Frank O'Callaghan
Foundation
Education. Community. Hope.
About us
Mission Statement
To stay true to the Foundation’s three core values: Education, Community, and Hope.
Vision Statement
To financially support and raise awareness for the three core values of the Foundation: Education advancement provided by foundation scholarships, donating time and money to community-focused projects and fundraisers, and raising awareness and financial donations to assist in finding a cure for chronic and life-threatening illnesses.
Education
Frank always encouraged others to challenge themselves through new learning opportunities that would allow for personal and professional growth. Frank obtained his Bachelors degree in civil engineering from Merrimack College in North Andover, MA and has long been an annual donor and supporter of Merrimack. It is in Frank’s memory that we have created The Frank O’Callaghan Foundation Memorial Scholarship that will be given out annually to an undergraduate student studying civil engineering at Merrimack.
Community
Frank believed in the importance of supporting a local community. When unexpected events or unforeseen circumstances threaten a community’s well-being, it is people like Frank that are always the first to step up. It is in Frank’s memory that we continue his selfless nature in donating time, money, and resources to community focused projects and fundraisers that encourage the collective well-being of a community.
Hope
Frank lost his battle with cancer in 2017 but during his life his generosity to financially support cancer research and other chronic and life-threatening diseases was truly remarkable. It is in Frank’s memory that we continue his philanthropic spirit of donating money to cancer research and other life-threatening diseases with the hope of finding a cure, one disease at a time.
Growing up in Somerville, MA, Frank would later move to Medford in 1975, where he lived for more than 40 years. After receiving his Bachelor’s Degree from Merrimack College and Masters Degree from the University of Rhode Island, Frank began working for Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, otherwise known as VHB, a private transportation firm in Watertown, Massachusetts. Frank spent over 30 years working at VHB rising from Traffic Engineer to Executive Vice President and serving on the Board of Directors on several occasions. Along the way Frank assisted with the opening of several VHB offices around New England. In 2007, the New England Section of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (NEITE) recognized Frank as their Transportation Engineer of the Year for his outstanding contributions to the profession and throughout New England.
A former Army reserve in the Vietnam War, Frank was a passionate supporter and of several veteran programs. Frank also donated his time for several years as a Little League manager while each of his children participated in the program.
The Foundation aims to continue the philanthropic spirit of Frank in his most passionate causes.