Staples Foundation awards $2.5 million

By D.C. Denison, Globe Staff

The Staples Foundation, a private foundation created by Framingham-based Staples, Inc., announced today it has awarded more than $2.5 million in grants to 112 non-profit organizations serving at-risk youth throughout the country.

Staples Foundation selected these organizations for their commitment to providing youth with the skills and resources needed to become responsible and caring citizens.

Seventy percent of the 2011 grant recipients will use the funding to address two key areas: education and literacy, the foundation said. Twenty percent of the grants will support mentoring and life skills initiatives; ten percent will support environmental programs and services for youth with disabilities.

Staples employees are encouraged to nominate educational non-profit organizations in their own communities to receive funding from Staples Foundation.

Massachusetts non-profit organizations awarded Staples Foundation grants include: the Advanced Math & Science Academy Charter School Foundation; the Ashland Education Foundation; the Assumption School; the Ayer Education Foundation; the Billy Dalwin Preschool of Temple Emunah; the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center; the Bottom Line; the Boys & Girls Clubs of MetroWest; the Boys & Girls Clubs of Middlesex County; the Bridge Elementary School; the Bridge Over Troubled Waters; BUILD – Greater Boston; the Century Chinese Language School; Child Rights and You America; Civic Education Project; Cradles to Crayons; Crossroads School for Children; Duxbury Educational Foundation; Federation for Children with Special Needs; Franklin Education Foundation; GAIN@GUS at Glen Urquhart School; Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts; Growing Places Garden Project; Haynes Organization of Parents, Inc.; Home for Little Wanderers; Horizons at Dedham Country Day School; John F. Kennedy Library Foundation; Junior Achievement of New England; Junior League of Boston; Laurie C. Tinsley Memorial Scholarship; Learning Center for the Deaf; Lighthouse Academies; Loring School Parent Teacher Organization; Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities; Mather Elementary School; Medfield Afterschool Program; Miracle League of Massachusetts; More Than Words; Nativity Boston, Inc.; One Home for Many Hopes; Operation Outreach; Palmer Monson Family Network; Prep@Pingree at Pingree School; Quinsigamond Community College; Realizing Children’s Strengths; Saint Raphael Parish School; Samaritans; Seven Hills Clinical Associates; Shrewsbury Education Foundation; South Boston Neighborhood House; St. Vincent’s Home; Taunton Early Intervention Program; Technology for Autism Now; Westborough Education Foundation; Westborough Special Education Parent Advisory Council; Wilmington Education Foundation; Winthrop Improvement and Historical Association; Worcester Community Action Council; Wrentham Elementary Schools Trust, Inc.; and Year Up