Big Y Impact Book 2023

2023

Impact Stories AS TOLD BY NONPROFITS of the Big Y Community Bag Program

Table of Contents Supporting equine care ......................................................................................................................................... 1

A community's fight against breast cancer ....................................................................................................... 7

Nurturing & celebrating the creativity of people with disabilities .......................................................................................................................................... 13

Dedicated to the promotion of locally grown, organic produce ......................................................................................................................................... 19

Funding new research & treatment for breast cancer one sweet treat at a time ............................................................................................................. 27

Every Act of Kindness Makes a Difference At PS It Matters, we believe everyday choices add up. By giving shoppers an easy way to make a difference, the Bags 4 My Cause and Bloomin’ 4 Good Programs have generated more than $10.6 million in donations to over 42,000 nonprofit organizations since inception in 2011. This year alone, these two initiatives have donated over $2,000,000 to more than 17,800 nonprofits.

To illustrate the meaning behind these numbers, our Nonprofit Engagement Team began conducting interviews with benefiting nonprofits in 2021. The resulting Impact Stories showcase the immense value of our partnership better than any facts or figures ever could. These stories highlight the multifaceted ways nonprofits contribute to their communities and how they have furthered their impact through the Big Y Community Bag Program.

Enclosed in this book are the stories of five nonprofits Big Y supported this year. To hear from more nonprofits, visit the Big Y Program Website: bigy.2givelocal.com/stories.

It is through Big Y’s dedication to creating a positive impact that, together, we are able to spark meaningful change. We sincerely value your partnership and look forward to continuing this inspiring work in 2024. Thank you for joining us in believing that every act of kindness makes a difference, no matter how small. We appreciate your commitment to supporting local nonprofits and strengthening the communities we call home.

01

Supporting equine care.

BEECH BROOK FARM Through grants and fundraising, Beech Brook Farm’s goal is to provide funds in support of equine care and rescue efforts. They educate and advise on the safe and loving treatment of horses, donkeys and mini mules. Big Y has supported this nonprofit organization through its Community Bag Program.

Tell us about Beech Brook Farm Equine Rescue.

Beech Brook Farm was founded in 2007. We aim to save equines from neglect and abusive situations and transition them to loving homes forever. Since our inception, we have taken in about 185 horses, donkeys and minis mules and have placed around 170 of them in forever homes.

How we go about doing this has changed since the beginning.

For the past 15 years, we had what I’ll call a boots-on-theground facility where we rescued and brought in horses and then found their adoptive homes.

About a year and a half ago, we changed our approach to helping horses. Part of this change in how we operate was due to my diagnosis of esophageal cancer. Surgery and treatments presented a real challenge in our operation. I had been on call and available at the barn 24/7, and that just wasn’t possible anymore; we had to change things. Now we are providing grants to other rescues and individuals who may have lost their job or are struggling to be able to care for their equine.

We provide assistance to help them find new homes for their equines if they can no longer keep them. We also continue to support six rescue horses. These horses are a bit older and unrideable due to injuries, so we couldn’t find them homes.

What services do you provide to the community?

As I alluded to, we provide grants to other rescues and individuals to help them ensure that their horses won’t end up in the wrong places: refer to the grants tab on our website, beechbrookfarm.com. We also educate people about the risks of giving away a horse for free. They could end up in a bad situation with little to no care. And then we continue to support the rescue horses we’ve saved and provide care for the rest of their lives, as long as they have a quality life.

We also educate people about the risks of giving away a horse for free. They could end up in a bad situation with little to no care.

We’ve got one mare that’s still kicking at 28, which is terrific considering the life expectancy of a regular horse is about 22 to 23 years old. While actively taking in animals, we rescued about 185 horses, donkeys and mini mules. And this range of equines has a life expectancy of 20 to 40 years, depending on their size.

Beech Brook Farm has evolved to continue supporting those six animals and to provide grants for vet bills and farrier expenses. We are still here to provide safe and loving care for the equines.

02

What sets you apart from other nonprofits in your community?

As a nonprofit that provides grants, we’re very responsive. I respond to every single email and phone call that comes in within about 48 hours. It is essential to have a sense of urgency in responding to people that reach out to us because it’s emotional for an owner trying to find a new home for their horse they can no longer keep. As a small organization, we can respond quickly to needs. That attention and willingness to work with people really set us apart.

It is essential to have a sense of urgency in responding to people that reach out to us because it’s emotional for an owner trying to find a new home for their horse they can no longer keep.

03

Tell us a story that illustrates the good work of your organization.

One story that comes to mind is when we rescued a little mini mare and her four-month-old colt from an auction.

When we rescued her, we didn’t realize we were rescuing three; unbeknownst to us, she was pregnant at the time, so ultimately, after she had the baby, we saved three lives.

They have all now been adopted and have beautiful homes. One is being used in therapy with children, which is a really lovely service for our rescues to end up in. Several of our mini horses have become therapy animals and are used in healing therapy. It’s heartwarming to see that the horses can go on to help children and adults in positive social and emotional ways.

04

What is your most outstanding achievement or contribution to the community?

Our rescue has evolved over time; in the beginning, we had classes for teens in need. Our program enabled them to come and interact with the horses, though they didn’t ride. We did this for several years, and some of those teens have now gone on to vet school.

There were many benefits for teens living in difficult situations with a lot of anger and other issues. You can’t work around horses if you’re angry; they will sense that energy.

I think that this program was something that really had an impact on many of the youths in our local community. It helped them grow and develop. There were many benefits for teens living in difficult situations with a lot of anger and other issues. You can’t work around horses if you’re angry; they will sense that energy.

So the program helped them learn different ways to cope and interact. We also served some young people that were on the autism spectrum. We are proud of this facet of what we’ve done. And we know it helped many teens grow into wellrounded adults.

05

What do you want people to know about Beech Brook Farm Equine Rescue?

The most important thing is that even though we don’t have a boots-on-the-ground facility, we still need donations because we continue supporting horses through our work.

In the last year, we’ve given out several thousands of dollars worth of grants and have helped many horses through our offerings. We need donations to keep doing our work and support the horses we still have in our care.

How are you using the funds you’ve received from the Big Y Community Bag Program?

These funds go primarily to vet bills and upkeep for horses in our care. Occasionally one of our adopters will reach out to us with a huge vet bill that’s a bit challenging for them to cover. And because that was one of our rescues, we want to help support the horse if we can through our grant program, particularly for unusual veterinary expenses. It’s unbelievable how expensive things can be for a horse.

Is there anything you would like to add?

One other thing that Beech Brook Farm does is have a blanket bank. We provide horse blankets for free to anyone who needs to ensure their horse stays warm in the winter but might not be able to afford one. We’ve got quite an inventory of horse blankets. People will send us applications for a blanket, and they can either pick it up if they are local, or we’ll mail it to them at the cost of shipping. They are new or gently used, and all are in excellent condition. If you look on our webpage, there’s a link to fill out an application for the horse blanket bank.

Deborah Finco is the President of Beech Brook Farm.

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02 A community's fight against breast cancer.

SEYMOUR PINK Through fundraising efforts, Seymour Pink’s goal is to fund breast cancer research, provide education and empower and assist breast cancer victims and their families. Big Y has supported this nonprofit organization through its Community Bag Program.

Tell us about Seymour Pink.

Seymour Pink’s mission is to unite a community in the fight against breast cancer. The official birth of the organization was back in 2009. Our founder, Mary Deming, set out on a mission to be the highest fundraiser for the Susan G. Komen three-day walk that was being held in Boston that year.

Mary and her husband were both Seymour High School Educators and well-known in the community. She started raising funds and doing all sorts of different activities.

Everyone wanted to help support her endeavor. That fall, our town declared a Seymour Pink Day, an excellent play on words. People put up pink decorations and wore pink clothing.

It was a perfect way to spread awareness about breast cancer.

One of the first annual fundraisers, a pasta dinner, began that year. Then, in the spring of 2010, we became a 501c3 nonprofit, and though we remain a grassroots nonprofit, things skyrocketed from the start.

On a personal note, I say the idea for Seymour Pink started in 2006. I was a senior in high school in Mrs. Deming’s anatomy class, and we were learning about the cardiovascular system.

Her mother had passed from breast cancer, and we did a fundraiser at the local gym to raise money. We called the event Seymour Pink; let’s see more pink and spread awareness. This was years before it truly became an organization. As a past student of our founder, it is lovely to say I was a part of the organization’s very beginnings.

