Eastern Bank Supports Bridgewell

Each year, the Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation’s Targeted Grant program supports hundreds of community-based organizations working for progress on a specific issue in Eastern’s New England footprint. In 2018, in celebration of the Bank’s 200th anniversary and to honor its first depositor, Rebecca Sutton, Targeted Grants have been designated to support organizations addressing a range of issues that disproportionately impact women, such as sexual assault, domestic violence, human trafficking, health care, pay equity, and senior management and board representation.

At Bridgewell, the generous funds established the Educational Assistance Program for women in our services. The money will be used for such things as tuition, daycare, books and supplies; giving more women the opportunity to further their education.

This gift will allow so many women the opportunity to complete their education and improve their lives and in many cases, the lives of their children. Several of our programs will participate in this new endeavor including Bridgewell’s Women’s Program, Johnson Street, an inpatient substance use disorder treatment program designed specifically for women; the Drug Diversion Program, offered the District Courts in Essex County and is designed for non-violent offenders, as well as Bridgewell’s Affordable Housing programs.

Pictured above: Clinical Director Joanna Huntington, Director of Drug Diversion and Care Management Kristen Luongo with Eastern Bank Sr. Vice President Paul Kurker.

Bridgewell is among 170 nonprofits each receiving a $10,000 grant. In total, Eastern has granted $1.7 million in Targeted Grants this year to nonprofits in communities from New Hampshire to Cape Cod and throughout the South Shore, North Shore, Metro West, Merrimack Valley and Greater Boston.