to prevent and end homelessness in Southern Massachusetts. The agency, founded in the early 1980s by a group of interfaith and community leaders, helps more than 5,000 people annually who are experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness. FBMS, a proud partner of the United Way of Greater Plymouth County and the United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit agency with administrative offices in Quincy and Brockton and program offices throughout Southern Massachusetts. For more information, visit www.helpfbms.org.
About United Way of Greater Plymouth County
Established in 1922, United Way of Greater Plymouth County’s mission is “We unite people, ideas and resources to improve the lives of people in Greater Plymouth County to build a stronger community.” United Way envisions a “a safe, healthy, diverse and welcoming community where everyone’s needs are met equitably, respectfully and compassionately” by focusing its resources on addressing the vital and interconnected needs of education, health and income. United Way serves the communities of southeastern Massachusetts, including the city of Brockton and the towns of Abington, Avon, Bridgewater, Carver, Duxbury, East Bridgewater, Easton, Halifax, Hanover, Hanson, Kingston, Lakeville, Marshfield, Middleboro, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Rockland, Stoughton, West Bridgewater, and Whitman www.uwgpc.org.