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December 8, 2021 Giving Guide 2021

Reliant Foundation Inc.

Future Goals

1. We will focus on the top community health needs, including addressing substance use disorder, increasing access to mental health and behavioral health programs for children and youth, and community recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Our Foundation will serve as a community connector around these issues, participating on committees and hosting speakers and educational events when possible.

2. We will be a leader and resource in health-focused fundraising and grant-making, delivering a meaningful grant-making program for the benefit of community organizations and the people they serve. In 2021, we will grant more than $750,000 to local charities, which will exceed a total of $5.1 million granted since 2008. 

3. The Foundation will connect the generosity of its donors to sustainable efforts that target significant public health issues and encourage healthy living for all.

4. Our Foundation staff and trustees will make personal or virtual visits to public charities in our service area to identify and better understand the service gaps and challenges in the regions we serve.

5. We will actively participate in meetings tied to the work of the area’s regional funder groups, CHIPs (Community Health Improvement Plans), CHNAs (Community Health Network Areas) and CHAs (Community Health Assessments).

Fundraising Events/Opportunities

Drive for a Difference Golf Classic – For more than 20 years, our charity has brought together a group of generous sponsors and donors to raise funds for our health-focused grants and initiatives. We will hold our 24th annual golf tournament and online auction on May 23, 2022.

Reliant Foundation 5K – Run or walk for a healthier community! We are excited to bring back our annual 5K event, happening October 2, 2021. Our community comes together to participate in a chip-timed 5K run around Shore Park in Worcester, MA. All funds raised support our health-focused grants and initiatives.

Annual Holiday Party – Each year, we host (virtually or in person) a holiday party where we thank our donors and volunteers for their generosity and support and celebrate our community grant award recipients.

Volunteer Opportunities

Our work is fueled by people power! Our volunteers make our events successful and keep our behind-the-scenes work moving efficiently. We welcome individuals, students, and business executives to give their time by being an event volunteer or participant, serving on a committee, and/or assisting with our annual appeals. For more information, please visit reliantfoundation.org/give/volunteer.

Giving Opportunities

Donate Online – Make a secure, one-time donation or start a recurring gift at reliantfoundation.org/give/make-a-gift.

Annual Giving – We mail several appeals throughout the year to support our Community Grants Program. To make an unrestricted gift, please mail your donation to Reliant Foundation at 311 Main Street, Suite 202, Worcester, MA 01608 or visit our website to donate online.

Matching Gifts – We welcome matching gifts. Please contact your employer to see if your gift is available for a match.

Honor and Memorial Gifts – Recognize a friend or loved one by making a gift to Reliant Foundation. We will feature all honor and memorial gifts in our annual Report on Giving and will notify the proper recipient of your generosity. 

Bequests and Planned Giving – Support Reliant Foundation by including our charity in your will or estate plan.

Amazon Smile – Give while you shop online at Amazon. Go to smile.amazon.com and select Reliant Foundation Inc. We will receive 0.5% of your eligible purchases.

Giving Tuesday – Participate in our annual giving drive, traditionally held on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving

For more information on giving opportunities, please visit reliantfoundation.org/give/make-a-gift

Post-pandemic

Our community outreach efforts moved from the in-person meetings and visits we would normally make to virtual visits. The time we put into connecting with our supporters, grantees, and Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) colleagues remained an integral part of our work. Each day, our calendars were filled with Zoom meetings as we worked with dozens of community, municipal and healthcare representatives to stay informed and respond quickly during all things COVID. We are excited to get back to in-person visits with our community partners and anticipate many of our meetings will become hybrid to accommodate all schedules and options.

MISSION STATEMENT

To improve the health and well-being of individuals of all ages in the Central and MetroWest regions of Massachusetts.

Reliant Foundation Inc.

311 Main Street, Suite 202
Worcester, MA 01608

Phone: 508-231-4663 

reliantfoundation.org

Full-time employees: 2.5

Annual revenues: $1,012,306 

Year founded: 1988

Service area: Reliant Foundation’s geographic service area includes all of Worcester County and a selection of towns within Middlesex County, for a total of 70 towns. The Foundation has assisted over 107 charities through collaboration and grant-making since 2008.

Top funding sources

Corporations - 55%

Individual Donors - 43% 

Foundations - 2%

Board of Directors

Kelsa Zereski, President

Marianne Felice, MD, Retired Physician, Board Chair

Joshua Greenberg, MD, St. Vincent Medical Group, Vice Board Chair

Ivan Green, MD, Retired Physician, 2nd Vice Board Chair

Maria Paul, Robert Health Management Resources, Treasurer

Kristine Bostek, Fallon Health, Clerk

Katharine Barnard, MD, Family Health Center of Worcester, At-Large Executive Committee Member

Jennifer Weyler, MD, Aponi Aesthetics, LLC, At-Large Executive Committee Member

Allison Beckler, DO, YOU Inc., an affiliate of Seven Hills Foundation

Andrew Madigan, F.W. Madigan Company, Inc.

Matt McHugh, Acre Bridge Transportation, LLC

Kevin O’Brien, Peak Financial Services

Stephen Pezzella, MD, Retired Physician

Tara Rivera, Recovery Centers of America

Sanjay Shah, PhD, EBS Consulting

Naomi Sleeper, Imperial Distributors, Inc.