What services do you provide to the community?

We support patients with breast cancer in a variety of ways. We are providing comfort baskets for those in treatment. They are made by one of our board members and put together with purchased or donated items like comfy socks, hats or journals to give them something to brighten their day.

Seymour Pink offers emotional support and connections to other organizations or medical healthcare facilities— much of what we provide centers around relationships, resources and education. Many women come to us saying, what do you do if you get diagnosed with breast cancer?

Where do you go? We help individuals navigate their diagnoses.

Many women come to us saying, what do you do if you get diagnosed with breast cancer?

Where do you go?

The biggest thing that we do is financial support. We are paying directly to the providers, and it’s for necessities like mortgage payments, health insurance payments, medical doctor’s bills and utility expenses. Our organization is very blessed to be a recipient of several donations that allow us to give back even more. We genuinely believe that if we can ease the burden of somebody’s debt, they can focus more on their treatment and recovery.

Another incredible thing we do is a scholarship program for college-bound students affected in some way by breast cancer. Seymour Pink tries to support the whole family if we can.

08

What sets you apart from other nonprofits in your community?

We are a hundred percent volunteer organization. Every dollar goes directly back to our mission, and the funding stays local. As of 2023, we are supporting 42 towns in Connecticut, and that keeps growing.

What sets us apart and has made us so successful is that people believe that when they give to us, their money gets turned around to somebody who needs it. And it’s staying local, which is of enormous importance to us.

Every dollar goes directly back to our mission, and the funding stays local.

Tell us a story that illustrates the good work of your organization.

Throughout our history, we’ve made contributions to local healthcare and medical organizations. We recently partnered with the Hewitt Center for Breast Wellness at Griffin Hospital to provide yearly Bella Blankets for all their mammograms.

Bella Blankets are a one-time-use sheet that looks like a soft square of wallpaper.

These blankets prevent a woman from having to put her breasts on a cold hard surface, and she gets a little peace of mind that she is going onto something completely sanitary. It’s soft, and you won’t stick to the surface. And the best part about it is that the Bella Blanket material helps get a better image and can result in higher detection rates.

Seymour Pink is proud to help offer comfort and overall better medical outcomes. Last year we provided 11,000 Bella Blankets for patients in our local community. This effort is one great way we provide for our community. Ultimately everything is about educating people, promoting awareness and ensuring people get early detection.

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10

What is your most outstanding achievement or contribution to the community?

It’s incredible to see how it’s grown from 300 participants to what it is now. The event has grown so much, and it’s a great way to get everybody together in a positive way.

We are proud of all the fundraising events hosted yearly.

These include a Pink Night to Remember, which happens every March. The original pasta dinner is still going strong in April—a golf tournament in June. And our Seymour Pink Day has continued to be around for the last 15 years.

Our 5k is notably our most significant event that brings the community together. It started in 2011, so this year will be our 12th annual race. The first year there were about 300 locals that participated, and we barely had a starting line. Now we have nearly 3000 walkers and runners partaking. The public works department in town will paint all the street lines pink.

They put pink ribbons in the street, and we have banners hung throughout the town. Organizations and businesses get involved, and everybody comes together on the first Saturday in October. It’s a great way to get the whole community together to honor survivors and remember those who unfortunately have passed.

What do you want people to know about Seymour Pink?

Seymour Pink is all volunteers, and all the funding goes back to the community, which is essential for people to know. For any event or fundraiser, we have many different communities come together and inquire about how to get involved and support Seymour Pink. Spreading the word and ensuring that people know our services are available is necessary.

Our local community is so supportive of our cause. Over the years, many towns have generated fundraising for Seymour Pink. Last weekend there was a weightlifting competition in a gym in Watertown, Connecticut, to promote awareness about Seymour Pink. We have a tennis tournament that goes on in Middlebury every October. The North Haven High School made a penny war.

Another town has this crazy event in the summer where men in pink tutus race on a slip-and-slide to raise money for us. All these fun and creative ideas weren’t imaginable back when we started, but people want to give back.

Growing our territory and helping more individuals is an important message for us. It’s getting increasingly harder to find somebody who does not personally know an individual who’s had breast cancer. We want to get the word out about what we do and inform people that we are here to support them.

