About The Grenchus Foundation:
I opened this foundation with the inspiration, love, and encouragement of a wonderful man I am happy to be in love with, and, founded it in honor of my grandparents. Paul Peter Grenchus and Mary Francis (Frances) Grenchus were an amazing couple that always fostered growth in my ability to create, to dream, to be inspired, and to live out my faith. With a deep love for politics, academics, health, and well-being my grandfather gave me a moral compass to live out my life with. My grandmother, with her love for the arts, family, and food gave me my deep love for the arts, family and a sense of community. Both of them have greatly inspired me to be the person I am today. With a desire to give back to society and to promote arts, faith, culture and well being I created this foundation to
support and encourage engagement in arts, faith, culture, and well-being
to offer support and resources for individuals, youth, couples, families, women, and children through our programming
to support women in leadership positions and engage in consultations with leaders, world leaders, religious leaders, as well as other other organizations, to make the world a better place.
On The Foundation:
This foundation is a foundation for arts, faith, culture, and well-being where we also offer faith-based programs for the individual, couples, families, and youth. This foundation addresses different issues and topics within the arts, as well as different faiths, cultures, traditions, and the family. We also offer consultations in relation to the arts, culture, ethics, inter-religious dialogue, the church, and social justice. Grounded in Catholic Social Teaching and Social Justice, we consult with leaders, world leaders, religious leaders, and organizations to create positive change and strive to make a better world for generations to come. Additionally, with our focus on health, well-being, arts, faith, culture, families, and youth, we support a diverse group of people through our consultations, programming, education, and hands-on experience. Our artwork and performances are an expression of the human spirit, faith, social justice as well as a reflection of the gift of beauty in nature, the human person, and care for the family.
We are grounded in the arts and offer performances and lessons in music, dance, theatre, and song. We also create artwork in the areas of watercolor, pastels, acrylic, oils, sketch, and photography. Our performances include live in person performances, pop-up performances, and online performances. Our artwork is also available in galleries, pop-up galleries/exhibitions, online, and in our online store.
We believe faith and the arts both tell a story and express one’s journey and that both faith and the arts cause human flourishing in society and culture. We believe faith and the arts are a way to express one’s inner-self and spirituality. Our foundation promotes health and well-being in arts, faith, and culture through our educational programming, our involvement in arts, faith and culture, as well as the consultations we do. Eventually, in honor of Mary Francis Grenchus we will be offering grants and scholarships for upcoming young artists who desire to express themselves through the arts… and in honor of Paul Peter Grenchus we will be offering grants or scholarships for women interested in paid leadership positions. With the behind the scenes love and support of a fabulous man, who has inspired me beyond imagining - with his own kindness, compassion, love for music, support of my faith, the ethical treatment of others, as well as his sheer delight in health, wellness, well-being, laughter, and music, I am happy to open this foundation and to bring joy to others through all that is done here.
We are an enroute 501c(3): We currently have 501(c)3 non-profit status and are in the middle of our 501(c)3 Federal non-profit status
We are classified as a Public Charity
If you need more information in relation please email: mega@thegrenchusfoundation.org
~Founder: Mary E. Grenchus
FOUNDER’S STATEMENT:
(& Founders Artist Statement)
As someone with Lithuanian heritage, I am obsessed with nature and love nature. Focusing on the beauty of nature and sharing it with others through digital platforms brings me joy and excitement. This is why I include nature in almost every digital piece I create. I also focus on the patterns in nature that you would see symbolized in Lithuanian folk art. I frequently photograph patterns in water, grass, wheat, grain, and in cloud structures. Given the ancient traditions and reverence for nature in Lithuanian folk lore I photograph nature and include the elements of nature in most pieces, focus on patterns in nature, and patterns I see in nature that are mimicked in Lithuanian arts. I deeply revere nature and the elements because of my Lithuanian heritage. Pulling from Lithuanian performances, I always include a comic relief and faith in most of the performances I create. Given the previous destruction of Lithuanian art and arts by invading countries, the known silencing of Lithuanians, attempts to annihilate Lithuanian people, culture, faith, and heritage, as my own family experienced before emigrating to the United States, I create the artwork I create to never be silenced in my Lithuanian heritage. Additionally, I make sure my photography, plays, and performances are digital so that they are always shared, and so there is a record of the pieces, plays, and performances created. Even original pieces of art that I create, are then created into a digital version so that multiple people have access to the piece, can view the piece in an online gallery, possibly purchase the piece, and share the love of nature and natural elements with others. A digital piece is always created as well in case the original canvas’ watercolors, pastel pieces, etc ever get destroyed. Because of the take-over of Lithuania, by communism, and Communist Russia many Lithuanians were silenced, their arts, faith, and culture threatened or destroyed, and my family had to flee Lithuania. But my family never left behind their culture, faith, or heritage …and instead, instilled it in me. They instilled in me a love for arts, faith, and culture: the arts, the patterns present in Lithuanian art, a love for the natural elements, as well as nature, and reverence, care and preservation for nature and the arts, as well as culture and faith a paramount to our mission. This is why I create digital pieces, and combine multiple types of arts, nature, and symbolism of faith, references to faith together…so that it can never be destroyed, and it is always known, experienced, enjoyed and shared. Although Lithuania is now free…. I have learned from the past and hold on to and cherish that which has been passed down to me through my family and through our culture.
This is also why we have the consultations and the transformational coaching programs that we offer. To help others to reconnect to who they really are, their faith, and to become more fully alive in the person they were created to be. We also offer consultations because we know the difficulties and political dynamics that harm societies and cultures as well as people. Having ethical training, we provide an ethical lens as well as faith filled perspective to our consultations when people, groups, organizations, govts etc have lost their way, perspective, or need help navigating through certain issues or problems.
