Impact Stories
Everyday choices create meaningful impact.
By giving shoppers an easy way to support their local communities, the Big Y Community Bag Program has continuously proven that small acts of kindness make a difference. Since 2019, this program has generated more than $470,361 in donations to over 1,949 organizations. In 2024 alone, the Big Y Community Bag Program donated more than $57,092 to 787 nonprofits.
Behind these numbers are the stories of local organizations and countless individuals and families who have been positively impacted by the Big Y Community Bag Program. Throughout 2024, the PS It Matters Team heard numerous stories about how benefiting organizations have furthered their missions, supported underserved individuals, and increased cause awareness as a direct result of the Big Y Community Bag Program.
The enclosed story collection highlights five nonprofits that Big Y supported this year and illustrates how something as simple as buying a reusable bag can make a difference in local communities. For more stories, please visit the Big Y Program Website: bigy.2givelocal.com/stories.
Thank you for joining us in believing that everyday choices can create a meaningful impact. Together, we have sparked positive change in the communities that Big Y employees and shoppers call home. We sincerely value your partnership and look forward to continuing this inspiring work in 2025.
Recovery Network of Programs
Fostering hope through personalized support.
Through comprehensive services, Recovery Network of Programs creates a pathway to recovery, health, and happiness for individuals struggling with addiction and individuals experiencing homelessness. Big Y supported this nonprofit organization through its Community Bag Program.
Tell us about Recovery Network of Programs.
Recovery Network of Programs has been serving the greater Bridgeport area for over 50 years. In 1970, a small group of concerned Bridgeport residents got together to discuss the needs they were seeing in their community of individuals experiencing homelessness and individuals struggling with addiction. This group worked together to open our first outpatient clinic on Golden Hill Street in 1970 and in 1972 we became incorporated. We then later opened our emergency shelter at Prospect House. Both programs were the first of their kind to provide housing and treatment in Bridgeport. Today, we continue to ask the same questions as our founders: “How can we help? How can we create change?” Our mission is to provide comprehensive care and expert recovery services to any individual or family to restore hope, health, and healing. We are committed to empowering those in need to get the compassionate and personalized support they deserve, all while creating impactful change in our community
We are committed to empowering those in need to get the compassionate and personalized support they deserve, all while creating impactful change in our community.
What services do you provide to the community?
We have various programs that provide outpatient care, inpatient treatment, and emergency, supportive, and transitional housing services We make it easy for someone who may start in our withdrawal management facility to access our residential programs before transitioning to outpatient where they can get connected to medication assisted treatment, counseling, and more We know that treatment is just one piece of the puzzle, so we also have re-entry programs for the formally incarcerated, outreach efforts to provide basic needs and harm reduction, and partnerships with primary care providers.
What sets Recovery Network of Programs apart from other nonprofits in your community?
What sets us apart is that we have such a large continuum of care. There’s really no level of treatment that we don’t provide Recovery Network of Programs is one of the only agencies to have as many comprehensive programs and avenues for recovery as we do
Tell us a story that illustrates the good work of your organization.
We always need Bigs, or mentors, and constantly find that we need more men than women. So, this year, to celeAs an agency, we are always trying to grow and change based on the needs of vulnerable populations around us. One of our most recent programs started from the identified need of law enforcement to have clinical support when responding to crisis calls for individuals struggling with substance abuse and mental health. As we know, these are very delicate situations where individuals, who are already dealing with so much, are often scared. We found that law enforcement often didn’t have the right tools to handle those situations and saw a need to partner in that way.
As an agency, we are always trying to grow and change based on the needs of vulnerable populations around us.
Now, we have social workers embedded in several police departments throughout Connecticut who go with law enforcement and respond to these crisis calls to de-escalate and to be the compassionate, human element in these frightening situations We also follow up with these individuals to continue getting them care and help their families throughout the process We stay involved and aim to put them on a better path than they would’ve been on if they had just been approached and arrested This program has become the standard model for this type of work and has made a significant impact, even in its short life It really paints a clear picture of who we are and what we’re always trying to do.