Growing our territory and helping more individuals is an important message for us.

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How are you using the funds you’ve received from the Big Y Community Bag Program?

The funds raised from the Big Y Community Bag Program primarily go towards continuing to help us fulfill our mission and support our patients financially. These funds, along with all our events and fundraisers, allow us to expand our territory and increase the scholarships and financial support we can give.

Is there anything you would like to add?

Our founder always says; we want to go out of business. Ideally, nobody would need our services because nobody is getting told you have breast cancer. But until that day comes, we will continue to spread awareness and support to those patients and their families. Anybody interested in more information about the organization can visit our website at www.seymourpink.com.

Christine Conroy is the Website and Media Coordinator at Seymour Pink.

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03

Nurturing & celebrating the creativity of people with disabilities.

COMMUNITY ACCESS TO THE ARTS For 30 years, Community Access to the Arts has brought inclusive arts programs to people with a range of disabilities. Above, CATA artist Dan performs a scene from Shakespeare in CATA’s Annual Performance (photo by Christina Lane). Big Y has supported this nonprofit organization through its Community Bag Program.

Tell us about Community Access to the Arts.

Community Access to the Arts (CATA) was founded in 1993 by dance therapist Sandra Newman. She saw the way in which people with disabilities were historically excluded from social life and particularly from the arts. Sandy, as a dancer and artist, saw an opportunity not only to bring the arts to people with disabilities but also to use the arts to connect people with disabilities with the wider community. So, she started with one arts workshop, and it just grew. Here we are 30 years later, providing a phenomenal 1,800 workshops to 800 people with disabilities every year.

CATA provides inclusive arts programs in a dozen different art forms, including dance, visual arts, painting, drawing, creative writing, juggling, yoga, acting, drumming and singing.

What services do you provide to the community?

Our mission is to nurture and celebrate the creativity of people with disabilities. CATA provides inclusive arts programs in a dozen different art forms, including dance, visual arts, painting, drawing, creative writing, juggling, yoga, acting, drumming and singing. And these programs are specifically geared towards people with a range of disabilities, including people with developmental and intellectual disabilities, survivors of traumatic and acquired brain injuries, students in special education programs and elders with Alzheimer’s and dementia.

As I mentioned, every year, we provide 1,800 workshops to more than 800 people across the Berkshires. So, we have dance and visual arts studios here in Great Barrington, but we also provide programs all throughout Berkshire County (Massachusetts) and also in Columbia County (New York) as well.

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What sets you apart from other nonprofits in your community?

Tell us a story that illustrates the good work of your organization.

What sets us apart from other nonprofits is something that’s really essential to CATA’S work, which is our partnerships. We can’t reach 800 people alone.

I have been trying to think of something that really illustrates CATA’s mission, and I just keep coming back to one particular program that we provide amongst a dozen different art forms and that is, an adaptive painting program. When we first started offering this program many years ago, it was really geared towards artists with significant physical disabilities who may not be able to hold a paintbrush or have the dexterity to apply it to the canvas.

We’re a small staff, and we have 25 teaching artists. But what’s really essential is the partnerships that we have, and we work with 50 different organizations, throughout the Berkshires and in Columbia County, that serve people with disabilities including day programs, schools, nursing homes and social service agencies. It’s how we can reach as many people as we do. And so, we send out our professional teaching artists throughout the community to reach people where they are.

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CATA took trainings in a very specific program called Artistic Realization Technologies, or ART. It’s a one-on-one adaptive program where the artist often uses a laser pointer that might be attached to their forehead or to their wrist. And they work one-on-one with an assistant who is serving as the artist’s hands at the canvas.

It’s a very slow, methodical process where the artist is using the laser pointer to show the assistant exactly where on the canvas to apply the brush. And they’re making all of the creative decisions about the size of the paintbrush, the size and orientation of the canvas, every color and every tone.

This program speaks to CATA’s mission of making art an accessible opportunity for every person. And we have artists who have been using that art form for over 10 years and who have become prolific artists who may never have had that opportunity before and have such a gift inside of them. Without this program they may never have had that opportunity.

16

What is your most outstanding achievement or contribution to the community?

What do you want people to know about CATA?

