Posts by Aneta Gordievsky
Empowering Young Women Through our Period Poverty Program
The Mary Lyon Foundation empowers young women by providing free feminine hygiene products to help them feel comfortable succeeding in the classroom and life. The Period Poverty Program supports elementary, middle, and high school students by making period products available at no cost. Students are encouraged to quickly and discreetly stop by the Mary Lyon…
Read MoreThe Power of A Helping Hand
Elijah and Rachel Smith are the parents of seven children. With seven mouths to feed, seven closets to fill, and a challenging number of bills to pay, The Mary Lyon Foundation has been an impactful and vital resource to their family. The Smiths initially reached out to the Mary Lyon Foundation for their support over three…
Read MoreLetter from the Executive Director: Winter 2023
The new year is a time of renewal and a time to reflect on the year past. When I look back over the last year, I am grateful to all of you for supporting the vision and mission of the Mary Lyon Foundation. Our community’s children, families, and educators are better equipped because of you.…
Read MoreCPR Training
Last spring, the Mary Lyon Foundation was honored to provide funding to six ambitious MTRS students in Tamara Brown’s health class to become CPR certified! MTRSD Community Engagement and Enrichment Programs are actively working with local fire chiefs to increase the number of volunteer firefighters. Part of that program includes CPR and First Aid Certification.…
Read MoreThe Mary Lyon Foundation is Calling Our Community to Action! Update on Our Campaign for Student Success
In our last newsletter, we wrote about the highly anticipated launch of our unprecedented $5 million Campaign for Student Success. Our new Campaign is a bold invitation for all of us to invest in the most pressing needs facing our students, families, and educators. Working together, we will provide students and families with every opportunity…
Read MoreMTRS Senior Capstone Project
The Mary Lyon Foundation is proud to assist students by providing financial support to complete educational projects. The MTRS Senior Capstone is a long-term independent project that all seniors are required to complete before graduation. Students choose from an array of disciplines to design their projects, perform in-depth research, and set realistic goals to make…
Read MoreSummer Programming Scholarship
The Mary Lyon Foundation funded $2,500 in summer scholarships to help bridge the gap for families who could not afford to send their children to local summer programs. Due to the deep poverty gap within western Franklin County, some families do not qualify for free or reduced lunch services but may struggle to afford childcare…
Read MoreUnited Way of Franklin & Hampshire Region’s Blooming Backpack Drive:
The Mary Lyon Foundation partnered with the United Way of Franklin & Hampshire Region for their annual Blooming Backpack Drive! The Foundation helped prepare MTRSD students for a new academic year by encouraging donations of new backpacks filled with essential school supplies such as notebooks, paper, pens, highlighters, and more. Thank you to all who…
Read MoreRelieving Students and Families of Financial Stress:
Austin Sullivan learned about the Mary Lyon Foundation in seventh grade, but it wasn’t until his senior year of high school in 2022 that he understood the impact of their services on the community. Now attending Westfield State University and pursuing a bachelor’s degree in psychology, as a first-generation college student, Austin received a laptop…
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The long days of summer are behind us, and as we look forward to the fall, the needs of our families and students in West County are at the forefront of my mind. I spend a lot of time thinking of ways we can help more families and significantly impact our community. The children of our…
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