by Chandra Clark, President, Corey C. Griffin Foundation
When I first began the journey to become President of the Corey C. Griffin Foundation, I had a serendipitous meeting with a customer in a Boston coffee shop who was wearing a CG baseball cap. When I asked him about his connection, he told me how much this organization meant to him and how it needed a great leader to further its mission.
That brief encounter told me two things. First, the Foundation attracted people who were public and vocal about their dedication to its mission, values, and actions. Second, this institution—a foundation that inspires and uplifts Boston’s youth—was exactly where I was meant to be.
Two years later, I’m deeply honored and blessed to be at the helm of this profoundly meaningful and sacred organization. Although I never met Corey C. Griffin personally, I feel his spirit, inspiration, and encouragement every day.
Everyone who personally knew Corey has a story about his kindness and generosity, the way he always saw the best in people, and the way he inspired them to exceed their own expectations. Though Corey never had children of his own, the children we serve—the ones we know lovingly as “Corey’s Kids”—carry his legacy forward.
In the ten years since his passing, his friends and family have demonstrated that it’s possible to simultaneously mourn his loss and celebrate his life through love and positive action. For the Foundation’s team, that means galvanizing the community, building partnerships, raising funds, and, most importantly, rolling up our sleeves to help Corey’s Kids on their path to bright futures. We’ve worked tirelessly over the past two years to make our processes more efficient, our partnerships stronger, and our ambitions for helping Corey’s Kids even bigger.
In the past two years, the Foundation has matured from a grassroots startup organization to one entering its growth phase. We’ve formalized our operations, expanded our infrastructure, and laid the groundwork for a sustainable future on a variety of fronts:
We now have a dedicated office, full-time staff, and formal business and strategic marketing plans.
We’ve grown our Board of Directors and fostered the development of the Emerging Leaders Council (ELC), which aims to build the next generation of Boston-area philanthropists.
The Foundation has solidified relationships with a core group of trusted community partners, each with proven track records of success in serving Greater Boston’s underserved children and families.
The Foundation’s impact is broad and deep. It combines direct initiatives with partner-run programs to support young people from early childhood through their education and into adulthood.
We provide grants to numerous Boston-area organizations focused on education, food and housing security, healthcare, and more.
Our team and network offer executive-level guidance to partners and mentoring to Corey’s Kids, alongside hands-on volunteer efforts.
This year, Corey’s Kids Christmas provided gifts to 2,500 children, and our Back-to-School Drive distributed 3,000 backpacks filled with school supplies. We aim to reach 5,000 kids annually through both programs.
We also continue to host large-scale fundraising events that expand the community and sustain our mission.
CoreyFest
This year, our annual country music festival featured Jake Owen, Austin Williams, Tyler Reeve, Alec MacGillivray, and Amanda Stewart and raised a record-breaking $2.3 million for Corey’s Kids. We even gave out ten $10,000 scholarships to extraordinary students, eliciting the biggest smiles ever seen in the House of Blues.
Boston Winter Ball
“Boston’s Biggest Night Out” has contributed to our raising $38 million over the past 16 years for Corey’s Kids. (Join us on February 8, 2025 and help us cross the $40 million mark!)
Through these efforts, we’re helping children and young people succeed and fostering a culture of service and leadership among our partners. For example, students at the Saint John Paul II Catholic Academy in Dorchester are now organizing canned food drives for My Brother’s Keeper and attending camps at the Ron Burton Training Village, building their own culture of generosity.
In our next phase, every element of our programming—direct initiatives, partner programs, and personalized involvement—will come together in a seamless system of uplifting support.
The centerpiece of this vision is the new Corey’s Scholars program, which will identify individual students who need tailored support and provide them with the resources they need to thrive, including tuition assistance, mentorship, skills development, and personalized guidance.
This marks a significant evolution in our work. By delivering holistic, individualized educational and professional support, we can deliver the transformative change that only the Foundation—with its financial resources, professional connections, and personal engagement—can achieve.
Our ultimate goal is to help Corey’s Kids become Corey’s Scholars, and eventually Emerging Leaders Council members, Board members, and philanthropists giving back to the community. With every step forward, we’re moving closer to making this vision a reality.
Every ambitious goal requires a long-term view, and ensuring the sustainability of Corey C. Griffin Foundation’s work is no exception. While the Foundation’s endowment is significant, growing it substantially is the only way to guarantee that we can carry out our programs for generations to come.
That’s why, in 2025, we’re launching a new major gifts campaign to safeguard Corey’s Scholars, our annual Back-to-School Drive, and Corey’s Kids Christmas. This campaign will invite successful donors to join us in our mission to help Corey’s Kids thrive. By pairing their financial contributions with our executive guidance, individualized mentorship, and personalized support, we can amplify the transformative impact of every gift.
Expect to hear more about this exciting initiative in the coming months. If you or someone you know might be interested in participating, please reach out to me personally.
Every day, we feel Corey’s presence in our work. Those who knew him share his stories, values, and messages, and those of us who never had the opportunity to meet him feel as though we know him. Together, we try to live his values of love and respect and inspire others to be their best selves.
Whether you’re a donor, a volunteer, a partner, or simply someone inspired by Corey’s story, you’re a part of the Corey C. Griffin Foundation family. This experience proves that we accomplish more together than we could individually. Thank you for being a part of this journey.
Chandra Clark is President of the Corey C. Griffin Foundation. You can find her on LinkedIn and at [email protected].
