Every evening, as I leave the SouthCoast Community Foundation office at the DeMello International building in downtown New Bedford, I walk through the parking lot and look up to see the Harborview Towers, one of two low-income apartment buildings across the street. It’s a building I know well.
Years ago, I was a student at the Hayden-McFadden Elementary School in New Bedford’s North End when a fire destroyed the six-family tenement where I lived with my mom and younger sister — taking with it our pets and all our belongings.
My mother had to rely on the kindness and generosity of family, friends, and neighbors for places to sleep, to give me rides to school, and to take her to myriad appointments to access aid and, we hoped, emergency housing. We were fortunate to have the support and generosity of those who hardly had more than we did, yet shared what they could so we could avoid going into a shelter.
When news of the fire broke, local businesses like Elaine’s T-shirts donated clothing and pajamas, and organizations like the Red Cross and Salvation Army provided vouchers for food and some essentials. Even my dancing school, Miss Mary’s School of Dance, and Mr. and Mrs. Leung, the owners of Kowloon restaurant, took up small collections on our behalf. The generosity of so many was a welcome blessing, but there would be additional challenges to address.
We were fortunate to receive news that an apartment was available at Harborview Towers, but the Towers were across the city and were different from the tenement where I spent my younger years. The buildings were close to downtown and surrounded by concrete parking lots without grass and places to play. Our new apartment felt empty, filled with a few donated items and the lingering smell of smoke from the little my mother managed to salvage from the fire.
We had never owned a car, but as a child, I was familiar with the corner stores within walking distance in my old neighborhood. My mom would walk us to Purchase Street for groceries at Friendly Fruit Market or the Hostess Outlet Store for discounted bread and treats. Although downtown New Bedford did not have a grocery store within walking distance of the Towers, we were thankful we could buy bread and milk at the Homlyke Bakery, just a block away at Union Street and Acushnet Avenue.
Then there was the fact that I would need to change schools. I spent my early years living close to Coggeshall Street and attended the Hayden-McFadden school since kindergarten. I remember climbing fences between tenements to walk to school with my neighbors. Despite the chaos and crises that followed the fire, my school remained a constant in my life. It was a place where things were consistent, and I recognized friends and families from the neighborhood.
Dr. Bradford Weaver, the principal of Hayden-McFadden at the time, ensured that although I was outside the school’s service area, I could ride a city-wide school bus transporting students attending a dual language education program. The school personnel also enrolled me in an afterschool arts and computers program that transported students to and from Hayden-McFadden from all over the city. Thanks to the advocacy of the school staff, I finished my final year at Hayden-McFadden, even winning an essay contest about why I loved my school.
As the season of gratitude approaches, I am reminded of my family’s experience and the power of community. I am forever grateful for the generosity and support of family, friends, neighbors, businesses, and nonprofit organizations that helped us through a traumatic time.
The power of community is at the heart of Giving Tuesday — established in 2012 as a global day to give back on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving. It is a time to reflect and give thanks for what we have and to make a difference in the lives of others.
In 2022, donations on Giving Tuesday topped $3.1 billion in just 24 hours, making it the biggest day of the year for charitable giving. I encourage you to participate in various ways:
Donate: Contribute to your favorite local nonprofit organizations. Read the Community Foundation’s Annual Report for a partial list of organizations addressing our region’s needs. If you need help determining where to direct your charitable giving, consider a gift to the Community Foundation. Last year, we distributed over $5 million in grants to hundreds of organizations addressing the most pressing needs across the South Coast.
Volunteer: Offer your time to food pantries and animal shelters, organize community events, tutor in afterschool programs, teach a skill, greet visitors at the hospital, usher at a local arts performance, serve as a docent at a museum, or utilize your talents to entertain elderly residents at a seniors’ home. In early 2024, you can assist the foundation with reviewing some of the 1,600 scholarship applications we receive from students across the South Coast. Contact us at inquiry@southcoastcf.org for more information.
Perform an act of kindness: Drop off a meal for a neighbor. Donate clothes and other gently used items. Offer someone a ride. Shovel a stranger’s walk. Fulfill a family’s holiday wish list from a giving tree.
Beyond financial donations, small, meaningful gestures echo the spirit of philanthropy.
Today, from my office window, I can see where the Homlyke Bakery once was, and as I walk to my car across that parking lot, I look up at those towers and remember standing on the corner to take the bus to school. The generosity, compassion, and kindness my family experienced were instrumental in preparing me to serve as president and CEO of the SouthCoast Community Foundation. Be it a donation or active involvement, everyone can contribute to enhancing the quality of life in our region. Let Giving Tuesday be a starting point for you and your loved ones. I am a living testament that every act of kindness, regardless of size, holds immense value.
Embrace giving and offer what you can.
Dr. Melanie Edwards-Tavares is president and CEO of SouthCoast Community Foundation.
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