Tuesday, August 11, 2020

Spier Family Issues Giving Challenge At Hockomock Area YMCA

Greg and Kathy Spier of Foxborough are issuing a $50,000 challenge grant to support the Hockomock Area YMCA’s commitment to support kids and families during this pandemic. The Spiers are matching every donation made August 10th through September 26th up to $50,000. When the Spier Family Kindness for Kids Challenge is met, it will result in $100,000 to benefit food security initiatives through the Hockomock Area YMCA.  

Since the pandemic started, when the Y’s doors were closed in March, the Hockomock Area YMCA immediately began providing food for people in need and providing emergency child care for essential personnel. As of August 7th, 152,000 meals and 15, 623 grocery bags have been provided to people in the local communities that the YMCA serves.

Every Wednesday, since March 18th, the Hockomock Y has provided free family-size grocery bags valued at $50 each at their branches in Foxboro, Franklin and North Attleboro to anyone in need. Additionally, the Y has been working with school nutrition departments and community partners to ensure that children and families have grab and go meals for breakfast and lunch while schools have been closed and through the summer months. As the need for food access continues to grow, grab and go meals are now offered in Bellingham, North Attleboro, Milford and Wrentham.

“In these challenging times, our YMCA has been there for our community providing an important safety net for so many kids and families,” said Ed Hurley, President of the Hockomock Area YMCA. “I’m so proud of the work our Y has done – reflecting our mission and values - to provide emergency support focused on the needs of those challenged with food insecurity. Greg and Kathy Spier have been passionate partners for so many years with our Y.  This incredible challenge will help our neighbors when they need it most and is the latest example of the Spier family’s commitment to our YMCA and the communities we are so proud to serve.”   

Greg and Kathy Spier, long time Foxborough residents, Y members and volunteers, and community leaders, are committed to improving the quality of life in their community.  The Spier Family’s legacy includes the naming of the indoor and outdoor aquatics centers at the Y’s Invensys Foxboro Branch, along with their parents, Sonja and the late Alex Spier.

Through the Spier Family Kindness for Kids Challenge, Kathy Spier expressed her hope that this challenge “will inspire people to make a gift to help feed kids and families and spread kindness and a caring hand to those who need it during a difficult time in our communities.”

“Our family has always believed in giving back to the community and this YMCA.  We have learned from our mom and dad the importance of paying it forward and making your community a better place. Through this challenge, and with the support of our community, together we will make a difference providing food access to our neighbors in need during this pandemic,” said Greg Spier.

When asked why the Spiers are issuing this challenge, Greg shared, “Kathy and I give because our hearts feel good when we do so, and we advocate for the Y because we know the Y’s reputation and commitment to helping people. Now more than ever in these uncertain times, we all need to come together to support one another.”

Every gift matters. To learn more about this challenge and ways to make a gift, visit www.hockymca.org/spier-challenge

To learn about other ways to support this initiative, please contact Katie Moore at katiem@hockymca.org.

Many family and individuals have lost jobs which has an increasingly hard strain on people’s budgets for basic needs like food and other necessities and are not able to make ends meet. Through the YMCA, people will have access to healthy meals and food as a result of these philanthropic efforts and the support of a caring community of people who want to strengthen our community and make a difference.

For more information about the Y’s food securities initiatives, visit hockymca.org/food-access.

About Hockomock Area YMCA:

Where Cause Meets Community.  At the Hockomock Area YMCA, strengthening community is our cause. The Hockomock Area YMCA is an organization of men, women, and children sharing a commitment to nurture the potential of kids, promote healthy living, and foster a sense of social responsibility. 

The Hockomock Area YMCA is committed to partnering and collaborating with others to create and deliver lasting personal and social change in the 15 communities they are privileged to serve. The Hockomock Area YMCA is a not-for-profit charitable cause-driven organization with facilities in North Attleboro, Foxboro, Franklin, and Mansfield. For more information visit hockymca.org.


Spier Family Issues Giving Challenge At Hockomock Area YMCA
Spier Family Issues Giving Challenge At Hockomock Area YMCA

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