Ipswich Nonprofits and Charities

Service Dog Project is an amazing organization who matches candidates with Great Danes for balance and mobility support. We heard about the program through Children’s Hospital and were thrilled when they said they could help our daughter. The staff, trainers, and volunteers went out of their way to help us through the process. They are now like family to us. Our daughter was matched this summer and it has been life changing for her. She is so independent and feels comfortable doing anything with Melvin by her side. She is now able to do all the activities that her friends do, and doesn’t have fear of falling. We are incredibly grateful for all SDP has done for us.

Creative Action Institute is a lean and impactful organization mobilizing communities for change all around the world using creative techniques that empower local citizens. I love supporting their work and watching how effective and powerful their approach is and encourage anyone considering supporting them to do so!

We have lived in Ipswich since 1998 and have grown to love the Ipswich River. It is a source of ever changing beauty. My spouse and I have canoed and kayaked it, walked it's shores, watched it slowly meadering to the sea and also as it overflowed it's banks during terrible flood times. Because of this we became members of the Ipswich River Watershed Associaton where we experienced the river in even more ways. Each spring I am part of the team that counts the river herring as they make their way to the fresh water to spawn. Several years ago I attended a poetry workshop which made me think about the meaning of the river in my life. On the first day of the new year, we go on an IRWA hike led hike through the Crane Beach dunes. And this year we welcomed warmer weather when we kayaked up the river from Peatfield Street to IRWA headquarters where we joined the celebration of the opening of the canoe dock with ice cream donated by Down River.

What an amazing organization! I have been to Haiti twice with PID and the changes they are making there are just jaw dropping! Building houses for residents, providing free health care, education and an overall place for people to come and feel happy and safe are just a few of the things they provide. I have sponsored many in need children through them as well and got to meet them, play with them and see them grow up successfully!

Redeemed Lives is a ministry headed by Mario Bergner. I once had a troubling experience with Bergner that was very painful. At the time, I was going through some emotional struggles for which it seemed like there was no solution. Since he was a leader in Pastoral Care Ministries, I decided to write him a letter, because I thought maybe he could help me. I also enclosed a donation in my letter. He did write me back, but his response was rather shallow. Although he said that he prayed over the matter, the advice he gave me (while no doubt well-meaning) was simply not realistic given my circumstances, and probably wouldn't have helped me anyway. It was distressing and confusing to get this advice from him, even though he seemed sincere. What he said just wasn't helpful at all. I wrote him back and thanked him, but told him that his advice was not something that would work in my situation. (I didn't enclose a donation this time, however.) You'd think that he would've sent a note back saying, "I'm so sorry my advice wasn't helpful. I'll keep you in my prayers--God does have a solution for your problem. Please be encouraged, because there is hope for you," or something like that. Nope. Never heard from him again. Was it because I didn't enclose another donation? Looking back, though, that was probably a blessing. A while back, I talked to someone from a church that Bergner used to attend. He said that Bergner was very condemning toward him for having a close friendship with a woman in his church (one that his wife approved of) and hurt him and his wife pretty badly. Apparently Bergner is quite experienced at leaving wounds on others. In short, Bergner didn't help me a bit -- and his seeming lack of concern actually did a lot of damage. What hurt the most wasn't that Bergner's advice was off, but that he seemed rather indifferent and nonchalant about the whole matter (especially since I never heard from him again). I got the impression that he wasn't about to lose any sleep over my problems, no matter how serious. In the end, it made me feel that God didn't care about me either and couldn't be trusted, and that there really wasn't a solution for my problems. I think it's highly ironic that Bergner has stated that, when he was younger, he reached out twice to the church for help, and it failed him both times. You'd think that he would do everything in his power not to repeat this failure with someone else. He really has no room to talk IMO. Because of my experience, I just wanted to warn others about dealing with Bergner or his ministry.