Lawrence, MA (April 2024) - Maria Moller, CEO and the Community Group (TCG) were recognized with a Community Advocacy Award by the Eastern Bank Foundation for our work with Early Childhood Development (ECD).
The Eastern Bank Foundation annually selects and spotlights “outstanding non-profit leaders and organizations that focus on the most critical needs of (our) communities.” This year there were fourteen 2024 award recipients who are leaders in ECD and serve families in local Eastern Bank communities. These recipients met in person on April 12 to receive their awards and participate in a roundtable discussion that covered many aspects of the ECD ecosystem.
Nancy Huntington Stager, President & CEO of Eastern Bank Foundation states, “For our region to be an attractive and attainable place to live, work, and raise families, we must have world-class, accessible, and affordable ECD programs that give all our kids and families the strongest start and journey possible and a system that affords our ECD professionals the wages and opportunities they need to live. Without this, we risk the present and future strength of our communities, economies, and workforce.”
Commenting on the contributions of our agency Stager also said “Maria and TCG are making a historic impact through their robust early learning programs for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, school-age children, and teen parents. For example, in their Infant/Toddler Center at Lawrence High School, TCG provides nurturing, developmentally appropriate care to the children of teen parents who are attending school or high school/GED graduates who are working, supporting both the children and young parents. TCG not only provides caring support and vital services but also leadership in helping to build economic and social equity and intergenerational mobility for the children and families they serve, as well as their fellow Early Childhood Development colleagues.”
Maria Moeller, CEO, feels deeply honored to accept this award from The Eastern Bank Foundation and proudly stands behind the work accomplished by TCG in advancing Early Education and Development. She states, “High quality, accessible and affordable early childhood development impacts the stability and financial health of our families, our communities, and our economy — it also helps sustain our invaluable early childhood development workforce recognizing that early education lays the cornerstone for a lifetime of learning, our programs are dedicated to empowering families and children, ensuring they establish a sturdy foundation that paves the way for lifelong success.”
About The Community Group: Established in 1970, The Community Group (TCG) creates, manages, and nurtures high-quality programs focused on education and related services. Partnering with families and the larger community, TCG prepares infants through school-aged children for bright futures. Thousands of children from several generations have benefited from the programs offered by TCG throughout the years and TCG programs continue to grow and evolve to meet community needs.
About Eastern Bank Foundation: Celebrating 30 years in 2024 as the philanthropic arm of Eastern Bank, Eastern Bank Foundation actively listens to and partners with our neighbors and fellow change-makers across nonprofit, for-profit, and government sectors to further community vibrancy and promote systems change. We invest with community-led organizations working to build economic inclusion, mobility and social justice in four strategy areas–advancing equity in the small business ecosystem, enriching early childhood development, securing safe and affordable housing, and promoting workforce development for adults facing barriers to employment. Knowing the roots of social and economic injustice are as stubborn as they are old, we employ a variety of levers–Philanthropy, Employee Volunteerism, Advocacy and Collaboration–to lift up and rise with our communities, especially in our region’s Gateway Cities.