What is your most outstanding achievement or contribution to the community?
Honestly, we’re most proud of our longevity because it is a true testament to the quality of care we provide The fact that people know us and trust us is our most outstanding achievement We’ve had clients go through our programs who have later referred family members and friends or even become donors and supporters Some of our alumni are now working at RNP in peer support roles, which is such an amazing full circle moment and so valuable to us and our clients We’ve also been an integral part of many initiatives in our neighborhoods and communities throughout the years, always advocating for those in need
The fact that people know us and trust us is our most outstanding achievement.
What do you want people to know about Recovery Network of Programs?
We are experts in our field and take what we do very seriously No matter what, we are here to serve We want to provide the best comprehensive care that we possibly can There’s no wrong door at Recovery Network of Programs If you’re someone who doesn’t know where to start and you walk into one of our programs, but it isn’t the service you need at that time, we will connect you to the right place We are all about helping that person and meeting them where they’re at.
How will you use the funds you’ve received from the Big Y Community Bag Program?
We use these funds in various ways. Sometimes, we put them towards scholarships for clients struggling with insurance or needing financial support to get their foot in the door. Other times, we will put it towards the basic needs of our programs and the items that clients need when they come in. Our outreach team is always looking for funds to replenish the supplies they use and give away to homeless individuals. We really allocate funds to wherever we see the biggest need As a nonprofit, it’s always welcome, and it will always be used
Is there anything you’d like to add?
We have been a Hearst Media Top Workplace for a few years now, which we’re very proud of Not only are we recognized for the work we do and the clients we serve, but also for our agency culture and how it’s a great place to work And if you’re someone who wants to make a change in a positive way and you love this work, then this is the place to be.
The work is rewarding. It’s challenging. It’s uplifting. It’s all of the things that go into trying to do the best you can every day to help someone find recovery, health and happiness.
A lot of people know they want to help but don’t know where to get started. Or they may be going to school, and they’re not sure where to look after. We like to say that we have no wrong door for employees as well. The work is rewarding. It’s challenging. It’s uplifting. It’s all of the things that go into trying to do the best you can every day to help someone find recovery, health and happiness.
Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Massachusetts
125 years of supporting combat veterans.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Massachusetts advocates for combat veterans and works to instill patriotism within the state through various community service initiatives. Big Y has supported this nonprofit organization through its Community Bag Program.
Tell us about the Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Massachusetts.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) is the country’s oldest continually serving veterans organization. We trace our roots back to the Spanish American War veterans who founded the organization in 1899. Our organization is 125 years old, and we’re still going strong. We have almost 20,000 members between us and our auxiliary- spouses, parents, siblings, and grandparents of VFW-qualifying veterans- in Massachusetts alone.
Our five tenets are fraternal, patriotic, educational, charitable, and historical Through these tenets, our most important mission is to help veterans file claims with the Veterans Administration (VA) for various sicknesses and disabilities Going up against the VA by yourself is like going to court without a lawyer; you’ll never be successful We represent veterans who receive an initial denial We’re with them every step of the way and don’t charge them a dime of their compensation.
Our five tenets are fraternal, patriotic, educational, charitable, and historical.
We also run most of the civic parades for Memorial Day and Veterans Day We decorate the graves of veterans, both old and new If we need to, we will even go all the way back to the American Revolution to ensure we can identify them We are also the ones at the funeral details, which is one of our very sacred duties. With any of these events, if we’re not doing the organizing, we’re probably involved. These are the sorts of things our organization does, and we’re very proud to do them.
What services do you provide to the community?
We do an incredible amount of community service For example, we recently completed our middle school and high school essay contests Every year, we also recognize our teachers through the Teacher of the Year Award and our first responders through a First Responders Award. Recently, we also collected birthday cards for a 101-year-old veteran. We do funeral details. We also have a video game tournament coming up for the national hall. You name it, we do it. This is how we get involved with our community and work to instill the patriotic aspect of what we do. We truly enjoy doing it, and the community loves it, too.
