Families | My Dorchester

Neighborhood Response Team (NRT)

Phone:

Call Office of Neighborhood Services Liaisons for appopriate area

Email:

Flavio.Daveiga@cityofboston.gov (Bowdoin-Geneva); Walter.Applewhite@cityofboston.gov (Mattapan)

Website:

Mission:

The Neighborhood Response Team (NRT), a cross-departmental group representing Public Works, Transportation, Inspectional Services, and the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services, seeks to address the local and specific issues affecting Boston's neighborhoods. Meeting with residents, community organizations, and numerous municipal bodies, the Team will focus on basic city services and improvements such as street lighting and sidewalk repairs, prioritizing trash and debris removal, and cracking down on problem properties and health and safety violations.

As of Nov. 2011, there are three regular NRT meetings, to address Mattapan, Codman Square, and Four Corners; Dudley Square and Blue Hill Ave.; and the Bowdoin-Geneva areas. The meetings are co-chaired, with one chair representing an official body (such as the Office of Health and Human Services) and other representing area residents.

The Mattapan/Codman Square/Four Corners meeting covers city services, with (as of Nov. 2011) a noted emphasis on foreclosure/absenteeism.

Likewise, the Dudley/Blue Hill Ave. meeting covers city services. Prostitution is seen to be particularly bad problem in the area and many interdepartmental actions have worked to address this issue (as of Nov. 2011).

The Bowdoin-Geneva meeting incorporates human services in addition to city services, with an emphasis on youth development and violence prevention -- specifically, the Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative. See a release on the formation of the Bowdoin-Geneva NRT here.

Executive Director/CEO/President/Coordinator/Other:

Contact your Neighborhood Liaison. As of Nov. 2011, Darryl Smith, ISD co-chairs Mattapan mtg; Adalberto Teixeira of Health and Human Services co-chairs Bowdoin Geneva mtg.

Key Partners:

City Agencies:

Boston Public Health Commission, Boston Transportation Department, Boston Center for Youth and Families, Code Enforcement, Department of Neighborhood Development, Inspectional Services, Jobs and Community Services, Office of Human Services, Office of Neighborhood Services, Mayor's Office, Public Works Department, others?

Community Organizations and Collaborations:

Bowdoin Geneva Violence Intervention and Prevention, Upham's Corner Violence Intervention and Prevention,
United Neighbors Association (UNA), 4-Street Crime Watch,

Bird Street Community Center, College Bound Dorchester, Family Nurturing Center, Roxbury Resource Center,

Faith-based: First Parish Church in Dorchester, St. Peter's Parish,

Main Streets:

Bowdoin-Geneva Main Street
Four Corners Main Street

Healthcare:

Bowdoin Street Health Center

Partial list!

Key Programs Offered:

Biweekly meetings; neighborhood walkthroughts; forum for cross-departmental, cross-sector collaboration and neighborhood improvement.

Last Updated:

11/21/2011

Boston Healthy Start Initiative

Location

35 Northampton Street Miranda/Creamer Building 6th Floor, Suite 604

Boston, MA, 02118

United States

42° 20' 2.2092" N, 71° 4' 30.6768" W

See map: Google Maps

Mailing Address (if different than physical location):

35 Northampton Street, Miranda/Creamer Building, 6th Floor, Suite 604, Boston, MA 02118

Phone:

(617) 534-5395

Fax:

(617) 534-5358

Email:

info@bphc.org

Website:

http://www.bphc.org/Pages/Home.aspx

Hours of operation (or meeting times & dates):

Meetings are held the third Wednesday of the month (there are no meetings in July and August) at New Academy Estates Community Center, 2908 Washington Street, Roxbury, MA 02119, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. Please call (617) 534 7828 to add your name to the dinner list, or if you need transportation. Dinner is served at 5:30 p.m.

Mission:

Boston Healthy Start Initiative's mission is to protect, promote, and preserve the health and well-being of all Boston residents, particularly the most vulnerable. BHSI strives to fulfill the mission through a wide range of health initiatives that target preventable disease and injury.

