Ashley  C.  writes:  “I  would  first  like  to  start  off  with  ‘thank  you’!!  Words  can’t  even  begin  to  express  show  overjoyed  and  thankful  I  am  to  receive  this  award.  This  will  help  lift  the  burden  of  me  worrying  about  how  I  will  afford  to  pay  for  summer  courses.  I  am  grateful  that  this  fund  has  given  me  the  opportunity  to  continue  my  journey  toward  my  degree  this  year.  Your  gener-­‐osity  has  inspired  me  to  help  others  and  give  back  to  the  community.  I  hope  that  one  day  I  will  be  able  to  help  single  moms  achieve  their  goals  just  as  you’ve  helped  me.”  

Founders’ Scholarship

                 In   August,   2013,   LCWF  was  excited   to   welcome   a   new  Board   member:   Mary   O’Hara  of  Boston,  MA.        Mary   is   currently   the  Direc-­‐tor  of   ROC  USA®    Network,  a  national   network   of   non-­‐profit,   certified   technical   as-­‐sistance   providers   serving  homeowners  of   for-­‐sale  man-­‐ufactured   home   communities  (a.k.a   “mobile   home   parks”)  who   wish   to   purchase   their  communities.            Ms.  O’Hara   is   also  a  partner  of   Burlington   Associates   in  Community   Development,  LLC,  and  prior   to   joining  ROC  USA,  spent  15  years  providing  a   wide   range   of   community  investment   and   development  consulting   services   to   Com-­‐munity   Development   Finan-­‐cial  Institutions,  cooperatives,  Community   Land   Trusts,   and  other   non-­‐profit   organiza-­‐tions.                  Welcome,  Mary!  

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LCWF’s  Annual  Founders’  Scholarship  is  given   each   year   in   recognition   of   a   distin-­‐guished  supporter  of   the  LCWF  mission.   In  honoring   a   supporter   each   year,   LCWF  aknowledges   the   supporter’s   own  accomplishments   within   his/her  profession,  community  or  family.            This   year,  we   are  honoring   Sr.  Claire  O’Rourke,  SSC.    Sr.  Claire  is  a   past   President   and   Awards  Committee  Member  of   the  LCWF.  Additionally,   just   as   significant,  she  “recruited”  a  number  of  board  members   to   LCWF,   including   three  current   members   of   the   board.   Sr.  Claire   truly   has   contributed   to   the   LCWF  mission   in   so   many   ways.   And,   her   life   of  dedication   as   a   Sister,   helping   the   poor   in  the   US   and   overseas,   makes   us   proud   to  honor  Sr.  Claire.            Sr.   Claire   responded   to   a   call   to  mission  with   the   Columban   Sisters   in   Boston,   MA  after  meeting   the  Columban  Fathers   in  her  home   diocese   of   Providence,   RI.   Her   as-­‐signment   to   the   Philippines   at   the   end   of  her  studies  in  Chicago  was  the  beginning  of  a  25-­‐year  overseas  mission  among  the  poor.            Sr.   Claire   pursued   graduate   studies   in  clinical  social  work  and  spiritual  theology  at  Barry  University  in  Florida.  She  returned  to  the   Philippines   as   director   of   a   diocesan  marriage   program   and   later   served   as  Founder  and  Dean  of   a   college   social  work  department.  She  served  briefly  as  a  counse-­‐lor  with   the   T’boli   cultural  minority   group  on  the  island  of  Mindano.  

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     Upon  returning  to  the  States,   she   conduct-­‐ed   a   private   practice   in   pastoral-­‐clinical  counseling  in  the  Boston  area,  and  served  as  the   Vocation  Director   for   the  Columban   Sis-­‐

ters   in   the   US   region.   During   this   time,  Sr.  Claire  also  functioned  as  a  consult-­‐ant   to   the   Marrriage   Tribunal   for  the  Archdiocese  of  Boston.        Today,  Sr.  Claire  resides  with  the  Columban   Sisters   in   Silver   Creek,  New   York.   For  more   information  about  Sr.  Claire,  go  to  our  website  www.LostCoinWomensFund.org.    

Jennifer   T.   was   the   recipient   of   our  $2,000  2014  Founders’  Scholarship.   Jennifer  is  a  30-­‐year  old  single  mother  of  a  four-­‐year-­‐old  daughter  and  a  student  at  Brockton  Hos-­‐pital   School   of   Nursing.   Her   daughter   was  born  with  an  undiagnosed  heart  defect  (sub-­‐sequently  corrected  by  surgery).  Her  interac-­‐tion   with   the   medical   establishment   influ-­‐enced  her  decision  to  seek  a  career  in  health  care.   She   has   been   employed   in   health   care  (adults  with  disabili-­‐ties)   since   her   grad-­‐uation   from   high  school   in   2001   until  2009   when   her  daughter   was   born.  In   speaking   of   both  her   daughter’s   ill-­‐ness  (and  her  stepfa-­‐ther’s   terminal   ill-­‐ness):   “Being   at   the  hospital   and   seeing  

Volume 1, Issue 6 June, 2014

H O N O R A R Y C H A I R P E R S O N Evelyn  F.  Murphy,  Ph.D.  Former  Lt.  Governor  of    Massachusetts