The VFW is also a springboard for personal achievement. When veterans come home, their civilian careers may not have responsibilities of the same caliber that their jobs in the service had. So, there is this ball of talent and potential sitting there dormant. We work to tap into this potential and to help it come alive.
The VFW works to give veterans incredible opportunities For example, we will soon go down to Washington, D C to listen to our Commander in Chief testify before Congress We will have the opportunity to meet all of our members of Congress as we advocate and lobby for benefits Improvements to veteran benefits, such as the recently passed PACT Act, don’t just happen It comes with the Veterans of Foreign Wars working as an apparatus to move mountains
When veterans come home, their civilian careers may not have responsibilities of the same caliber that their jobs in the service had… We work to tap into this potential and to help it come alive.
What sets the Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Massachusetts apart from other nonprofits in your community?
We are 100% veterans or descendants of veterans. The VFW is specifically an organization for combat veterans, meaning our members have been deployed somewhere under hostile fire receiving hostile duty pay. This sets us apart because combat veterans know how to get stuff done We’ve had to improvise We’ve had to think outside the box So, we’ll find a way to get it done
Tell us a story that illustrates the good work of your organization.
In 2020, we had a major Covid-19 disaster at the Veterans Home in Holyoke We lost 77 veterans in less than 90 days These veterans, many of whom were in memory units, struggled to advocate for themselves, which made the home ground zero for the disaster What the issue came down to was an aging facility led by people without the correct qualifications to be making decisions about the situation This just multiplied the disaster even more.
We mobilized with former administrators at the home to form the Veterans Home Coalition. Of all the veteran service organizations involved in this, the VFW was the one that saw it through from start to finish. Since we were there from the beginning to the end, it resulted in a close bond, which is now leading to the construction of a new home.
This new home will be built under a new model so that each room has no more than two people, with most veterans having their own space completely. Currently, the home has around four to six veterans in a room, which isn’t what we would want for a long-term care facility We also followed all this work with a bill that requires certain licensures and credentials for the leadership of homes This is probably the most important thing I’ve undertaken during my time at the VFW
What is your most outstanding achievement or contribution to the community?
We dedicated a memorial in Southlake, the town my post is in, back in 2018 It is called the Veterans Memorial Foyer and uplifted the memory of four veterans from the high school who had been killed in action Two were killed in Vietnam, one in Beirut, and the last one was killed in Iraq
The high school is regional, yet the monument was set to focus only on the municipality it was located in. These four veterans all went to school together, but the veteran killed in Iraq would not be represented in the monument since he was from one of the smaller regional towns. This town had renamed the gymnasium in their little elementary school after him, but the school had recently closed due to regionalization. As all the students shifted to Southwick, the memory of this veteran would no longer be memorialized in the same way.
Because of this we wanted to include him in the memorial at the high school in Southwick. We ended up with a huge brand-new foyer addition for the school. We had citations coming in from Congress and the Commander in Chief. Additionally, all the Gold Star Mothers and Gold Star Fathers came up for the dedication of their son’s plaques.
Now, these names will never be forgotten As soon as you walk into the building, they’re right there on the right-hand side You can’t miss them To be able to bring something like this together truly illustrates the power of the organization
What do you want people to know about Veterans of Foreign Wars?
We want people to know that we’re still here and still relevant We have a very bright, important future and need combat veterans from younger generations to join
We are getting a little bit older now We’re about 20 years removed from when we left Iraq, so veterans my age are now becoming more established in their careers and settling down as their kids grow older So, we’re hoping that as their time frees up, they will give our organization some of that discretionary time and income. As our World War II veterans and our Vietnam veterans, due to everything they were exposed to, are sunsetting, we need veterans to step up to fill their place.
We have a very bright, important future and need combat veterans from younger generations to join.
