The Link
March 2021
We’re Halfway There!
We are still helping the DEI Committee in its important effort to collect basic demographic information about our membership. Having this data will provide us with strong talking points for the recruitment of new members, especially when our metrics show we are becoming a more diverse group of philanthropists.
Please take a few minutes today to check/update your TPC profile by following these simple steps: Log into TPC’s website, click the “Edit Profile” link, and simply scroll through your data, updating as you go. And thank you. Collecting demographic information from TPC membership is a crucial step toward understanding who we are as an organization, and identifying membership needs as we move into the future.
Upcoming Events and Grantee Needs
Mar 25, 5:30 to 7:00 pm. As part of TPC’s commitment to racial justice and its ongoing racial equity journey, TPC is conducting an internal assessment of its belonging, diversity, equity and inclusion practices, with a specific focus on a racial equity and racial justice. If you identify as Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color, we invite you to take part in a confidential 90-minute listening session where TPC will listen to your feedback and suggestions regarding your experience as a member of TPC. The purpose of this convening is to learn about how TPC and its programming and operations can better support and meet the needs of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) members. Register today.
Apr 1 through Apr 21. We are very excited to extend an invitation for you to join other TPC members as we participate in our next 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge. The Challenge offers participants a self-guided learning journey to examine the history and impacts of racism and other structural inequities. The Challenge will deepen our collective learning about and commitment to racial equity. Read about why TPC thinks diversity, equity, and inclusion matter.
Apr 8, 5:30 to 7:00 pm. Join us virtually at the Science Club for Girls 2021 Catalyst Awards (please see Member Impact section for details).
Fathers’ Uplift. When a man enters prison the experience directly impacts his identity and separates him from his role as a father. Upon release from prison, fathers only get a small plastic bag to take with them. Bags for Dads provides fathers with basic toiletries and other items packed inside a sturdy duffel bag so they leave with the fundamentals and dignity, encouraged that someone cares and is helping them to be a successful parent after release. You can help by donating to this initiative. Once enough supplies are collected, TPC will hold a Packing Day to assemble duffle bags this spring.
Project Citizenship. Looking for ways to help from the comfort and safety of home? Project Citizenship is looking for volunteers to hand write thank you notes. Volunteers will receive all the materials and wording needed to let donors know the impact of their gifts. Contact Volunteer Coordinator Leslie to sign up.
Grantee Impact: Boston HERC
Liaisons: Lina Cañon and Elizabeth Ruscitto
Boston Higher Education Resource Center (HERC) is a Latinx-led program that aims to close the opportunity gap for first-generation youth of color by encouraging them to pursue post-secondary education and providing them with the skills and motivation to become agents of change in their communities. HERC’s motto for each student is “Destination: Greatness.” (Read more…)
Member Impact: Volunteers Galore!
Despite the pandemic, and even more so because of the pandemic, our grantees continue to serve people in need and TPC members continue to help by volunteering. Both we and our grantees are grateful for the following, a snapshot of some of our members’ activities.
GreenRoots. On one of the coldest Saturdays in January, Brooke McKenna and Osa Osamagbe spent the morning in Chelsea distributing PPE and wellness kits to local residents. Says Brooke, pictured in her bundled up best, “It was a great event and I was so happy to be a part of it. It also inspired me to brush up on my Spanish so I can be of more help next time!” From Osa, “So glad that I was able to help in some small way. Y’all are doing important work and that was validated by the flood of responses and gratitude from your community members. Looking forward to connecting again, hopefully soon! Be well and stay warm!”
Neighbors in Need. Amber Gomes, Mary Laplante, Laura Strong (and her high-school-aged son), and Josephine Bottone worked in the Andover warehouse packing groceries for delivery to residents in need. Robin Gilbert has been a steady volunteer, packing diapers every Tuesday since last September. Mary tells us, “This is a good volunteer opportunity when it comes up. I’m always happy to sign up.” Adding her agreement, Josephine notes, “The work was meaningful to the mission of the organization and I would definitely volunteer again.”
Science Club for Girls. Though packing STEM kits was cancelled due to snow on the days Vera Wolowodiuk and Carol Rosensweig signed up, Laura Strong was able to make her shift. Not only did Laura prove a capable assembly line worker with a strong back, she also volunteered to help SCFG form a marketing plan for its upcoming Catalyst Awards, which will be held on Thursday, April 8 from 5:30 to 7:00 pm. Now, SCFG would like to invite you to help support this effort.
Did you know that less than 26% of the STEM workforce are women? And less than 4% of U.S. scientists and engineers are Black or Hispanic women. It’s 2021, and times are changing – but not fast enough. A large part of the problem is resources, support, and structure for young women from underserved communities to cultivate an interest and persistence in STEM. But thanks to Science Club for Girls, they have a chance, against the odds, to succeed.
One of TPC’s strategic objectives is to increase exposure of the work of our grantees among our members. To that end, we’re sharing a way you can learn more about the Cambridge-based organization proven to make a real difference in helping young girls interested in STEM ladder successfully from elementary school through high school, college, and eventually to a career in STEM. Join us virtually at the Science Club for Girls 2021 Catalyst Awards on Thursday, April 8 from 5:30 to 7:00 pm. Hear from participating girls, see SCFG in action, and network with members of the community – your community. Tickets are free, or you can make a small donation.
You can learn more about SCFG, donate, or register here. To help spread the word about this exciting event, please:
1. Follow Science Club for Girls on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
2. Click the “Like” button on posts featuring the Catalyst Awards event.
3. Click the “Share” button to reshare with your network.
4. Send the information about the Catalyst Awards to your friends or colleagues employed in STEM occupations.
DEI Spotlight
Diversity | Equity | Inclusion
Have you noticed? There have been big changes to TPC’s “Why Diversity, Inclusion, and Racial Equity Matter” page on the website. This page serves as a resource to all members, but also introduces the larger community to some of the ways in which TPC is learning, growing, and working. We hope you find the page useful and informative.
Speaking of useful and informative, have you filled out your membership profile recently? New demographic questions have been added because having demographic information from TPC membership is a crucial step toward understanding who we are as an organization and identifying membership needs as we move into the future. To update your profile log in at the member portal and look for the link to “Edit Profile.”
Finally, in honor of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, we would like to share the following resources:
Op-ed: Just as in the Civil Rights Movement, Black Women are Leading the Way in Today’s Social Justice Activism, Tafeni English, Director of SPLC’s Civil Rights Memorial Center
Article: Here are 6 Women to Remember, Gabriela Thorne, The Nation’s 2017-2018 Writing Fellow
Virtual Tours: National Women’s History Museum
Want to share feedback, ideas or opinions about TPC’s ongoing DEI work? Please email the DEI Committee directly at: Diversity@