Supporting community organizations and your colleagues who work with them!
The Tufts Neighborhood Service Fund (TNSF) is a giving option for members of the Tufts community during the Community Appeal. The fund, now in its fourteenth year, is used to support our host communities and the important work being done by Tufts volunteers with community organizations in Medford, Somerville, Grafton and Boston's Chinatown. TNSF is a uniquely "Tufts" way to participate in the appeal. You will know that your contribution is assisting a local non-profit organization and have the added benefit of supporting active citizenship in the Tufts community as well.
Funds received during the campaign are held in a special account and awards are made by the TNSF board. Proposals are solicited from nonprofit community agencies where Tufts students, faculty and staff are volunteering in the community.
In December 2008, 26 programs and projects were granted awards. Your contribution will be fully tax-deductible and will go, in its entirety, to support community projects.
Who Are Tufts Volunteers?
There is a long tradition of community engagement at Tufts, especially by students. The Leonard Carmichael Society, along with other student groups, volunteers at dozens of community organizations in the Greater Boston area. There are students from the professional schools and graduate programs who run volunteer programs as well. Staff often serve on boards or work with neighborhood organizations, and faculty frequently volunteer their expertise. Even Tufts alumni have organized to perform service projects.
Tisch College supports many student service efforts from the scholars program to the Tufts Literacy Corps, as well as community based faculty research. In keeping with that spirit, they work directly with our host communities by partnering with local organizations to address community-identified needs and provide student volunteers.
TNSF proposals are welcomed from any community nonprofit organization in our host communities as long as staff, faculty or students are volunteering there.
What Kinds of Projects Are Funded?
Any proposal for projects or activities is welcome. Activities funded in the past include environmental education programs, instruments for a youth marching band, preserving documents and photos for a historical society, furniture for a home for disabled adults, a wig bank for cancer patients, special sports equipment for school aged children, an after-school arts program, a laptop computer for a domestic violence-prevention program, transportation for seniors, food staples for a food pantry, a gardening program for children, computer software for special needs children, and winter outwear for homeless people.
The TNSF Board
- Ange Brome, Administration, School of Dental Medicine, Boston Campus
- Catherine Hayes, Public Health & Community Service, School of Dental Medicine, Boston Campus
- Stacey Herman, Student Services, Friedman School of Nutrition Science & Policy, Boston Campus
- Sharon Freeman, Program Manager, School of Medicine, Boston Campus
- Tricia O'Brien, Dining Services, Medford/Somerville Campus
- Florence Niklewski, Department Manager, Biomedical Sciences, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Grafton Campus
- Chris Swan, Civil & Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, Medford/Somerville Campus
- Paul Tringale, Conference Bureau, Medford/Somerville Campus
Questions about the TNSF can be directed to Community Relations at (617) 627-3780 or e-mail communityrelations@tufts.edu.
Please help TNSF support more community organizations next year. Give generously. Support our communities and your co-workers.
Application information for the 2009 TNSF is posted at http://ur.tufts.edu/community .
