Throughout our time operating in Boston, we posted blog content to promote partner organizations, lift up community members, and elevate direct giving in philanthropy. In 2018, we invited staff, interns, and volunteers to share their experience working with Doris and the Foundation. In 2019, we asked our Community Partners to discuss their work on social issues corresponding to our impact areas of housing, health, workforce development, and education. Following our sunset announcement, we devoted our blog in 2020 to elevating reflections from our extended community. All published blog posts are available below.
Next month marks the end of the Letters Foundation’s four-year tenure in Boston. For this last blog post, we invited our Board of Directors to reflect on which aspects of Doris Buffett’s legacy have been most resonant, and how serving on the Board has offered new perspectives: We represent Doris Buffett’s dearest family and friends, … Continued
As we prepare to sunset at the end of 2020, we invited our staff to reflect on which aspects of our work have been most resonant, which constituent stories have left the strongest impression us, and what learnings we will carry forward: The work we do at Letters Foundation is unique: we direct funds to … Continued
Since we opened our doors in September 2016, our volunteers have played an integral role in our grantmaking and have served as core members of our community. Their efforts as Operations Volunteers, Letter Readers, Application Specialists, and Researchers ensure that every letter the Foundation receives is read and responded to, and that every eligible constituent … Continued
After three years of closely collaborating with our nonprofit partners, we reflect on lessons learned and the importance of flexible funding for nonprofits and the people they serve. Given the current crisis with COVID-19, flexible and direct funding to those most impacted is needed now more than ever. The following was written prior to our … Continued
In fall 2017, the City of Boston, Letters Foundation, and Gavin Foundation announced the launch of the PAIR Initiative (Personal Advancement for Individuals in Recovery), the first public-private partnership of its kind. Letters Foundation pledged $100K to support individuals connected to services at Gavin Foundation or the City of Boston‘s PAATHS Program, providing small but … Continued
Dear Letters Foundation Community, Over the past year, we, Letters Foundation staff, have been on a challenging and reflective journey to define the values that guide our work. We started with the questions: “What do we care about? What do we hold ourselves accountable to?” Over a series of spirited group discussions, the 18 of … Continued
While Letters Foundation’s grantmaking focuses on providing one-time grants to individuals and families, Letters selectively funds Good Causes, a small pool of institutional grants for community-based nonprofits that support the educational, health and socioemotional needs of youth and their families. Letters Foundation had the privilege of getting to know the work of Angel Faces, which … Continued
This blog post is written by Letters Foundation intern and Red Sox Scholar alumna, Damaris Berrio, who supports the Foundation’s endeavors in External Relations. The mission of the Red Sox Foundation is to make a difference in the lives of children, veterans, families, and communities in need throughout New England by improving health, educational, and … Continued
At Letters Foundation, we understand that health and access to quality medical care are fundamental to the well-being of our constituents, and contribute to the overall health of our communities. Although we do not pay for medical treatments, we support constituents with many of the financial burdens that are a result of unanticipated and/or unaffordable … Continued
Investing directly in families is a large part of our work at Letters Foundation. We collaborate with many individuals and families across the U.S. by supporting the incidentals necessary to get to work, retain work, or aspire for work. Access to transportation, clothing, equipment, and certification training programs, are examples of grants that have helped … Continued
