Since its establishment in 1989, the Highland Street Foundation has dedicated their efforts to nonprofit innovation strategies and has contributed more than $135 million to many worthy nonprofit organizations. As one of our favorite Massachusetts charitable partners, we couldn’t be more happy to join them in celebrating their 25th anniversary by highlighting the 5 Things We Love about the Highland Street Foundation:

5 Things We Love About the Highland Street Foundation:

1. Their amazing support!

The Highland Street Foundation is committed to addressing the needs and concerns of children and families in Massachusetts. We are grateful for Highland Street’s generous support of our mentoring programs for youth in Boston Public Housing. We currently match youth from the Franklin Field Housing Development with students at Boston College. Littles are transported to BC twice per month where they meet with their Big both one-on-one and engage in group activities. The youth also get to experience life on a college campus.

2. The TADpole Playground on Boston Common

The Highland Street foundation directs their efforts to provide children the access to safe and imaginative environments. In correlation to these efforts, Highland Street sponsored a complete renovation of the TADpole playground which opened in the Boston Common in 2002.  Holly McGrath, a Highland Street Foundation trustee, spearheaded the effort to create the playground in loving memory of her father, David J. McGrath, Jr., co-founder of the foundation and founder/owner of TAD Resources International.  The renovation included a rubberized safety surface, a multipurpose play structure, and frog-themed statues and artwork, providing a safe environment for children in Boston to play and explore.

3. Free Fun Fridays all summer long

The Highland Street Foundation focuses its efforts on introducing younger generations to cultural and educational venues around Massachusetts. This annual summer program allows free visitation to some of the most cherished cultural venues in Massachusetts.  The venues include the Boston Children’s Museum, the Franklin Park Zoo, and the Cape Cod Museum of Art.  This year, the Highland Street Foundation’s Free Fun Fridays program celebrated its 5th anniversary with no less than 60 venues for a 10 week period.

4. Highland Street Ambassadors of Mentoring

The Highland Street Foundation is creating new and talented young leaders who act as Ambassadors of Mentoring, placed at programs and youth servicing organizations state wide.  These ambassadors help strengthen match support programs and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay is lucky to have two ambassadors who we work closely with. These individuals are motivated to maximize the quality and impact of mentoring relationships and focus on effecting change in their communities. 

5. ArtWeek Boston

ArtWeek Boston, presented by the Highland Street Foundation, has the mission to be a champion for nonprofit innovation in Boston and provides arts and entertainment to the greater community. ArtWeek Boston is a celebration of the arts with unique events that tie directly to the community in which they are happening. This wonderful celebration is another example of just how dedicated the Highland Street Foundation is to improving community efforts and introducing the arts to all generations.

Interested in becoming a community partner? Visit our website here.