Executive Director/CEO/President/Coordinator/Other:

Barbara Ferrer

Key Partners:

Program of Boston Public Health Commission. Associated with Father Friendly Program.

How to get involved/application guidelines and procedures:

Community residents of Roxbury, Dorchester, Mattapan, Hyde Park, South End, and Jamaica Plain, can attend the meetings. Religious organizations, business owners, and community based agencies are also encouraged to attend.

Key Programs Offered:

Boston Healthy Start Initiative has been funded since 1991 to ensure that Black pregnant women receive quality health care by funding case management, health education, interconceptional care, and maternal depression services. If you self identify as a Black pregnant woman you will receive services through a case manager who has experience in maternal and child health issues. Call (617) 534-7828, to ask for a health center near your home.

Community Meeting Space Available:

New Academy Estates Community Center, 2908 Washington Street, Roxbury, MA 02119

Last Updated:

06/27/2011

Boston Children's Chorus

Location

112 Shawmut Avenue, Suite 5B

Boston, MA, 02118

United States

42° 20' 47.4864" N, 71° 3' 57.132" W

See map: Google Maps

Phone:

617-778-2242

Fax:

617-778 2248

Email:

info@bostonchildrenschorus.org

Website:

http://bostonchildrenschorus.org

Mission:

The Boston Children's Chorus harnesses the power and joy of music to unite our city's diverse communities and inspire social change. Our singers transcend social barriers in a celebration of shared humanity and love of music. Through intensive choral training and high-profile public performance experience (locally, throughout the U.S. and around the world), they learn discipline, develop leadership skills, and proudly represent the city of Boston as ambassadors of harmony.

Executive Director/CEO/President/Coordinator/Other:

Anthony Trecek-King, Artistic Director; David C. Howse, Executive Director

Key Partners:

New England Conservatory (NEC), WCVB-TV Channel 5 (ABC), Boston Public Schools (BPS) Arts Office. A selection of choirs exist through partnership with the Dorchester House Multi-Service Center & Villa Victoria Center for the Arts (in collaboration with Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción). See here for many more collaborators.

How to get involved/application guidelines and procedures:

To join the chorus, you must fill out an application and audition:

Auditionees must be between the ages of 7 and 18 (must turn 7 years old by December 31)
No prior musicial training is necessary
A prepared piece is not required
Audition process is quick and simple (ten minutes!)
Placement will be determined on skills and maturity

To book the Boston Children’s Chorus for your organization’s next event or private function, please complete the following Book Us Form or contact:

Anthony Victoria
Manager of Programs
P 617-778-2242 x225
F 617-778 2248
E avictoria@bostonchildrenschorus.org

Key Programs Offered:

Our repertoire is unique among children’s choirs, as it includes an extraordinary range that spans across many different countries and music genres. Each performance is unique and the Artistic Director carefully crafts each program to suit the theme of the event. We offer performances consisting of Classical music, Folk music, Spirituals and World music.

Choral Activities/Music Education

BCC is developing a reputation for professional level performances and innovation in music education. The 40-plus annual performances are rooted in Boston but have national impact – particularly through our nationally televised Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Tribute Concert that has become a New England tradition.The music education program, most often recognized for a unique approach to diverse students of both urban and suburban backgrounds, levels the field of learning for singers with varying degrees of experience and leads all to achieve high levels of musicianship.

Artists and Scholars

BCC builds relationships with leading professional artists and scholars in the field of music and music education. These leaders interact and partner with BCC singers and the Boston community providing meaningful musical experiences. The 2010-2011 roster includes the following:

Composer in Residence: Bill Banfield, Berklee College of Music
Conductor in Residence: Maria Guinand, Schola Cantorum de Venezuela
Educator in Residence: Fernando Malvar-Ruiz, The American Boy Choir

Tours and Excursions

Tours provide our singers with first-rate performing opportunities within the U.S. and abroad. Through this travel and the specially-designed pre-tour education programs, singers’ lives are changed as they learn about foreign cultures, their histories, and from friendships across global boundaries. Recent travels include tours to Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and North America.

