Achieve, housed on the Nobles campus, is a tuition-free program that provides intensive academic support and social enrichment for low-income middle school students from Boston.
In 2014, the Edward E. Ford Foundation awarded the Achieve program a $50,000 grant, contingent on Achieve independently raising $250,000 by December 31, 2015. The program has successfully raised the necessary funds to qualify for the grant, which will support the program's operating expenses.
Achieve also raised more than $150,000 in memory of 16-year-old Casey Dunne, a Nobles student and dedicated Achieve tutor who unexpectedly passed away this fall. An anonymous donor has generously matched $100,000 of the donations made in her memory.
The tutoring program, now The Casey Dunne Achieve Tutoring Program, has been named for her and honors her passion for helping others. Executive Director Nora Dowley-Liebowitz said, "It would be an understatement to say that I am blown away by the incredible outpouring of support for the Dunne family that has benefitted Achieve. This collective generosity will make an enormous impact on our program and the important work that we do. Casey will always be a huge part of Achieve."
On Tuesday, February 2, the Boston Bruins will present Achieve as the featured charity for a 50/50 raffle during their game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Achieve needs 25 to 35 volunteers to help sell tickets during the first and second periods of the game. Volunteers will be welcomed to view the third period from the media box. (To volunteer, please email cat_kershaw@nobles.edu).
Next year, Achieve plans to submit proposals to foundations including The Philanthropy Connection, Cummings Foundation and Liberty Mutual Foundation. The program relies on grants, annual giving and endowment income to sustain its work. Achieve seeks to establish an endowment of $6 million to fund the program’s mission in perpetuity.
To find out more about Achieve, please visit theachieveprogram.org