The Center for Great Expectations receives $25,000 MassMutual Foundation Grant

Somerset, NJ – The Center for Great Expectations (The Center), celebrating 20 years of providing treatment and support for pregnant and/or parenting women with substance use and mental health disorders, has received a $25,000 grant from the MassMutual Foundation as part of a national Community Service Award (CSA) program. The Center is one of twenty-two organizations nationally to receive an award. The MassMutual Foundation made the grant as a tribute to the volunteer efforts of Rick Fortune, a MassMutual agent with the Fortune Wealth Financial Group in Warren, NJ.

“We are stronger when we come together as a community, and our Community Service Awards program recognizes a group of MassMutual financial professionals who embody this spirit, working with members of their respective neighborhoods, towns and cities, helping nonprofits with which they are involved grow and thrive,” said Dennis Duquette, Head of MassMutual Community Responsibility and President of the MassMutual Foundation.   “We are proud of the time and energy Rick dedicates to better his community and delighted to support the great work MassMutual financial professionals do with organizations across the country.”

The Center provides long term residential treatment, permanent supportive housing, and outpatient treatment to women and men who face substance use and mental health disorders. Additionally, The Center provides on-site day care at Katy’s Place for its residential and supportive housing clients to help break the intergenerational cycle of poverty, abuse, and trauma by addressing the needs of children age 6 weeks to 3 years. 

“We are thankful to Rick for securing this grant to support the important work our certified staff and counselors provide to the children enrolled at Katy’s Place,” commented Peg Wright, President/CEO at The Center. “Rick’s energy and enthusiasm for our mission is contagious. He is a shining example of the power of a committed board member.” 

Rick has been with The Center for 11 years. He has been committed to The Center since 2007 and has dedicated countless hours of time and talent, most recently serving as the chairman of the Development Committee of the Board of Trustees, to help the organization grow and flourish. 
“I am very pleased that my dedication to The Center has been recognized by the MassMutual Foundation,” said Rick. “This grant will provide much needed funding to continue supporting our community through providing funding to Katy’s Place and ensuring the children at Katy’s Place receive high quality and age appropriate education as well as trauma-informed parent-infant mental health counseling building mother-child bonds and providing tools for the mothers to build strong families. 

About the MassMutual Foundation
The MassMutual Foundation strives to broaden economic opportunity for America's youth and their families by investing in financial education for middle and high school students across the United States and economic development and education locally in Springfield, Mass. The Foundation is a reflection of MassMutual’s longstanding dedication to corporate citizenship and its unwavering commitment to the communities in which we do business. To learn more about the MassMutual Foundation please visit www.massmutual.com/responsibility.

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