Assembly Row is the hot new development in Somerville, and to some, that’s discouraging. Any time ground breaks for more big-box retailers and restaurants in a given neighborhood, the outcome can feel impersonal and foreign rather than familiar and homey.
But as Assembly Row is marketing itself as not just a development, but a new neighborhood in Somerville along the Mystic River, they’ve focused their efforts on becoming a part of the community. And one way they plan to make that a reality is to give back to the community where they’ve built.
“When you build something new, it doesn’t tend to have a soul or spirit right away,” said Andrea Simpson, head of marketing for Federal Realty at Assembly Row. “It feels new, it looks new, and people aren’t used to it.”
Simpson said her role is to both bring people to the development, as well as “build a neighborhood DNA.” Assembly Row has hosted a series of events during their grand opening season (and before, as their Riverfest preceded the actual development by seven years), and this weekend, they plan to get involved with the community by giving back.
Row It Forward at Assembly Row runs from September 19 to 21, and the weekend event invites guests to shop and dine at the development. When they do, they’ll earn one point for every dollar they spend at any establishment, including Legoland and the AMC movie theater; those points are then awarded to their participating nonprofit of choice. The organization with the most points at the end of the weekend will win a $20,000 grant, with subsequent organizations also winning money on a sliding scale, totaling $35,000 in awarded grants.
Forty-six nonprofits are eligible to win over the weekend, including American Cancer Society, WalkBoston and Spaulding Rehabilitation Center. For the full list of nonprofits, check the event page.
Suzanne Adams of Spaulding Rehabilitation said that her organization had never participated in a similar event before.
“It’s a unique opportunity to partner with a shopping experience and give back to the community. No two organizations are the same, so it really helps to raise awareness,” said Adams.
To participate, all customers have to do is get their points verified at the Assembly Row Welcome Center before awarding the points they’ve earned to a nonprofit of their choice. Organizations can also earn more points by sharing the event over social media.
Simpson said that the creation of Row It Forward was a “lightbulb moment.”
“People are already down here shopping, eating and going to the movies. What if we tied what people are already doing into a way to support the nonprofits?”
Image via Assembly Row
