Pennies for Poverty:
Two Cents For Change
About Us:
Pennies for Poverty: 2 Cents 4 Change, Inc. a 501(c)3 nonprofit run by volunteers on an annual budget of $2,000.
Please click here for more information!
Vision: To eliminate poverty in Newburyport by 2025.
Values: We believe that poverty is a human rights issue under Article 25 of the Declaration of Human Rights and that all people should be treated with respect, dignity, and compassion.
Mission: To lessen the current effects of poverty and crisis while working simultaneously to eliminate the root causes of poverty and crisis in the future.
Guiding Principles: Pennies will hold itself to the highest moral and ethical standards; will promote and foster understanding and awareness of poverty and related issues; will keep the goal of ending poverty forefront in making decisions and policies; will work to create an atmosphere of cooperation and collaboration within the Board as well as with the community at large; be open to new ideas and new initiatives that lift people out of poverty; will be conscious not to initiate programs or events that could reduce funding or volunteering for the agencies who directly serve those in need.
Goals:
- Raise awareness of poverty in the community.
- Increase donations to food pantries and soup kitchens.
- Increase volunteerism.
- Raise funds for the 2 Cent Grant Fund and Pennies Operating Fund.
- Encourage attendance at free events to increase community spirit.
- Increase awareness and understanding of Pennies and our programs in the community.
Please consider joining our efforts to end poverty here in Newburyport. We need your ideas, your time and your efforts to make this new program work. Get in on the ground floor of a new initiative and make a difference in our own beautiful hometown! For more information or if you would like to be involved, email us at pennies@penniesforpoverty.org. To be added to our email list to receive our newsletters and announcements, please enter your email address below:
Summary of Accomplishments:
2008-2011 Financial Summary to date:
Operating Costs:
$5,150 spent on website, nonprofit filings, PR material, office supplies, photocopying of Service Directory and other.
Total 2 Cent Grants awarded: $17,550
- Ann Smith received a $50 2 Cent grant for her idea "Meal Marks".
- The Learning Enrichment Center was awarded a $5,000 grant.
- YWCA $2,000 2 Cent Grant awarded for scholarships for low-income children in Newburyport.
- Park Circle Tenant's Organization $2,000 awarded 2 Cent Grant for start-up and children's equipment.
- Newburyport Learning Enrichment Center awarded $3,500 for new afternoon programs and scholarships.
- ROOF Over Head Collaborative, Inc awarded $4000 to assist with rental subsidies for a comprehensive housing initiative assisting homeless and at risk families.
- Newburyport Learning Enrichment Center awarded $1000 to support programs addressing conflict resolution, peer counseling and anti bullying.
Community Needs Grant awarded: $1,843
- $332 Community Needs grant to Belleville Church to make up Emergency Bags for those in need
- $416.75 Community Needs Grant awarded to Community Service
- $465.81 Community Needs Grant awarded to His Provisions Too
- $300 Community Needs Grant awarded to The Salvation Army for personal care items.
- $328.91 to the Pettengill House
Pennies Food Drives have raised $16,642 worth of food which was split equally to:
- Community Action
- Community Service
- Our Neighbor's Table
- Pettengill House
- The Salvation Army
Total Benefit to Community: $30,706
For a full list of our accomplishments, please click here.
Who We Are:
Board Members:
- Eleanor Turke, President, Contact her by email
- Michael Gale, Treasurer, Contact him by email
- Michael Sandberg, Clerk, Contact him by email
- Julia Collins-Lindner, 2 Cent Chair, Contact her by email
- Laurie Ingersoll, Clerk & 2 Can Chair, Contact her by email
- Bob Halpert, Board Member, Contact him by email
- John P. Wells, Board Member
- Advisory Board Members:
- Catherine Yesair Gould (founder of Pennies)
- Robert Gould (founding Board member)
- Gail Gandofi (founding Board member)
- Julie Amery
- Dudley Glover
- Fran Larkin
- Webmistress:
- Tatiana Hamboyan Harrison, Contact her by email
- Past Board Members:
- Robin Graves
- Shari Wilkinson
- Heather Pickard
We also rely on the support of volunteers and are grateful for their contributions! To become more involved, please visit our 2 Hours page for volunteer opportunities and applications! Thank you!
Seeking New Board Members:
We are currently seeking new Board Members. Pennies is a working Board and is responsible for all aspects and implemention of our programs. The time required is 4-10 hours a month, not including events and Board meetings. All Board members volunteer their time, and there is no compensation for being a Pennies Board member. For more information, please contact us at pennies@penniesforpoverty.org. For applications and more information about the Board, please visit our downloads page.
2011 Monitoring Poverty in Newburyport Report:
The 2011 Monitoring Poverty in Newburyport report has been released by The Poverty Program and Pennies for Poverty: 2 Cents 4 Change, Inc. While the percentage of those in poverty or at risk has remained at 44%, the number of families who have shifted down the economic ladder appears to be on the increase. Please go to Downloads on this site to access the entire report or the one page summary report.
How to Start a Pennies-Type Program:
We encourage other communities to start their own groups by using the 2Cents4Change model; please visit the following page for more information: How to start a Pennies-type Program.