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West County’s Community Resource Fair

This past September, the Mary Lyon Foundation welcomed families, students, and neighbors to the third annual West County Community Resource Fair at Mohawk Trail Regional School. Nearly 40 local organizations joined together to offer resources, guidance, and support in one place.  Guests explored a wide range of services—from health, housing, and education to food access and legal…

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The Game Goes On: Carrying Forward the Turner Spirit

If you spent time around Mohawk Trail Regional School or on a ball field in West County, chances are you knew a Turner. Doug Turner was the kind of person who showed up when someone needed a hand—raking fields, hauling equipment, or quietly helping a neighbor without being asked. His son, Zack, followed in those footsteps, often…

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Celebrating Our Community Partners: A Note of Thanks from Sarah

One of the greatest joys of my job is connecting with the amazing people and businesses in our community who share our passion for our mission. Every time I reach out, I’m moved by how quickly local businesses say “Yes!”—eager to help however they can to support our students, families, and educators.  I want to take a moment to celebrate some truly wonderful partners:  Lamson’s Outlet…

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Reflections on Response & Resilience: A Message from Liza

We received a phone call from Representative Natalie Blais in late October. Her message was clear: SNAP benefits were not going to be paid out in November and we needed to rally the community to help our neighbors who would be negatively impacted by the loss of SNAP. Immediately, Kristen reached out to district leaders and local food pantries,…

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Letter from The Chief Executive Officer: Winter 2026

Impact is not just a word; it defines our collective efforts. Boy, did we make an impact on the community during the turbulent fall! We fed hungry people, stood loud and proud to support those who needed our help, spoke to the news, published articles and stories, and advocated for community investment in children, programs,…

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Fall Newsletter: Liza Manchester, Program Director

Late in July, I joined the staff at the Mary Lyon Foundation. The team had just moved into a new office space at Mohawk Trail Regional School the week before, yet they were ready to welcome me with open arms — and put me to work right away! During my first week, I had the…

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Fall Newsletter: Sarah Burrell, Development Associate 

Summer at the Mary Lyon Foundation has been anything but sleepy! While students enjoyed their break and teachers recharged their batteries, we seized the moment to play musical chairs with our office space. In true small-but-mighty team fashion, we packed up our entire operation and migrated to a bigger, and more well suited classroom space…

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Letter from The Chief Executive Officer: Summer 2025

I am thrilled to announce that we have met our $5,000,000 campaign goal! When I arrived at the Foundation in January of 2021, school was remote, and we were still wearing masks. Just like the seasons, so much has changed in the last four and a half years. Our programs have grown, we’ve helped more…

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