How will you use the funds you’ve received from the Big Y Community Bag Program?
The VFW will collect these funds and write a big check to Medic Now to hopefully meet or exceed the goal of our State Commander’s Special Project The Medic Now Foundation’s mission is to help veterans and their dependents pay for uninsured medical expenses This is important because VA benefits do not include copays and out-of-pocket costs Depending on what the medications and services are, veterans and their dependents may not receive the support they need for serious medical conditions. This organization helps to support families through these difficult situations.
This aid generally comes as a $600 gift card directly to the veteran. Medic Now provides these funds about two weeks after veterans apply, using vetting agencies like the VFW to determine if applicants are eligible. We can certify that they are a veteran and need financial assistance so that Medic Now can send it to them within two weeks. Once they have the gift card, they can put it towards anything medical, including costs like prescriptions and braces. This work is actually two organizations running parallel to each other; it’s the VFW supporting and lifting up this particular organization’s work
We approached Big Y for assistance with this effort, and Big Y answered in a big way We wouldn’t have been able to do it without Big Y We can’t say thank you enough for it
Big Brother Big Sisters of Central Massachusetts & Metrowest
Making music and magic through one-to-one matches.
Big Brother Big Sisters of Central Massachusetts & Metrowest pairs youth with adults in the community to create meaningful relationships that foster the youth’s potential. Big Y supported this nonprofit organization through its Community Bag Program.
Tell us about Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Massachusetts & Metrowest.
Our mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. We believe every child should be celebrated.
Big Brothers Big Sisters is a national organization. In 1963, we became the third chapter founded in Massachusetts. We have a massive coverage area, which includes 87 communities.
What services do you provide to the community?
The service we supply is our mission of mentoring youth It’s what we do and what we’ve been doing since 1963 We create and support the match between a caring adult and underserved youth in our community Since it has been so successful, this has been the model of Big Brothers Big Sisters nationally since their inception over 100 years ago
What sets Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Massachusetts & Metrowest apart from other nonprofits in your community?
What sets us apart is that we meet our Littles out in the community instead of a clubhouse or other form of community center. We meet them where they are, out in the community. Additionally, we continuously support that match by monitoring the youth’s relationship with the Big monthly. This focus on the one-to-one match is unique and not offered elsewhere in the community.
Tell us a story that illustrates the good work of your organization.
We always need Bigs, or mentors, and constantly find that we need more men than women. So, this year, to celebrate our 60th anniversary, we had a drive to solicit and recruit Bigs through a program called 60 Men to Mentors. Out of 100 matches, we’ll need 60 men to the 40 women to satisfy our matches. Being our 60th anniversary, the number fit, so we ran with the program. Through this initiative, we matched a Little, whose interests were rap and poetry, to a Big who had similar interests
We wait until we find someone who will be a great fit because we want it to last. We take our time, and that’s where the magic happens.
For this Little, we found someone who was in the record business. Within months, these two were in a studio together recording. It was a great success!
This story encapsulates what we do best: finding something unique in the matching process. We don’t just pair the first available Little with the next incoming Big. We wait until we find someone who will be a great fit because we want it to last. We take our time, and that’s where the magic happens
What is your most outstanding achievement or contribution to the community?
We’re most proud of the fact that we’ve been successful for 60 years now We’ve been in the Worcester community, the largest area we serve, for 60 years, and we’re going strong
On a side note, we’re quite proud that we made it through the pandemic. We had 800 matches before the pandemic, which went down to almost 200. To survive that was quite an achievement. Now we are back up towards 600, and we’re growing again. So, we are proud of that.
What do you want people to know about Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Massachusetts & Metrowest?
I want the community to know that we always need Bigs. We have over 100 kids waiting to be paired at any given time, which is tough. The Littles come to us from a number of sources, but mainly from a guardian who hears about our program from school or another community service organization. The Little comes on board and gets excited, but then they need to wait.
All it requires is a couple of hours twice a month. The difference that you could make in a child’s life is remarkable.