This program speaks to CATA’s mission of making art an accessible opportunity for every person.

CATA is truly an organization that is for the community, by the community. We’ve continued to grow from that one small arts workshop in 1993 and continued to thrive because our community has said that this is an organization that’s important and that it represents the values that we want to instill in our community.

CATA’s mission is really twofold. We’ve talked a lot about CATA’s programs or workshops for artists with disabilities. But it’s also about bringing the talents of our artists out into the community and bringing our community in.

We partner with several local cultural organizations including the Clark Art Institute and other major cultural institutions to put on performances and art exhibits that present the work of our arts to a wide community. It’s really about bringing everyone together to hear each other’s perspectives and just to bask in each other’s talent.

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And CATA work is really only possible because of donations and because of the generosity of individuals and businesses in our community, including Big Y. Our work is about 87% funded by donations. It’s a testament to the spirit of inclusion that our community believes in.

CATA is truly an organization that is for the community, by the community.

How are you using the funds you’ve received from the Big Y Community Bag Program?

The funds have supported CATA’s inclusive arts workshops for people with disabilities. Our programs continue to grow, and particularly since the pandemic, demand for CATA’s programs has only grown. The pandemic was a hard time for many people with disabilities, and CATA was there for our community when they needed us. I think people have really relied on CATA’s programs to connect with one another, find joy and express themselves. Big Y’s contribution helped us continue growing our programs and provide them when people are asking for them more and more.

Chris Watford is the Communications Director of Community Access to the Arts (CATA). (Photo by David McIntyre_Chronogram)

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04

Dedicated to the promotion of locally grown, organic produce.

BRANFORD COMMUNITY GARDENS The Branford Community Gardens supports gardeners of all levels. They share their experiences and expertise. And, of course, enjoy and share the produce. Big Y has supported this nonprofit organization through its Community Bag Program.

Tell us about the Branford Community Gardens.

The mission of Branford Community Gardens is to provide Branford residents with access to gardening plots for their personal use. Additionally, we help those in need in our community by offering them organically grown produce at the local food pantry and soup kitchen.

After the economic downturn in 2008, several people in Branford got together, forming a group called Neighbors Helping Neighbors. Connie Drysdale was a member of this group, and she suggested starting a community garden in Branford. She got the word out by contacting the head of the school board, the Branford Recreation Department and the Garden Club.

I was a member of the Garden Club at the time. When this endeavor was announced, I distinctly remember saying, “I don’t want just to help out; I want to be a part of this.” I came on as the Horticultural Advisor. We also had a retired lawyer helping us, which was terrific because she could handle the paperwork to set up the not-for-profit. So, between the head of the school board and the recreation department, they figured out where the property was available, with full sun and access to water. We did some fundraising, and the town helped lay out the footprint. It all came together, and we had our local garden!

There was a synergy of different people from the community who helped. A local farmer plowed the area for the plots. With Connie’s leadership, we got together and managed to make it happen. We started growing in 2009, and we’ve been growing ever since then.

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What services do you provide to the community?

The garden is great for community members new to gardening who need help and advice.

We provide space for Branford residents to garden. Maybe your house has a yard that is too shady, or you live in a condo or an apartment, or you want to be a part of a community. The garden is great for community members new to gardening who need help and advice. We get people with all ranges of experience. This service provides guidance in a community space.

The other service we provide is growing organic produce to donate to the Community Dining Room (CDR) in Branford; this is the soup kitchen where they serve lunch and dinner. We also donate produce to the Branford Food Pantry (BFP), which gives out fresh produce and canned goods.

Within the Community Gardens, there is an all-volunteer effort on a 20” x 50” plot called the Seed, Weed, and Feed Program (SWF). These volunteers are Branford residents, community gardeners and Branford Garden Club members who know about the garden and want to get their hands dirty. For this plot, we start planting in early April and typically harvest until the end of October. A few times a year, we have work parties where I call these volunteers to the garden. They put down wood chips between the SWF beds, weed and plant seedlings. Then a couple of times a week during the growing season, we harvest and take the produce to donate. Our team has been doing this since 2009.

