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Yawkey Foundation

Dedham, MA, USA

Yawkey Foundation

About Yawkey Foundation

Established in 1976, the Yawkey Foundation continues the charitable legacy of Tom and Jean Yawkey by serving the communities they lived in and were actively involved in during their lifetimes: Boston, Massachusetts and Georgetown, South Carolina.

As the longtime owners of the Boston Red Sox, the Yawkey’s passion for their community extended to children and families in need, and the Yawkey Foundation is committed to perpetuating their philanthropy by bettering the lives of the underserved in the communities they called home. The Foundation focuses its efforts on six areas: youth and amateur sports, education, arts & culture, health care, human services, and conservation & wildlife.
Established in 1976, the Yawkey Foundation continues the charitable legacy of Tom and Jean Yawkey by serving the communities they lived in and were actively involved in during their lifetimes: Boston, Massachusetts and Georgetown, South Carolina.

As the longtime owners of the Boston Red Sox, the Yawkey’s passion for their community extended to children and families in need, and the Yawkey Foundation is committed to perpetuating their philanthropy by bettering the lives of the underserved in the communities they called home. The Foundation focuses its efforts on six areas: youth and amateur sports, education, arts & culture, health care, human services, and conservation & wildlife.

Throughout their lives, the Yawkeys served in many philanthropic leadership roles. Tom Yawkey served on the board of The Jimmy Fund, a childhood cancer research charity, and served as a trustee, chairman, and president for the foundation established by Dr. Sidney Farber that would become the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Jean Yawkey also served as a trustee and chairperson of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

The Yawkey Foundation has long been committed to aiding nonprofit organizations through grants and capital funding, which allows it to reach many individuals needing assistance. The Yawkey Scholars program helps talented high school seniors from Massachusetts and Georgetown County, SC obtain a college education through tuition support and other related aid.

The Foundation's grants provide nonprofits with a range of financial support that helps them fulfill their mission by improving outreach and impact through diverse programs and other aid vital to the organization's mission, such as physical spaces and equipment. To date, the Foundation has awarded more than $500 million in grants to nonprofit organizations.

The Yawkey Foundation continues to fulfill Tom and Jean Yawkey’s philanthropic legacy by honoring their commitment to care for the most vulnerable members of society.

Foundation Beneficiaries

Since 2005, the Yawkey Scholars Program has provided millions in tuition support to over 350 scholars pursuing a college education. The program aims to make a college education affordable for accomplished and driven low-income high school seniors from Massachusetts and Georgetown County, South Carolina that are among the first in their family to earn a bachelor’s degree.
After holding their wedding in Georgetown, South Carolina, Tom and Jean Yawkey were inspired to make a charitable gift to support the construction of Georgetown Memorial Hospital. This significant gift provided the primarily rural Georgetown County with its first large medical center. The Yawkey Foundation continues this support, including a $10 million donation in 2018, which enabled the construction of the Yawkey Surgical Pavilion named in Tom and Jean Yawkey’s honor.
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources was gifted 24,000 acres of shorefront land by Tom and Jean Yawkey as part of their conservation legacy. The Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center was established in honor of Tom and, along with research partners, has helped to develop and teach the importance of wildlife conservation.
Tom Yawkey first began supporting the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in 1939. The Yawkey Foundation has continued to provide support through grants for construction and renovation, artifact preservation, technology and digitization, education programs, and many other areas.
Youth Enrichment Services (YES) inspires and challenges Boston youth with physical and mental activities that foster life-long respect for self, others, and the environment through enriching programming for thousands of children and teens, primarily from Dorchester, Roxbury, and Mattapan. The Yawkey Foundation has provided support to help YES deliver on its mission of offering unique, active outdoor experiences essential for healthy development.

