Cummings Properties of Woburn recently distributed $253,000 to local nonprofits in eastern Massachusetts.

Full-time employees were invited to select charities near their hometowns to support through the company’s employee-directed giving program. Recipients will include organizations that support education, human services, youth sports, health care and animal welfare.

Four nonprofits received a total of $5,000 each, the maximum for any one organization: Beverly Bootstraps, Marine Junior R.O.T.C. at Beverly High School, MSPCA at Nevins Farm and Saugus Pop Warner Little Scholars.

Employee-directed giving is open to all full-time staff within any Cummings entity, including the firm’s affiliated New Horizons retirement communities in Marlborough and Woburn.

"Engaging our colleagues in Cummings Properties’ philanthropy has been a win-win situation," president and CEO Dennis Clarke said in a statement. "The funds are benefiting a wide range of worthy local nonprofits, and employees and their families are becoming even more involved in their communities."