11 Oct September 2018 Newsletter

Internal Vision

What are our hopes around what the Fred Harold Daniels Foundation might look like in 2050? by Sarah Morse

With guidance and encouragement from the TPI facilitators, each member of the board of directors was asked to consider their individual vision for the future. We then worked together towards a shared long-term internal vision. This conversation was strategic, as sharing beliefs about how to make change and articulating what we want the family to stand for will provide an overarching framework to guide the foundation’s future direction, governance, grantmaking and other decisions.

There was considerable consensus around the table as we shared our individual “hopes and dreams” for the future, in particular that descendants of Fred Harris Daniels would continue to support Worcester non-profits and the legacy of the original founders. There was another strong theme that emerged, however, and that was that the foundation would provide a vehicle to nurture family connection across the branches and generations.

Stay tuned! It has been five years since we held a family gathering—perhaps it is time for another?

Retreat Overview

by Christina Eaton

On August 25th and 26th, the current 12 members of the Daniels Foundation met to discuss values and vision, governance and operations, grant making and impact, G4 involvement, and going forward. Three possible drafts were compiled for an internal vision, and refinement is still needed. However, all 12 members agreed that family and the legacy of giving in Worcester is paramount.

We also discussed involvement of the next generation, G4, and various strategies for to use the Daniels Foundation as a tool for broad family involvement. Succession is a significant topic, and it was noted that within the next 6 years a majority of Board members would be from G4. We also decided to begin the process of establishing a governance committee, which takes on the tasks of the Nominating committee in addition to other long term issues.

We also discussed the financial limits of our grantmaking, especially in light of ever increasing requests for funding. Since many of the members want to see the Foundation continue for years to come, it was agreed that we cap our spending to as close to 5% as possible so that the corpus will continue to grow. Thus it was suggested that we hold the line on funding for capital grants, since many of these organizations have well established endowments and the ability to broadly access donors. Everyone feels good about the focus being in Worcester and in particular to middle school girls, however, it was suggested that we consider expanding the age range. The Board would like to focus their energies specifically on improving peoples’ lives thru opportunities for better health, education, housing, food, and mentoring. We wish to enable people to become self sustaining, to feel good about themselves and their life and what they have been able to accomplish.

In conclusion, the retreat was a huge success, because we were able to discuss many issues that needed talking about. Everyone brings thoughtfulness and commitment to the table and we are in consensus on many issues. Still there are areas that need attention; however, now we have a plan for moving forward.

G4 Fund 2018 Grant Recipient

by Laura Rutkiewicz

Can you believe it has been five years since the Daniels Family Summit at Worcester Academy? That means this is the fourth round of annual G4Fund giving. *(looking for suggestions on a new name)*

We circled back to the ideas discussed at the Daniels Summit when we read the current grant applications because there were three very good proposals in this round. Our guiding principle is the idea of going up stream from “the problem” to see if we could affect real change at the root. Addressing Adverse Childhood Experiences or ACEs (explained more below) and reducing the impact on teenage and adult life will have more benefits than we could count. To name just a few: reduced suicides, reduced bullying, reduced health care problems, increases graduation rates, increased employment, and reduced incarcerations.

This year, we have chosen The Worcester Education Collaborative’s project Integrated Trauma Sensitive Practice (ITSP). This project builds off the foundational work done by our 2nd year grant recipient, Worcester HEARS. While the HEARS project focused on a classroom curriculum to help children learn heathy strategies for understanding and managing their emotions, the ITSP program focuses on the teachers and training them to respond appropriately to create a trauma sensitive environment.

ITSP will help school staff to better understand Adverse Childhood Experiences, also called ACEs. Most people have at least one in their childhood as these are things like the death of someone close, a car accident, or a spanking. Problems arise when the child has multiple ACEs like living with an abusive guardian. When school staff are trained to be sensitive of children with trauma, they can better asses the additional help the child might need to handle the emotions and health effects that come from ACEs.

Knowing that changing institutional culture takes time, training, persistence, and belief from the top, this grant request is the best use of our funds for the next three years. The plan for sustainability is train-the-trainer in the final year. This is the same model being used this school year with the Worcester HEARS curriculum. The ITSP will be implemented in these same schools (4 elementary and 1 middle) and has complete support since the Principals were directly involved in implementing the curriculum.