A List of Some of Our Memberships:
Catholic Artists Society ~ NYC
Americans for the Arts
NYC Runs
NYRR (New York Road Runners)
Carnegie Hall Friends
NYC Arts in Education RoundTable
New York Women in Business
(although we have other memberships, we are still in the process of adding them to our list - check back with us again soon to see our updated list!)
On the Founder:
Mary E. Grenchus
Master of Arts: Spirituality - Fordham University - Enroute
Master of Arts: Theological Studies: Ecclesiastical Degree ~ Boston College School of Theology and Ministry
Bachelor of Arts: Human Development: Binghamton University
French - Universite de Paul Valery
World Youth Day: Panama
World Meeting of Families: Ireland:
World Youth Day: Poland
Director of Youth Faith Formation
Archdiocese of New York: Family Life
Diocese of Bridgeport: Planning Committee: WYD
Diocese of Syracuse: Women’s Commission
St. Mary Parish: Director of Religious Education-Youth Faith Formation-Family Life-Youth Ministry
St. Aloysius School - Office Administration and Music Teacher
Academy of Our Lady of Mercy - Lauralton Hall - Theology and Religion Teacher
Life Choices Center
President - Inter-Religious Dialogue Committee- Boston College School of Theology and Ministry
Hospital Chaplaincies
Pro-Bono Consultations
~Travel abroad: Italy, Poland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Ireland, France (virtual assistance and correspondence-Panama, Democratic Republic of Congo,Kenya, parts of Africa, India, Turkey, and others)
~Additional Special Councils
**Virtus Trained
Ministry / Associations:
World Meeting of Families: 2022, 2018, 2015
World Youth Day: 2023, 2019, 2016
Papal Visit in Central Park: NYC 2015
March for Life
Association of Marian Helpers: MA 2015-Pr.
CTEWC 2013-Pr.
Amnesty International 2011- Pr.
NAACP
St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital: 2011 - Pr.
Prayer for Priests: 2008-2016
CommonWeal Magazine Associate 2015-2020
National Conference of Catechetical Leadership 2014-2016
Pax Romana IMCS - MIEC 2013-Pr.
Life Teen Convention Attendee 2015
Archdiocese of New York 2016- Pr.
Community: St Patrick’s Cathedral: 2017 - Pr.
Catholic Young Adults: Catholic NYC
Catholic Artists Society
Community: Fordham University Church Bronx, NY 2016- Pr.
Schola Cantorum Choir 2016-Pr.
Liturgical Minister
Campus Ministry
Diocese of Bridgeport 2013-2016
Convivio
Youth Chaperone for Diocesan Synod Youth Co-Delegates
CLDB
World Youth Day Planning Committee
Life Teen
Community: Saint Mary Parish - Ridgefield CT
Director of Religious Education and Youth Faith Formation
Respect Life Committee, Generation for Life
Women’s Group: Eat, Pray and Walking with Purpose
Lector, Eucharistic Ministry, Perpetual Adoration
Catholic Action Committee
Children’s Liturgy and Coffee Hour
Core Team Youth Ministry and Vacation Bible School
Life-Teen Choir
Archdiocese of Boston 2011-2016
Community: Boston College School of Theology and Ministry
St John’s Seminary
Boston College
St John’s Seminary and Boston College - Prayer for Priests
Support of Religious Orders
Liturgical Committee
Coordinator of Eucharistic Ministers
Acolyte, Lector, Eucharistic Minister
Founder / Coordinator of Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction
President - Inter Religious Dialogue Committee
Student Forum Planner
School of Theology and Ministry Choir
Environmental Committee
International Night Planner, Liturgical Events and Saint Ignatius Church
Diocese of Syracuse 2005-2016
Community: St James Church, Johnson City: NY
Commission on Women and Women’s Conference
JP II Women’s Center
Peace and Justice Committee
Youth Ministry
Lector, Eucharistic Minister
Vacation Bible School
Endow Women’s Group
Parish Event Planning with others
About Me:
I am a mother of two very wonderful boys and live in Manhattan. I studied Spirituality at Fordham University, have a Master of Arts in Theological Studies from Boston College, and a Bachelor of Arts in Human Development from Binghamton University. I am grounded in the Catholic faith, and have helped with World Meeting of Families, World Youth Day, while also contributing to the discussion of major topics in the church. I have also engaged in church and parish ministry, taught within private schools as well as worked for universities. I have studied abroad in France, and have traveled to different parts of Europe. I love supporting the arts, and making deeper connections with artists and art groups as I continuously uncover what brings my soul happiness and joy. I am a singer, writer, photographer, and artist (oil, acrylics, pen and ink, charcoal, pastels). I write create the programs offered by the Grenchus Foundation, as well as teach in theology as well as the arts. I am also an advocate for social justice and human rights, with many friends living in or coming from third-world countries. I have a deep spirituality which can be seen in my work, in my dreams, and in my creations. My grandfather was Lithuanian-American and my grandmother was Irish-American; thus I have inherited their charming personalities, ethnic cultural traditions, enthusiasm and respect for different cultures and have a deep sense of love, well-being, and flourishing, all of which we find present in spirituality and the arts.
Founder: Mary E. Grenchus
Non-Profit and Public Charity Status:
The Grenchus Foundation is a 501(c) 3
Non-Profit Organization: EIN#: 85-1117640
We are a NYS approved Charity
Char 410 #48-61-59