By Amber Angove—For the North Star Reporter
Following the departure of President Sarah Stone in July, Our Open Umbrella (OOU) is moving forward under new leadership with a renewed focus on removing barriers for North Attleborough students and families.
The local nonprofit provides assistance to families whose needs may not be met through existing programs or services. Jenn Spaulding has been named president, with Kevin McCarthy serving as vice-president.
McCarthy credited Stone – who moved to South Carolina with her family over the summer – with helping establish the organization and creating a foundation for its next leadership team.
“Sarah has been a huge part of building Our Open Umbrella into what it is today,” McCarthy said. “Her leadership, dedication and willingness to put in the work have helped establish the organization and give us a strong foundation to build on.”
With the change in leadership, McCarthy said OOU has been considering where to focus its resources and how it can work more closely with other organizations in town. One recent change was the transfer of OOU’s Refresh clothing program to the Greater Attleboro Area Council for Children. The program will continue under the council’s leadership, while OOU directs its resources toward other needs.
“The Greater Attleboro Area Council for Children is proud to carry that work forward by operating and expanding Refresh to serve families throughout the Greater Attleboro Area,” the council wrote on its site. “We are grateful to Our Open Umbrella for building the foundation that made this next chapter possible.”
McCarthy is also exploring new fundraising opportunities, including a Polar Plunge and reverse raffle, with the possibility of partnering with the Council for Children. A Bingo fundraiser is already scheduled for Oct. 25 at the Angle Tree Brewery.
“I think partnerships are going to be a big part of our future, because when organizations work together, we can reach more people and have a bigger impact,” McCarthy said.
Those partnerships tie into what McCarthy described as one of OOU’s primary goals moving forward: filling gaps that other programs may not be designed to address.
“Sometimes people don’t need a huge amount of help—they just need someone to step in and remove the one obstacle that’s keeping them from moving forward,” he said.
That could mean providing a gift card to meet an immediate need, connecting a family with an available resource or finding another way to assist when existing services are not the right fit.
“Our goal isn’t to replace the great organizations and services that already exist in North Attleborough,” McCarthy said. “It’s to work alongside them and fill some of the gaps.”
As OOU begins this next phase, he also wants residents to know the organization remains active and is looking for more ways to work with the North Attleborough community.
“Our Open Umbrella is not going away—we’re growing and we’re evolving,” McCarthy said. “Whether it’s volunteering, donating, partnering with us or simply letting us know where there is a need, there is a place for people to get involved.”