The G4 Fund has been such a great way to get involved with the Daniels Foundation and continue the legacy of giving while getting to know our family better and the non-profits in Worcester. It is vitally important to these groups that we take that small bit of time to be involved and continue this support. What is the goal for the G4 Fund Group? Give anyone who wants an opportunity the chance to be a part of the Daniels Family giving legacy, even if there is no board seat open to them.

What is the commitment for this group? It can be whatever you want it to be. Currently we have semi-annual group email communications. We are giving an update on the progress of the current programs or opening the grant window and reading the grants once the window closes. You read 4 to 8 grants and pick your favorite. The group decides together by conference call and/or group emails which one is our top choice, then we present to the board and they vote to support our choice.

Dwight Clark Daniels

by Bill Pettit

We have, in previous issues, outlined in broad terms the life and times of two of the three founding brothers of the Fred Harris Daniels Foundation. That would be: Clarence Daniels, the oldest son, and Harold Daniels, the middle son. Let us now focus on Dwight Clark Daniels, the youngest son.

It’s tempting to focus on the fact that Dwight was away at college, age 19, when his father died, asking the question about how he took that sad news.

Or to focus on his business career, as owner the Swepper Vac Company, manufacturers of vacuum cleaners, or his patent for an electric tooth brush, or other manufacturing ventures.

However, the trip to Hawaii in 1936 is perhaps the best way to give light on the life and personality of Dwight (aka Gaga, to us grandchildren).

In this era travel abroad was a matter of time, cash and steamships. Dwight took his wife, Mary Esther Martin Daniels and daughters Mary Daniels (Blake) and Sally Daniels (Pettit) on an extended vacation to visit a class mate from his time at Yale.

The surviving photos show that it was a lovely extensive home on the coast.. and Bing Crosby (White Christmas) lived next door…

After a few weeks Dwight left the women who would stay weeks longer and headed alone back to Massachusetts.. via steamship to California and railroad to the east coast.

After his ocean liner left the islands he discovered that in his rush he inadvertently left his money belt behind leaving him only the cash in his pockets. This is a dire situation because not only would he not be able to pay for his meals on the ship but there was no way he could pay his train fare from California to Boston.

Alas, this is the youngest boy of and pretty fascinating trio of boys. Dwight went to the purser, and slipped him some of his remaining cash and asked to be taken to “the poker” game. It has been reported that for the next several days Dwight played with all his skills and won enough money to pay for his drinks, meals and train ticket to Boston. Perhaps, it’s been implied, he did the same on that train trip…

Whether he was with customers at Boston Patriots football, at the Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens with Nana, riding his horses with the Family at Etons Ranch, Wyoming or fishing Rangely Lake Maine, Dwight lived his life to the fullest and on his own terms.

Board Profile: Carlos La Hoz Daniels

by Carlos La Hoz Daniels

Carlos joined the board 4 years ago this December, in 2014 at the age of 30. He is the board’s second G4 member after Jamie Morse.

Carlos is the son and only child of Martha Daniels, who is Fred Daniels’ younger sister, and Cesar La Hoz, a Peruvian academic. Born in Germany, he spent most of his childhood in Belfast, Maine. Growing up he would spend a part of each summer visiting his grandparents Bruce (a G2 and President of the Board for many years) and Janet Daniels in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. After graduating from high school in Maine, Carlos went to Cornell University where he graduated in 2006 with a BA in Government.

After graduating, Carlos spent several years trying different careers including a stint working on a political campaign before he moved to Boston and started working for Medical Information Technologies, Inc. (better known as Meditech) in late 2008. There he had traveling roles that have taken him all over the country and Canada before transitioning into a software development role several years ago. As part of that process he completed a post-baccalaureate program through Oregon State University in the spring of 2018 and was awarded a second bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. After spending a number of years living in Allston/Brighton, Carlos currently resides in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston. If you’ve ever watched Mystic River, his house is actually in some of the shots from that movie.

In his spare time, Carlos enjoys keeping in shape with CrossFit, cooking, reading and board games. He looks forward to many more years serving on the board and is optimistic that the Foundation can continue its legacy of giving in Worcester throughout the G4 transition and beyond.