Right now, we have a national campaign called It Takes Little to Be Big I want the community to know that the commitment is much less than expected All it requires is a couple of hours twice a month The difference that you could make in a child’s life is remarkable These relationships typically last 24 months, but they can last a lifetime. For example, I’m going on year six with my Little. If someone is interested in becoming a mentor, we are always happy to take the time to explain how easy it is to be a Big.
To be an excellent Big, you only need to be caring and willing to help. Most Bigs will tell you they feel they get more out of it than the Little. Becoming a Big was the best thing I’ve done in decades.
How will you use the funds you’ve received from the Big Y Community Bag Program?
Our focus right now is to increase our outreach. We have earmarked these funds for outreach to the community about our services and Big recruitment.
We have matches from ages 8 up to 25 Our biggest program matches Bigs with Littles in middle school From there, we also have programs in high school and college Is there anything you’d like to add?
You’ll be the person in this Little’s life that has never existed. You are an adult that is just for them.
Yet, whether it’s an adult from the community or a college student, it’s always a one-to-one mentor relationship. Again, we supervise the whole process to ensure the child feels safe and supported and ensure the Big feels successful. What we’re doing is making sure everybody is moving towards a goal. We’re successful as long as we reach the goals set by the Little and the Big.
Lastly, it’s powerful. You’ll be the person in this Little’s life that has never existed. You are an adult that is just for them. These kids come to us because they are missing something. When it connects for the Little that this person is just for them and entirely supports their dreams, progress, and mental health, it sets the youth on the right path.
Susan B. Anthony Project
Promoting safety, healing, and growth for survivors.
Since 1983, Susan B. Anthony Project has provided free and confidential services to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, ensuring each has a safe place to heal and grow. Big Y has supported this nonprofit organization through its Community Bag Program.
Tell us about Susan B. Anthony Project.
Susan B Anthony Project is a domestic and sexual violence crisis center serving the northwest corner of Connecticut Our organization was started in 1983 by Jillian Hanna and Polly Doremus The two women had seen friends and colleagues with bruises and began asking questions. They gathered a group, collected $25, and started the first volunteer-run crisis line.
This founding group saved lives by bringing women into their own homes to keep them safe until they could find appropriate housing. Sometimes, they even picked folks up from work, put wigs on them, hid them low in the back seat, and drove them to the train station.
It all started with $25 and a handful of people, and now, we have an almost $2 million budget and help thousands of people every year. I love to tell this story about the grassroots nature of our organization. Specifically, for people overwhelmed by the scope of community problems and questioning the difference one person can make, I tell them to look at what two women started We are proud to carry on their legacy and continue to save lives in their name
What services do you provide to the community?
Regarding our statewide efforts, we are part of the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence We also work with a variety of independent sister organizations Susan B Anthony Project is unique from most of these other agencies in that we are a dual agency, providing both domestic violence and sexual assault services
Most of what we do at Susan B. Anthony Project is crisis services. We have a 24-hour hotline staffed by people around the clock. We also have a crisis shelter for people coming directly out of unsafe situations. If we don’t have space, we’ll call our sister organizations around the state to find a safe place.
We provide both one-on-one and group counseling. For both children and adults, we also have advocates who spend time in the courts on both the civil and legal sides, helping people fill out restraining orders and acting as the victim’s voice in the courtroom. Advocates also accompany victims of sexual assault to the hospital to explain what the process is going to look like if they decide to have the sexual examination kit They also make sure victims are informed of their rights and any additional options or resources that might be helpful
Another side of our services is our prevention outreach and education Not only are we constantly intervening in the cycle of violence to provide resources and support, but we are also out in the community actively trying to break the cycle Spreading information is so important because some people don’t even know they’re affected by this type of violence. When people know what they’re looking at, they can hopefully take steps to avoid or remove themselves from situations ahead of time.
Not only are we constantly intervening in the cycle of violence to provide resources and support, but we are also in out in the community actively trying to break the cycle.