B O A R D M E M B E R S Kathleen  Chase  Anne  Finn  Ellen  Gallagher  Julie  Graham  Monique  Hubbard  Kara  Conceison  McMahon  Mary  E.  McNamara  Mary  Ann  Mendes  Mary  O’Hara  Nancy  Conceison  Riley  

WOMEN     H E L P I NG    WOMEN     T O     B E C OME     S E L F   R E L I AN T     AND     S E L F   EMPOWERED  

Continued on next page

Special Thank  You’s from Grant Recipients: Continued on next page

     The  LCWF  Board  of  Directors  meet  on  the  first  Wednesday  of  the  month  from  4:30  –  6:30  p.m.  at  Cunningham  Park  Hall  in  Milton.  Feel  free  to  join  us  at  any  time  if  you  are  interested  in  becoming  involved!        For   more   information   about   Lost   Coin   Women’s   Fund,   visit   us   online   at  www.LostCoinWomensFund.org  or  email  us  at  LostCoinWFinc@gmail.com.  Like  us  on  Facebook!    

Lost Coin Women’s Fund Page 2

“Never doubt that a small

group of people can change the

world – it is the only

thing that ever has.”

Margaret Mead

Cheryl  R.  writes:   “I  want  to  thank  you   for   this   grant  which  will   take  a  portion  of   the  burden  off  my  shoulders  from  having  so  much  student  debt.  It  will  help  ease  my  mind  so  that   I  can  continue  my  education  and  gain  the  knowledge  to  succeed   in  my  chosen  field!”    Polina  Z.  writes:  “I  deeply  appreciate  your  awarding  me  with  this  grant!  I  can  be  sure  now  that  I  will  be  able  to  continue  my  studies  and  soon  enter  my  new  career.  This  long-­‐awaited  accomplishment  will  start  a  new  page  for  my  children  and  me  and  will  bring  me  the  ultimate  pleasure  of  caring  for  other  people.”

Thank you!

Our website has recently been updated.

Check it out!

Founders’ Scholarship continued from page 1

We need your help!

“Thank you” is a simple phrase, but it describes

how very much we really appreciate your

monetary generosity in support of LCWF.

However, we need your help! Spread the word about the good work of

LCWF with your relatives, friends, and

colleagues. Given today’s economy, we

must increase the number of people who

donate to LCWF to continue to provide

grants to these deserv-ing and courageous

women.

continued from page 1

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     A   few   months   ago,   LCWF   received   a  thank   you   letter   from   a   women   who  received   a   grant   in   2009.   We   felt   her  message  captures  the  mission  of  Lost  Coin  Women’s   Fund   and   we   wanted   to   share  her  words  with  you.          Catherine   M.   writes:   “This   is   just   a  follow-­‐up   letter   to   thank   you   for   your  generous   award   of   $1,000   to   me   in  November   of   2009.   At   that   time,   I   was   a  woman   who   had   been   away   from   school  for   35   years   and   taking   the   first   step  toward   a   college   education,   only   the  second   person   in   the   third   generation   of  my   family   in   America   to   do   so.   I   had  become  a  displaced  homemaker  when  my    marriage  ended,  and  I  knew  that  education  was   vital   to   my   ability   to   care   for   and  model  for  my  five  children.”        “I  had  enrolled   in  one   class  at  Massasoit  Community   College.   While   waiting   in   the  administrtation   building   to   speak   with  

A Voice From the Past

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staff  of   the  admissions,  registration,   and  financial   aid   offices,   I   saw   a   list   of  schoalrship  opportunities.  The  Lost  Coin  Foundation   sounded   like   just   the   right  organization  to  approach  for  assistance.”            “Here   I   am,   12   semesters   later,  approaching  graduation  from  Massasoit.  I   have   one   class   this  morning,   one   final  next   week,   and   then   I   am   off   to  Bridgewater  State  University  to  pursue  a  Bachelor’s   degree   in   social   work  with   a  minor   in   psychology.   The   Lost   Coin  Women’s   Foundation   is   one   of   the  “foundation”  stones  that  has  allowed  me  to   build   a   future   for   myself   and   my  family.”            “Again,   thank   you   so   very   much   for  believing   in   a   woman   who   took   those  baby   steps,   shaky   and   uncertain,   and  being   part   of   the   support   system   that  helped  me  to  walk,  and  run,  and  fly.”  

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what  the  doctors  and  nurses  did  for  my  daughter  and  my  stepfather  in  such  a  compas-­‐sionate  and   caring  way   inspired  me.   I  would   love   to  put  my  passion   into   a   job   that  changes  lives  and  helps  families  through  difficult  times.        After  Jennifer  received  the  Founders’  Scholarship  in  December,  she  sent  a  thank  you  message  as  well  as  an  update  on  her  progress  with  school.  She  had  just  completed  her  first  exams  and  competencies  and  passed.  She  continued  “My  little  one  turned  four  on  Christmas   Day!   We   are   hanging   in   there.   One   day   at   a   time.   We   even   survived  Christmas  Recital!!”