Harrington Foundation Targets Main South as its Major Funding Focus

WORCESTER, Ma –   The Francis A. and Jacquelyn Harrington Foundation recently announced that upon completion of current multi-year charitable pledge obligations, it will dedicate the income from 75 percent of its total endowment to initiatives in Worcester's Main South neighborhood.

The Foundation will channel this recurring annual income into Main South through three equal distributions of income to Quinsigamond Community College, Clark University, and the Worcester Boys and Girls Club.

Quinsigamond will use its share of the income for scholarships to students living in the Main South neighborhood.  The Clark University initiatives with Main South over the years have become widely recognized as a national model for campus/neighborhood partnerships. Clark will use its share of the Harrington grants to continue neighborhood partnership programs. The Worcester Boys & Girls Club, which opened a new $9 million clubhouse in the Main South area, will use their Harrington grants for badly needed expansion of club services and programs for Main South youths.

“Demand for services through the new Boys and Girls Club has been extraordinary,” according to Ron Hadorn, Executive Director of the Club.  “Memberships at the Club have grown from about 1,000 young people to almost 4,000 since 2001.  We are most grateful to the Harrington Foundation for its leadership in helping us to meet this growth challenge.”

Quinsigamond’s President Dr. Gail E. Carberry, who also serves on the Board of the Boys and Girls Club, indicates that the College will be opening an education center at the Club in late January, designed to improve college access for parents in the Main South community.  Dr. Carberry states that “Jim Harrington’s long-term role as President of the QCC Foundation has made him acutely aware of the challenges faced by low income students who access our programs.  We thank him for his vision in helping us to extend higher educational opportunities in Main South.”

Mr. Harrington, who also serves as a member of the Clark University Board of Trustees, has been highly supportive of the University’s efforts to bring improved quality of life to residents in the Main South area.  “There is already a strong alliance between Clark and the Boys and Girls Club,” according to Clark President Dr. John E. Bassett.  “Clark appreciates the commitment that the Harrington Foundation has made to the University’s efforts to provide higher education opportunities to local residents.”

Income from 75 percent of the Harrington Foundation endowment will amount to a recurring annual distribution of approximately $150,000 to each of the three institutions for the benefit of the Main South neighborhood.  The foundation has every confidence that these three highly respected and well run organizations will use these grants wisely and effectively.