We aim to educate both those who may be impacted as victims and those who may perpetrate. If we can get someone who may have been brought up in a household of violence to realize there is a cycle that comes from what they’ve experienced, they might be able to take steps to change their behaviors before they become offenders themselves.
It’s an overwhelming task, but awareness is key. Outreach and education are the best chance we have at breaking that cycle It’s important that people know there are resources and places to go if they are impacted or have questions
Outreach and education are the best chance we have at breaking that cycle.
What sets Susan B. Anthony Project apart from other nonprofits in your community?
Anyone can come. It doesn’t matter who they are or what their immigration status is. All of our services are 100% free of charge, and everything is completely confidential.
Since we are not a medical office, we do not have strict standards to follow and can reach many more people. In our local nonprofit community, Susan B. Anthony Project is often used as an example of how things should be done. Our fellow nonprofits come to us for advice on a range of topics. We are proud to be held in such a high esteem by our community and to be leaders in this way
Please tell us a story that illustrates the good work of your organization.
We had a client and her small child who had to leave her home in the middle of the night to escape her abusive husband. It is a very scary thing to leave in the cover of darkness like that.
Since we are available 24/7 on our hotline, all someone has to do is make that phone call, and we will be there to support them. Of course, a lot of fear and tears accompany the whole process, which is what happened with this particular mom and her son.
As with all our clients, we wanted this mom and her son to know they were safe and heard. They came into the shelter, and we got them settled into a private room with all the toiletries they might need and a phone. We gave them food, clothes, pajamas, a stuffed animal for her son to sleep with, and toothbrushes
Over the next few days, we connected her with the Department of Social Services to secure other resources and ensure her child could safely get to and from school Within three months, our advocates were able to get her situated in our transitional living program in her own apartment
Now, she’s completely on her own with her child. The mother secured a job and is learning to be financially literate to take control of her family and provide for herself and her child. We have also helped with things along the way, like school supplies and Christmas gifts. Though these details are specific to one mom, similar stories can be told for many of our clients.
What is your most outstanding achievement or contribution to the community?
We recently brought forth a very unique event to raise awareness of domestic and sexual violence. At Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, men walk a full mile in red high heels, both fundraising and bringing cause awareness
Though walking a mile in red high heels doesn’t help a man understand what it feels like to flee a violent home, it playfully breaks ground to engage in a conversation with men, who are often painted as perpetrators We are able to open up the conversation to talk about who this violence impacts, both directly or indirectly, and who perpetuates it
The visibility the event brings is unmatched. It raises awareness of the fact that we exist and sheds light on the depth of the problems we are dealing with.
What do you want people to know about Susan B. Anthony Project?
First, we want people to know this type of support exists A lot of folks don’t know about Susan B. Anthony Project or our sister organizations around the state, country, and world. You can save lives by just talking about who we are.
You can save lives by just
talking about who we are.
There are so many folks in our community who are victimized, but a lot of stereotypes lead people to believe that only certain people are affected by domestic and sexual violence This type of violence lives in every community and affects everybody, no matter your gender, socioeconomic status, race, or religion.
How will you use the funds you’ve received from the Big Y Community Bag Program?
The best part about this type of funding is that we are able to use it where we need it Each of our client’s needs are different, so there are a lot of things we can’t plan for Having these funds available for client assistance allows us to confidently respond to their needs when they ask.
These funds have a range of uses. It could be used for anything from ballet shoes for a little girl in our shelter who is starting a class to Uber gift certificates for someone to get to doctor appointments or a job interview. The point is we never know what the next day will bring. These funds help us give clients what they need when they need it, so thank you for helping us do that.
Is there anything you’d like to add?
We’re really fortunate to be in the community we’re in. We just celebrated our 40th anniversary, and we’ve had donors who have been with us since the very beginning. This sense of community allows us to serve our clients more efficiently and successfully
Though we started with only two people, we need a lot of help to provide the services we do We are so grateful for everybody who takes a role to accomplish all of this We are forever grateful for all the support
The Pink WAY Foundation
Helping breast cancer patients focus on healing.
