Malden’s Immigrant Learning Center awarded $100K Cummings Foundation Grant

MALDEN – The Immigrant Learning Center (The ILC) is one of 140 Massachusetts not-for-profits to receive grants of $100,000 to $500,000 each through Cummings Foundation’s $25 Million Grant Program. The Malden-based organization was chosen from a total of 580 applicants during a competitive review process. It will receive $100,000 over two years.

For 30 years The Immigrant ILC has served Malden and surrounding communities. The free English classes and related services The ILC provides enable immigrant and refugee residents to become contributing members of these communities, and the education about immigrants The ILC provides to all residents combats xenophobia and makes local communities stronger.

“The support of the Cummings Foundation means so much to us,” said The ILC Founder and CEO Diane Portnoy. “It’s not just the critical fiscal support, it’s Cumming’s focus on community. Their support highlights immigrants as part of the fabric of our communities and shows that helping immigrants to succeed makes our communities stronger.”

Grant funding from the Cummings Foundation will result in enrollment of new students from The ILC waiting list and enable continued service for current students who will continue to advance to the next class level, secure employment, advance in their current job situation or enroll in further education/training and become U.S. citizens.

The Cummings $25 Million Grant Program supports Massachusetts nonprofits that are based in and primarily serve Middlesex, Essex, and Suffolk Counties. Through this place-based initiative, Cummings Foundation aims to give back in the areas where it owns commercial property. Its buildings are all managed, at no cost to the Foundation, by its affiliate, Cummings Properties. This Woburn-based commercial real estate firm leases and manages 11 million square feet of debt-free space, the majority of which exclusively benefits the Foundation.

“We are so fortunate in greater Boston to have such effective nonprofits, plus a wealth of talented, dedicated professionals and volunteers to run them,” said Cummings Foundation Executive Director Joyce Vyriotes. “We are indebted to them for the work they do each day to provide for basic needs, break down barriers to education and health resources, and work toward a more equitable society.”

With the help of about 90 volunteers, the Foundation first identified 140 organizations to receive grants of at least $100,000 each. Among the winners were first-time recipients as well as not-for-profits, such as The ILC, that had previously received Cummings Foundation grants. This year’s grant recipients represent a wide variety of causes, including food insecurity, immigrant and refugee services, social justice, education and mental health services. The not-for-profits are spread across 45 different cities and towns. The complete list of 140 grant winners, plus more than 900 previous recipients, is available at www.CummingsFoundation.org.

Cummings Foundation has now awarded more than $375 million to Greater Boston not-for-profits.

About The Immigrant Learning Center, Inc.

The ILC of Malden, Mass., is a nonprofit organization that gives immigrants a voice in three ways. Firstly, The English Language Program provides free, year-round English classes to immigrant and refugee adults in Greater Boston to help them become successful workers, parents and community members. Secondly, The Public Education Institute informs Americans about immigrants and immigration in the United States. Thirdly, The Institute for Immigration Research, a joint venture with George Mason University, conducts research on the economic contributions of immigrants. For more information, visit the website http://www.ilctr.org. The ILC can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn.