We’re excited to share what’s new at the Massachusetts Genealogical Council (MGC) and invite you to join us in making 2025 a remarkable year for family history!

 

Starting in 2025, we’re welcoming everyone as "Supporters" instead of “Members.” This simple change reflects how vital your contributions are to our mission. As a Supporter, you'll have exclusive access to special workshops and programs, showing our thanks to those who believe in MGC’s work.

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Why Your Support Matters

Every gift makes a difference! Donations like yours fund essential educational programs, help protect public access to family records, and support important advocacy work. These missions help families understand and preserve their history. Here’s what your contributions help achieve.

 

Coming in 2025: M:O.R.E. Sessions

With your support, MGC will offer new interactive sessions that explore the stories of our ancestors, bringing history to life. Upcoming highlights include:

• Uncovering family heroes of World War I

• Learning from Massachusetts town clerks about records access

• Creating a house history of your ancestors’ homes

• Discovering new resources in the Massachusetts Archives

• Getting started using AI for Family History (workshop)

 

Records Access and Advocacy in Action

In 2025, MGC is again taking action to protect records and to support the concerns of genealogists:

• We took part in Family History Hill Day both as a sponsor and in person, advocating for robust funding of National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and libraries across the U.S.

• We are monitoring legislation in Massachusetts. Bills we are watching would impact the state archives, records closure, and privacy. We are keeping a close eye on the one that would close all death records.

• We are working in collaboration with the national Records Preservation and Access Coalition (RPAC) to protect records and access at the federal and local levels.

Lookng back to 2024, MGC took initiative to protect and expand access to important records:

• We monitored legislation in Massachusetts. We saw the passage of a bill to open original certificates of birth for adoptees, and of a bill defining parental rights in surrogacy and adoptions.

• We partnered with RPAC to help bring back an open fact-of-death database.

• We worked with Congress and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to prevent high fees and push for timely access to immigration records.

• We took part in Family History Hill Day, advocating for better federal support for NARA in Washington, DC, and more online access for researchers.

 

Your Support Makes It Possible

By becoming an MGC Supporter with a minimum contribution of $20, you’ll join a dedicated community making a real difference. Your generosity ensures that we can continue to offer innovative education, protect access to vital records, and preserve our shared history in 2025.

 

Every contribution, no matter the amount, makes an impact.

To donate, just select one of the options below that is most convenient for you. MGC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, so your donation is tax-deductible.

 

Questions?

Feel free to reach out to Jessica Neaves, our Advancement Director, at development@massgencouncil.org. She’d be glad to share more about how you can get involved as a volunteer or supporter.

 

Thank you for being part of MGC’s mission. Together, let’s keep family history alive and accessible for generations to come.