JB Line, Inc. awarded $45,000 in grant from the Cummings Foundation

to support struggling or isolated Asian immigrants in the community

Arlington, MA, May 23, 2023. JB Line, Inc. (Japanese Bostonians Support Line) is pleased to announce that it has been chosen as one of 150 local nonprofits that will share a total of $30 million through Cummings Foundation’s major annual grants program. The Arlington-based organization was selected from a total of 630 applicants during a competitive review process. It will receive $45,000 over the next three years.

JB Line aims to provide specialized support for Japanese American and Asian American communities who experience unique challenges shaped by their culture. The Asian population is expected to be the fastest growing population in the US due to immigration. Despite this increased demand, Asians sometimes do not have many resources - a small number of social agencies, little access to welfare, and/or the language barrier to available resources. The support that is currently available may not be specific to their experiences or tailored to the specific difficulties they face in the US. For example, JB Line, Inc. is the only social agency specializing in the Japanese community in the New England region. Strategically, JB Line wants to collaborate more with other Asian community agencies. However, it has struggled to expand in this way due to budget restrictions; these constraints will now be lifted due to the Cummings Foundation grant. By connecting with other agencies, JB Line will be able to increase our presence in the community to reach a more diverse population and to strengthen the support for the people in need.  Particularly, with the grant funds from the Cummings Foundation, it would like to focus on:

• Welfare resources for Asian community 

• International Marriage disputes

• Senior Visits

For more information about JB Line, Inc. and ways to get involved, please contact Lisa Watanabe, President of JB Line, Inc. at Satoko.watanabe@jblne.org or call (617)610-6185.

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About JB Line, Inc.

JB Line, Inc. is a 501c3 organization, which was established on October 26, 2010 for the purpose of helping residents, immigrants and Japanese Americans in the New England region. JB Line provides a bilingual support line, case management, advocacy, senior visits, support groups, and outreach. 

About Cummings Foundation

Woburn-based Cummings Foundation, Inc. was established in 1986 by Joyce and Bill Cummings of Winchester, MA and has grown to be one of the largest private foundations in New England. The Foundation directly operates its own charitable subsidiaries, including New Horizons retirement communities, in Marlborough and Woburn, and Cummings Health Sciences, LLC. Additional information is available at www.CummingsFoundation.org.

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