We also fundraise in May by having a seedling sale and in September by having a produce sale. For the May sale, we give our selection of seeds to Vaiuso Farms, a grower with greenhouses in Branford. They kindly take our seeds and plant them, and then we transplant the seedlings to sell. Several of us within the garden also start seedlings at our own homes. We have growing lights and heating mats. Those seedlings also go to the sale, which happens on the town green. This is an opportunity for people in the community to get seedlings they can’t get anywhere else.

For example, the pandemic put a kibosh on these sales. Last year, when we came back to the green, a man came up to me and said, “I’m so glad to see you back. Before the pandemic, I would come here and buy husk cherry seedlings. I started growing them for my kids, and they love them. But I couldn’t get them anywhere when the sale didn’t happen. I’m so glad you’re back again!” (A husk cherry is a fruit in the same family as a tomato and a tomatillo. Their flavor description is like a pineapple Lifesaver candy.)

The September sale is in conjunction with the Branford Arts and Cultural Alliance. They have a craft fair on the Branford green. Like a mini farmers’ market, we sell organically grown produce from the community garden and flowers arranged by Branford Garden Club members at reasonable prices. We also have several fall seedling selections for sale because one thing people run into is if they’d like to plant lettuce or escarole in the fall, they can’t get the seedlings from most garden centers after the spring season. So we provide people with plants for the fall.

For me, it’s very heartwarming to offer something unique that people enjoy; there’s a novelty factor. It’s great to encourage people to try something new; we have seedlings you aren’t going to find anywhere else. Also, our prices are very practical because, for both these fundraisers, we need to sell out in one day. Yes, they’re fundraisers, but it’s also an excellent service to the community, and people come from all over.

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What sets you apart from other nonprofits in your community?

Locally, we’re the only one. There is no other community garden in Branford.

People do talk at times about trying to start another community garden. They come to us and ask questions. We let them know they need full sun and access to water, which is tricky to find.

Most times, it doesn’t work out for that reason.

Tell us a story that illustrates the good work of your organization.

I distinctly remember a few years ago, when I went into the Community Dining Room with our donation, I had eight or ten heads of cabbage. The woman there could have hugged me because when she pulled open the refrigerator that day, there was one head of cabbage and no fresh produce for them. That excitement was so heartening.

There was one day this summer as well. I went in, and the director of the Community Dining Room saw me and said, “You just made my day. I needed salads for 100 people at five o’clock today, and I didn’t have the produce. But now, here it is.” It’s such a reward to provide necessary food for people in need.

Another significant time for us was during the pandemic; the garden was a place to go. Any number of people could be outside and socialize safely. Even with the seed shortages, due to everyone staying home and gardening, people thought the community garden was a safe outlet to socialize. By nature, the garden was even more critical to the community.

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What is your most outstanding achievement or contribution to the community?

We are very proud of the Seed, Weed, and Feed Program. It’s been going on since our start. And each year, we are honored to provide produce to those in need.

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What do you want people to know about the Branford Community Gardens?

We welcome new and experienced gardeners. You must be a Branford resident, but any community member can join our waitlist; it’s about 17 people. We have some people who have been with us since we started, and from year to year, we typically have a turnover of zero to three garden plots.

We welcome new and experienced gardeners.

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How are you using the funds you’ve received from the Big Y Community Bag Program?

These funds go to pay the insurance or the water bill. We also use funds like this to buy new tools, fertilizers, seeds and supplies for the Seed, Weed, and Feed Program.

We need money to keep the program going. And then, during the pandemic, we couldn’t run the fundraisers. It was more challenging. When we received money from the Big Y Community Bag program, we would say, “Oh, this is nice. How great!” It’s an excellent extra supplement

Is there anything you’d like to add?

If community members want to get their names on the waitlist, they can visit our website at branfordctgardens.org. There’s a form to fill out and send in. We welcome any Branford resident who is interested in organically growing their own produce.

Malaine Trecoske is the Vice President of the Branford Community Gardens.

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05

Funding new research & treatment for breast cancer, one sweet treat at a time.

BAKES FOR BREAST CANCER This nonprofit organization takes a very unique approach to fundraising for breast cancer research and treatment. Big Y has supported Bakes for Breast Cancer through its Community Bag Program.

Tell us about Bakes for Breast Cancer.

Our mission is to end breast cancer by funding cancer prevention and treatment research. The money we raise enables oncologists to start their research.