Foundation Stats

1976
Founded
$500M
Charitable grants
$114M
Education
$89M
Youth athletics

Foundation Leadership

Founders
Tom and Jean Yawkey
Chairman
John L. Harrington
Chief Executive Officer
Maureen H. Bleday

Founder Quote

“Do what is right. Do it quietly. And don’t expect praise for being kind.”
Social Media

Newsfeed

Easterseals Mass. awarded $250K grant from Yawkey Foundation for individuals with disabilities
“We commend Easterseals Massachusetts for the important work they are doing in our community,” said Maureen H. Bleday, CEO...
17 Aug 2023
The Arc of the South Shore awarded $25,000 grant from Yawkey Foundation
The Arc of the South Shore, a nonprofit providing information, referrals and programs for individuals with disabilities,...
14 Aug 2023
Boston Children’s Museum Awarded $300,000 Grant from Yawkey Foundation for Access & Outreach
The grant will enable the Museum to create and deepen relationships with parents and guardians, neighborhoods, and communities...
26 Jul 2023
Yawkey Foundation Announces $970,000 in Support for Amateur Baseball and Youth Recreation Programs
The funding will benefit 19 Youth & Amateur Athletics nonprofit organizations in Greater Boston dedicated to providing access...
13 Apr 2023
The Dimock Center receives $2.5 million grant from the Yawkey Foundation to expand critical addictio
The $2.5 million grant will support the development of a new 32-bed post-detox, clinical stabilization services (CSS) unit...
14 Mar 2023
Boston Medical Center receives $3 million grant from the Yawkey Foundation
The grant will support BMC’s Child and Adolescent Psychiatry program
30 Jan 2023
The Yawkey Foundation’s Support of the PMC Kids Ride Program Reaches $1.5 Million in 2022
The Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) is pleased to share that the Yawkey Foundation is the Presenting Sponsor of the 2022 PMC Kids...
24 Oct 2022
House of Possibilities receives a $100,000 Yawkey Foundation grant to advance family support service
House of Possibilities (HOPe), with locations in Easton and Boston, has received a $100,000 grant from the Yawkey Foundation...
21 Oct 2022
Donation adds 269 acres to Georgetown’s Yawkey Wildlife Center
The generous donation adds to the existing Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center, a 24,000-acre protected natural preserve.
15 Jun 2022
BC Honors Pete Frates With New Baseball, Softball Training Facility Bearing His Name And Legacy
Yawkey Foundation trustee Jim Healey said they were happy to honor Pete’s legacy as a lead funder of the project.
26 Mar 2022
BILH opens on-site pharmacy at Bowdoin Street Health Center in Dorchester
The Yawkey Foundation donated $1 million towards the opening of an on-site pharmacy at the Bowdoin Street Health Center in...
22 Feb 2022
Boston has what it takes to end homelessness
The Yawkey Foundation works with Pine Street to end homelessness in Boston by working alongside nonprofits and providing...
22 Feb 2022
Yawkey Foundation Gives $300K to Mass Mentoring Partnership
Mass Mentoring Partnership announced it received $300,000 from the Yawkey Foundation to support mental, behavioral, and social-emotional...
13 Jan 2022
Amid homeless crisis, Yawkey Foundation pledges $15 million to Pine Street Inn
The generous donation will expand the Pine Street Inn's housing program by creating 400 to 500 new units of permanent housing.
7 Dec 2021
Saugus Softball Little League gets infusion of new sports equipment
The Yawkey Foundation, along with Good Sports has selected Saugus Softball Little League as a recipient of funds for new...
14 Oct 2021
Yawkey Foundation Announces $1.2 Million in Grants for Youth Recreation, Summer Camp and Amateur Ath
The Yawkey Foundation has announced that it will award grants to 19 Youth & Amateur Athletics nonprofit organizations in...
16 Jul 2021
Yawkey Foundation awards $5 million to Franciscan Children's
The Yawkey Foundation has gifted $5 million toward the construction of a mental health center at Franciscan Children's in...
6 Jun 2021
MLK memorial effort gets second $1M gift, this one from Yawkey Foundation
The Yawkey Foundation donated the gift of $1 million dollars to King Boston, aiding in the construction of 'The Embrace'...
27 Apr 2021

Foundation Details

Registered Address
Yawkey Foundation
990 Washington Street | Suite 315
Dedham, Massachusetts
United States of America

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