Founded 15 years ago by Robyn Hersey, the Pink WAY (Women Around You) Foundation supports breast cancer patients and survivors in Western Massachusetts by alleiviating financial stress. Big Y has supported this nonprofit organization through its Community Bag Program.
Tell us about the Pink WAY Foundation.
The mission of the Pink WAY Foundation is to financially help women in Western Massachusetts who are going through breast cancer treatment. The last thing breast cancer patients and survivors should need to worry about is bills, but people are often out of work and have really high copays.
The last thing breast cancer patients and survivors should need to worry about is bills, but people are often out of work and have really high copays.
The reason I started the foundation 15 years ago was because I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Fortunately, the company I worked for didn’t have a problem paying my insurance. They covered me for a year, but I was out longer than expected. I didn’t know how much longer it would be, whether five months, another year, or longer.
I ended up having to sell my house. I used the money to pay off all my bills, and the small long-term disability payments I received from my company helped me with my rent. After a few years of returning to work, I knew I had to do something. I started the foundation hoping that by giving women a little bit of money here and there, I could ensure others didn’t need to make huge sacrifices, like selling their house, to continue their care The end of my story is that almost four years ago, I was able to buy my house back What goes around comes around
What services do you provide to the community?
We usually receive referrals from the D’Amour Cancer Center or other similar groups. We try to eliminate any red tape. We ask patients to email us about what their needs are. Sometimes, we can fill their oil tank for the winter or help them with any copays that may have piled up. Sometimes, they just need groceries or cash for Christmas shopping. It depends on each individual’s needs. We’re always happy to help.
What sets the Pink WAY Foundation apart from other nonprofits in your community?
Everyone in our foundation is a volunteer Nobody gets paid If you are a board member or committee member, you’re there because you care about this cause These volunteers support our cause without expecting to take anything back financially. Any donations go directly and completely to patient care.
Tell us a story that illustrates the good work of your organization.
We always get letters and hear so many wonderful stories. Someone recently requested money for oil. We got ahold of her oil company, Vickers Oil, and sent a check directly to the company. Knowing that she would be warm all winter touched her so much. I don’t know whether it helped her more financially or emotionally. She was relieved she didn’t have to worry about heating her house all winter while undergoing treatment.
Every single person we’ve sent money to has been extremely grateful. Everything we do helps women focus on healing. We receive so many letters that tell us how much we have helped.
Everything we do helps women focus on healing.
We have three board members and four committee members. The support we have behind our group is just amazing Everyone who works with us has incredibly supportive families, including my own two daughters Everyone who is with us is either a survivor or knows someone who is, so they all want to be here to help
What is your most outstanding achievement or contribution to the community?
We work with the Ludlow community a lot, and their support of the Pink WAY Foundation is something I’m really proud of. We recently hit a milestone of serving the community for 15 years.
Generally, we’re simply proud of being able to help people We read letters from recipients at our board meetings, and we cry We also were able to help people even during the pandemic The pandemic was here, but breast cancer didn’t go away The need was even greater than before, and we were there to help
What do you want people to know about the Pink WAY Foundation?
We are 100% volunteers, and we are here to help! Somewhere down the line, we would like to build up and become a bit bigger as an organization. For right now, we want people to know that we are out here and can help anyone who is struggling.
We will use these funds the way we use all our donations We will help people who are struggling, whether it is by putting oil in their tanks or food on the tables How will you use the funds you’ve received from the Big Y Community Bag Program?
We will help people who are struggling, whether it is by putting oil in their tanks or food on their tables.
We’ve also been part of the Partners of Hope with Big Y. Our connection with Big Y is so much more than this program, but we know we can always count on the Community Bag Program every year. Being able to help people locally and having support from Big Y is really important to us.
Brennan Co-Founder and COO
Hansen VP,