Bakes for Breast Cancer grew out of our predecessor nonprofit organization, The Eva Brownman Breast Cancer Fund at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, founded in 1990. Having lost my mother to breast cancer when I was 16, I dedicated myself to fundraising for breast cancer research and have been doing that for 30 years.

I wanted to do something that fit into people’s lives, where anyone across any socio-economic demographic could make a difference.

Initially, we would do black tie events and fashion shows, very traditional forms of fundraising. But then someone challenged me to come up with a new event, and I always thought of baking with my mother as being something special. Plus, I was always interested in desserts. I wanted to do something that fit into people’s lives, where anyone across any socio-economic demographic could make a difference.

We started as Boston Bakes for Breast Cancer in 1999 and evolved into Bakes for Breast Cancer when we expanded beyond Boston. We now have week-long events across Massachusetts, Cape Code & Islands and Rhode Island. Beginning in 2023, we will include Connecticut, Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire.

What services do you provide to the community?

Bakes for Breast Cancer funds bridge grants to dedicated oncologists at the earliest stages of clinical research. A bridge grant is the first grant a researcher gets before they can attract more substantial funding. Our medical advisory board determines where our funding will go.

There’s no question that there has been a lot of progress, but our job is not done. We won’t put our feet up anytime soon, I’m afraid.

For example, we provided the seed money for Tamoxifen, a drug used to treat breast cancer in men and women. As another example, we are currently funding a clinical trial with Dr. Rachel Freedman at Dana-Farber, and we will continue to fund her work with older women. Breast cancer research in women 70+ is the most underfunded age group, even as they face worse outcomes than their younger counterparts.

As a child growing up, I thought science would have all the answers by the time I was older. There’s no question that there has been a lot of progress, but our job is not done. We won’t put our feet up anytime soon, I’m afraid.

During the weeks of our events, participating restaurants, bakeries, cafes, chocolatiers, sweet shops and grocery stores donate a portion of their dessert sales to Bakes for Breast Cancer. You go into any participating business, buy a dessert and the money you spend on the dessert goes to breast cancer research.

We rely on volunteers. They are the backbone of our organization, and we believe that everyone makes a difference.

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What sets you apart from other nonprofits in your community?

What we’re doing is a very unusual approach to fundraising. I just felt that dessert is the last thing you remember from what you eat. And it always leaves you with a sweet taste.

Tell us a story that illustrates the good work of your organization.

What we are doing really resonates with people. Many years ago, I bumped into a woman at a bakery during one of our events. Our signs were on this bakery’s counter, and she said, not knowing who I was, “This is the most amazing thing.” She was a breast cancer survivor. Now she and other survivors go out together during our event week and try someplace they haven’t been so they can buy a dessert. It’s very special to her, very meaningful and very personal. You don’t know who you will touch with something that you create.

Then there was a post on Instagram. A woman shared a dessert she was having at the restaurant Ostra in Boston last year. She was a breast cancer survivor with a daughter in college who then commented on the post. It was a full connection for what she and her daughter experienced as she went through breast cancer.

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What is your most outstanding achievement or contribution to the community?

That’s hard to say; maybe it’s still to come. You don’t know what the next research is going to do and the difference it’s going to make. Will it be from Dr. Goel’s research on why immunotherapy didn’t work on breast cancer as well as it did on other cancers? Will it be from Dana-Farber’s clinic for the older generation with breast cancer, the second in the country? Who knows what’s next?

What do you want people to know about Bakes for Breast Cancer?

We need everyone to help!

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How are you using the funds you’ve received from the Big Y Community Bag Program?

These funds are helping us expand into new markets. In 2023, we’re able to extend our events to Vermont, Connecticut, Maine and New Hampshire.

Carol Brownman Sneider is Founder and President of Bakes for Breast Cancer.

Passionate about fueling the search for a cure for over 30 years, she gives 100% of herself to raising money for breast cancer research.

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2023

Impact Stories Big Y Community Bag Program

For more information about the programs and to view even more impact stories, please visit bigy.2givelocal.com

BAGS 4 MY CAUSE Melissa Hansen Senior Program Manager 603.380.9400, ext.109 melissah@psitmatters.com

Jim Brennan Co-Founder and COO 603.380.9400, ext.100 jimb@psitmatters.com