Dear Neighbor,

Thirty years of service for a community-based organization is something to be proud of and certainly something to celebrate. It hasn't been easy negotiating the economic waves in the last few years, but ABUW is growing both its revenue and donor base. We need to continue to grow to increase our grant making and better serve the growing needs of the Acton-Boxborough community.

Thank you for helping us build a strong and caring community.

Rachel Sagan, ABUW Executive Director and Liz Markiewicz, ABUW President 

 Celebrating 30 Years of Service to the Acton-Boxborough Community

Acton resident Marge Kennedy served on the ABUW Board of Directors and as a donor and volunteer for many years. She spoke recently about the trends she has observed over the years and the importance of giving to help our neighbors. 

Marge, why did you first become involved with ABUW?

I wanted to find out more about the needs in our community, the different agencies providing help to local citizens and the remaining gaps for services.

When did you join the Board of Directors and in what capacity did you serve?

I served on the Board of Directors from 2005 - 2008, as chair of the Outreach Committee in 2007-2008 and on the Budget and Allocations Committee all three years. Anne McNeece and I organized a Volunteer Committee after serving on the Board, so we could elicit help from interested volunteers to do various tasks to assist the Board. 

At an ABUW Forum we identified the need for a local social worker.  As a result, several of us ABUW members with other community representatives asked residents to vote for and fund the hiring of a Social Services Coordinator for the Town of Acton.

Casino Royale 2011 at Powers Gallery

An Evening of Enjoyable Fundraising 

Over 100 guests enjoyed themselves at the Casino Royale fall fundraising event on Saturday, November 5th. All proceeds benefit local residents thanks to the generosity of the ABUW volunteers and the business sponsors you see to the left. Please thank these businesses for their investment in the community.

We greatly appreciate our event host, The Powers Gallery, for once again cheerfully providing an elegant & beautiful venue. 

Casino Royale at Powers Gallery

Fund for Children & Youth

Local Dollars Helping Local People

As part of our 30th Anniversary celebration, the Board of Directors created the Fund for Children and Youth as a vehicle to raise new funds to support the many children and families in need in Acton and Boxborough. The work and grants of ABUW touch children at every stage of their life.

Here are a few examples of your dollars at work thanks to ABUW grants:

• A six-month old is in a safe and educational pre-school through a scholarship fund allowing their parents to maintain their jobs.
• A 2-year old struggling with a speech delay receives critical screening at an early intervention program as well as an appropriate play group to enjoy and build social skills. 
• A six year old girl who lives in the Acton Housing Authority swims at Nara Park through a camp scholarship.
   
• A 10 year old with Autism attends a recreation program during vacation for needed structure allowing his single mother to work.
• A Boxborough woman meets with the teenager who broke into her home. Together, with members of the community, they find a way to repair the harm through mediation.
• An Acton teenager receives emergency legal representation to protect her from a physically abusive boyfriend. 

We are asking you to help grow the Fund so that we can do a better job of meeting the needs of our children. Please consider increasing your gift from last year . . . be it by $30, $300 or $3,000! Whatever the amount, we appreciate all of your support and will keep you posted on the Fund's progress.