Wayside Youth & Family Support Network Receives $75,000 Cummings Foundation Grant to Launch “Seeds of Wellness” Pilot Program
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 8, 2026
Contact: Betsy Freedman Doherty
774.287.6418
[email protected]
Framingham, MA (June 8, 2026) – Wayside Youth & Family Support Network has been awarded a $75,000 grant from the Cummings Foundation to support the launch of its Seeds of Wellness pilot program within the organization’s Multi-Service Program.
Wayside is one of 150 nonprofits selected through a highly competitive process from 959 applicants as part of the Cummings Foundation’s annual grant program, which distributed $35 million this year. The funding will be provided over three years.
The Seeds of Wellness pilot will enhance Wayside’s Multi-Service Center existing mental health and substance use prevention services by creating opportunities for youth to connect with nature, build resilience, and strengthen relationships with trusted adults through community volunteers. Through hands-on gardening and wellness-focused activities, the program introduces an innovative, sustainable approach to supporting positive outcomes for young people.
Wayside’s Multi-Service Center serves youth and families across Watertown, Waltham, and Belmont, with a strong focus on those facing behavioral health challenges and systemic barriers, including low-income households, immigrant communities, and LGBTQ+ youth.
We are grateful to the Cummings Foundation for supporting Seeds of Wellness, an innovative program that will help young people build resilience, connection, and hope while strengthening the bonds between youth, caring adults, and the broader community,” said Sara McCabe, President and CEO of Wayside Youth & Family Support Network.
“Nonprofit professionals are closest to the challenges facing their communities,” said Joyce Vyriotes, executive director and trustee of the Cummings Foundation. “By providing flexible funding, we aim to support organizations in delivering meaningful, long-term impact.”
Cummings Foundation supports Massachusetts nonprofits primarily serving Middlesex, Essex, and Suffolk counties and nearby communities. The Foundation sustains its philanthropy through a unique model in which rental income from Cummings Properties—its affiliated commercial real estate firm—supports its charitable giving.
Since its founding, the Foundation has awarded more than $650 million to Greater Boston nonprofits. A full list of grant recipients is available at https://www.cummingsfoundation.org.
About Wayside Youth & Family Support Network
Founded in 1977 and headquartered in Framingham, Massachusetts, Wayside Youth & Family Support Network is a nationally accredited nonprofit dedicated to building strength, hope, and resiliency. Wayside provides a continuum of behavioral health and family services, including community-based counseling, residential programs, and family-centered outreach, serving thousands of children and families across Eastern and Central Massachusetts. Learn more at www.waysideyouth.org
