Salem Grocer Daily Table Awarded $400K Cummings Foundation Grant

SALEM, MA — Salem nonprofit grocer Daily Table was awarded $400,000 in grant funding over 10 years as part of the 2024 Cummings Foundation program.

The Daily Table, which also has locations in Dorchester, Roxbury, Central Square in Cambridge and Mattapan, was one of 150 nonprofits to share in $30 million in awards this year.

Daily Table offers fresh, affordable produce and grocery staples at prices 25 to 35 percent less than supermarket averages with the grant allowing the stores to expand their model that serves more than 90,000 residents across the five communities.

"This 10-year grant from Cummings Foundation will have a profound impact on Daily Table's future," said Sasha Purpura, CEO of Daily Table. "We are beyond grateful for what this funding will do to build the health, dignity, and economic sustainability of the communities we serve."

The majority of the grant decisions were made by nearly 100 community volunteers. They worked across a variety of committees to review and discuss the proposals and then, together, determine which requests would be funded. Among these community volunteers were business and nonprofit leaders, mayors, college presidents, and experts in areas such as finance and DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion).

"We believe strongly that grant decisions will be more equitable when made by a diverse group of community members," said Cummings Foundation executive director and trustee Joyce Vyriotes. "We're incredibly grateful to the dozens of individuals who participated in our democratized philanthropic process."

Cummings Foundation has now awarded $500 million to greater Boston nonprofits. The complete list of this year’s 150 grant winners, plus nearly 2,000 previous recipients, is available here.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at [email protected]. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)