Lynnfield Nonprofit Bridgewell Receives $100K Grant

The following information was provided by Bridgewell: 

Bridgewell Inc., a leading provider of services individuals with developmental and psychiatric disabilities, has been honored  with a grant of $100,000 by the Cummings Foundation.  Through the Foundation’s new $100K for 100 program, Bridgewell was chosen during a competitive review process by the Foundation.

Bridgewell accepted its official award letter at the Foundation’s first annual Grantee Reception on June 19. The Foundation infused $10 million in $100,000 grants into greater Boston’s nonprofit sector. The funding for Bridgewell will support the organization’s services to young adults on the autism spectrum disorder. 

The grant provides a unique opportunity to partner with GestureTek, a leading motion-controlled technology developer, to bring cutting edge, immersive virtual therapy to the Rosewood Drive Day Habilitation Center in Danvers, MA, serving young adults with autism. 

“We are thrilled to partner with Cummings Foundation to help young adults with autism build healthy and fulfilling lives,” stated Bob Stearns, Bridgewell president and CEO. “We thank the Foundation wholeheartedly for its leadership and generosity in supporting Bridgewell and the wider nonprofit community.”

Bridgewell plans to work with GestureTek of Toronto, Canada to develop a virtual therapy system targeted specifically to young adults with autism. After an initial launch at Rosewood Drive, the product will be marketed to other providers serving young adults with autism, thereby extending benefits to well beyond Bridgewell.

Cummings Foundation executive director Joel Swets explained, “As the primary beneficiary of commercial real estate firm Cummings Properties, the Foundation is very committed to the 10 communities in which the firm manages buildings, as well as the hometowns of its 350 staff members. We are delighted to support Bridgewell in its admirable work in the community.”

GestureTek has agreed to develop a software royalty revenue share with Bridgewell and Romanelli Digital Media of Boston (which will provide in-kind marketing and product development), whereby Bridgewell will get a percentage of profits on all product sales. Romanelli has also agreed to donate for the first two years all proceeds from its own share back to Bridgewell. This will provide Bridgewell with a valuable source of earned income that can be reinvested into programming at Rosewood Drive and beyond.

“GestureTek is very proud of the successful results we have seen from the revolutionary, video gesture analysis and control technology, we invented for the worlds of Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Health. We are honored to be partnering with Bridgewell to bring cutting-edge therapeutic technology to the rapidly expanding population of young adults on the autism spectrum. We applaud the Cummings Foundation for making this initiative possible and hail Bridgewell’s foresight in developing with us the types of applications that could help a whole generation of those challenged by autism,” said Vincent John Vincent CEO & Co-Founder of GestureTek.