SCALING OUR IMPACT: Life Science Cares Boston grows by all measures in 2022

As we adjust to the “new normal” post-pandemic, with continued inflation and high cost of living, too many of our neighbors are struggling to meet basic needs, obtain an education, and earn a living wage. The opportunity: Life science companies and their employees are motivated to make a positive impact through volunteering, investing, and raising awareness of the issues of poverty and inequity.

Life Science Cares provides a platform for companies and their employees to make a difference. We make impactful grants to community nonprofits that are implementing solutions in the areas of survival, education, and economic sustainability and supercharge these grants with volunteer hours, donated goods, strategic support, and advocacy.

Our 2022 impact by the numbers

  • $1.6 million invested in 25 nonprofit partners
  • 118 life science companies engaged
  • 3,300 volunteers
  • 6,100+ total hours volunteered
  • $404,000+ worth of goods donated to nonprofit partner organizations
  • 189 members on our Board of Advisors
  • 96 Corporate Partners

 

Recapping our year

Winter

Life Science Cares kicked off 2022 by announcing our new Nonprofit Partners, a portfolio of 25 community-based organizations with programs and initiatives moving the needle on poverty and inequity in Greater Boston.

We dove in to build successful partnerships—moving time, talent and additional fiscal resources—to those nonprofit partners, while helping them establish relationships with each other, as well as life science companies and volunteers. Interested in volunteering? Check out our robust calendar of upcoming opportunities.

Spring

We celebrated our seventh anniversary on April 27, 2023!

In May, we brought back the popular Impact Breakfast, as both a celebration of our collective efforts and a call to action. Our special guest speakers— Jo Viney, Founder, President and CEO of Seismic Therapeutic; Sandra M. McCroom, President and Chief Executive Officer of Children’s Services of Roxbury; Bonnie Bertolaet, Ph.D., Executive Director with Science Club for Girls; and Jaykyri Simpson, MBA, Ed.D. of Young Man with a Plan—shared their thoughts on what it will actually take to end poverty in our community. It’s a call to action that has been a guiding star as we plan for the future.

In partnership with our good friends at MassBioEd, we launched Compass Collaborative, an effort to recruit, train, and place volunteers to actively support community organizations working in STEM education, career exploration or workforce development. By creating connections between industry professionals and clients served by our partners, the program engages individuals through mentorship, networking, and skills-based volunteering towards pursuing careers in the life sciences field. Learn more about Compass Collaborative.

Summer

Summer means summer internships and Project Onramp students spread throughout industry roles for work experience critical to help them explore and success in the life sciences. In June, 172 college students performed in entry-level positions at 77 life science companies, some in-person, some remote and some hybrid. As it has been since inception, about half of our students worked in labs, while the other half worked in a variety of departments, like marketing, manufacturing, communications, finance, business strategy, patient advocacy, HR and clinical operations. They networked online, met with mentors on Zoom and finished the summer at our first in-person Internship Showcase since the pandemic. Stay tuned in the coming weeks as we announce some exciting plans for Project Onramp in 2023.

We continue to build partnerships to understand other ways LSC might support education, opportunity and workforce development. This year, we joined BioConnects, a New England-wide effort to aim to promote the growth and sustainability of the life sciences industry in New England through academic excellence and strategic programming.

Fall

He did it again! Biotech journalist and LSC champion Luke Timmerman lead 20 life science leaders 23 miles through the White Mountains, ultimately raising nearly $1 million to benefit our mission via the Timmerman Traverse. Later in September, we hosted our Mini Golf for Good tournament, welcoming hundreds of our friends and champions back to Tech Square, in-person, for a friendly round of mini golf.

We continue to grow our team to help support the growing network and impact. This year we welcomed Emily Stanford, Director of Advancement, Mathias Vialva, Development Manager and Beth Gomes, Director of Operations (supporting all LSC sites.) As we scale Project Onramp, Lila Neel was named the program Director and we brought Ruby Kim on to run operations here in Boston.

We kicked off a Health Equity Exploration, a participatory grantmaking effort to invest at least $500,000 in programs or initiatives aimed at providing more equitable access to healthcare. Working closely with a Steering Committee of LSC Advisors, we have built out a process of Community Listening & Learning sessions to help shape a new tranche of LSC grants. We have invited key to participate and hope to see them co-invest in the investment that results.

We wrapped up the year with hundreds of our #HolidayHelpers, collecting food, clothes, care kits, toys and other critical items for our neighbors in need. Check out our LinkedIn feed for scenes from the festivities (and some killer ugly sweaters!)

Looking Ahead: Get Involved!

In this new year we are gearing up for even more community impact, including with a new grant round we anticipate will top $2 million. We’ll welcome new partner organizations and begin to build new connections to the organizations and people in our industry that are ready to dig in to help.

We’ll shake things up this spring, as our Impact Breakfast evolves into a new Impact Reception & Awards event. And we’re dreaming up ways to add even more fun & friendly competition to the popular Mini Golf for Good tournament.

There are a number of ways to get involved.

Industry Leaders: LSC Board of Advisors champion our efforts within their organizations, connectors who leverage their network to help us grow, and contributors who ensure our operations and programs have the resources necessary to make an impact.

Companies & Employees: Life Science Cares is a powerful partner in your company’s commitment to positive social change. As a Corporate Partner, you can better understand community needs and forge relationships with a variety of local nonprofit organizations. As an Event Sponsor, you can have a presence at fun industry gatherings while also know your contribution supports our collective cause.

Start 2023 off on the right foot—reach out soon and let us brainstorm how you can get involved in our fast-growing Network of Good!

Sarah, Kelly, Emily, Bailey, Mathias, Beth, Lila, Ruby & Michelle