Youth Development (Modulation)

BCC empowers youth to take ownership of their participation, assisting their development as independent and responsible learners, thinkers, musicians and citizens. The youth development program provides opportunities to develop skills that allow singers to develop their own voices through omni-directional mentoring, leadership development and through the building of networking, public speaking and communication skills. In addition, the singers become deeply engaged in the community through targeted community service projects.

Choirs include:

Premier Choir
Advanced singers ages 12-18. Our premier performing group offers a stimulating, comprehensive and demanding choral repertoire requiring advanced level of musical skill. The Premier Choir participates in local, national and international tours.

Young Men’s Ensemble

A special program to meet the unique needs of boys ages 10-18 with changing and changed voices.

Concert Choir

Singers ages 10-16 with advanced musical skills receive intensive training in music theory, music history and foreign languages; performances include regional tours.

Choral Union

A choir created in 2010 to provide intense vocal and theory training for older singers ages 12-18 who have a great interest and enthusiasm for singing, but not the formal musical training.

Central Intermediate Choir

Intermediate singers ages 10-14. This level requires individual attentiveness, vocal skills and theory comprehension while offering expanded repertoire and performance experiences.

Dorchester House Training Choir

A neighborhood-based choir for beginning-level singers ages 7-12, established in collaboration with Dorchester House, in Fields Corner.

Dorchester House Intermediate Choir

Intermediate level neighborhood-based choir established in collaboration with Dorchester House, in Fields Corner.

West End House Training Choir

A neighborhood-based choir for beginning-level singers ages 7-12, established in collaboration with the West End House in Allston-Brighton.

Central Training Choir

Beginning singers ages 7-12. This program develops music basics such as theory, interval training, rhythm and sight-singing techniques. Attention span and concentration are points of focus.

Villa Victoria Training Choir

A neighborhood-based choir for beginning-level singers ages 7-12, established in collaboration with Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción (IBA), in Boston’s South End community.

In addition, Rapid Achievement Practice (RAP) is a required weekly half hour music education program specially designed for all levels of singers to help advance sight-reading and musicianship skills.

Greater Grove Hall Main Streets

Location

320B Blue Hill Avenue

Dorchester, MA, 02121

United States

42° 18' 48.6936" N, 71° 4' 45.9012" W

See map: Google Maps

Phone:

617-45-GGHMS (44467)

Email:

info@greatergrovehall.org

Website:

http://www.greatergrovehall.org/

Mission:

The Greater Grove Hall Main Streets is committed to supporting the Grove Hall area commercial district through marketing, technical assistance and organizing. GGHMS promotes Grove Hall's diverse business district while maintaining the neighborhood’s historical character. We encourage innovative and creative techniques for fostering economic development that enriches the lives of business owners, employees and residents of our community.

Executive Director/CEO/President/Coordinator/Other:

Axel Starke, Executive Director

Key Partners:

Neighborhood Development Corporation of Grove Hall

Project Right Inc.

Quincy Geneva / New Vision

United Housing

Prince Hall Grand Lodge

Last Updated:

05/16/2011

Safe Neighborhood Initiative

Hours of operation (or meeting times & dates):

Dorchester SNI
Bimonthly meetings expected to begin in June at location TBA (working on finding a regular meeting space). BPD District C-11 attends these meetings. For more information, contact ADA Christine Walsh at 617-619-4315.

Grove Hall SNI
Meets 2nd Thursday of June, September, November, February and April from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Grove Hall Community Center on Geneva Avenue. Food is served beforehand at 5:30 p.m. BPD District B-2 attends these meetings. For more information, contact Michael Kozu at m_kozu@hotmail.com or 617.541.5454.x102.

Upham's Corner SNI
Meets 4th Tuesday of each month from 6:30 to 8:00 pm at the City School, located at 614 Columbia Rd.
BPD District B-2 attends these meetings. For more information, contact ADA Matt Feeney at 617-619-4169.

Washington Corridor SNI
Meets 4th Tuesday of each month from 1:00 to 2:30 pm. BPD C11 and B3 attend these meetings. Past meetings have been at DotWell, but the last few have been at the Franklin Hill Apartments community room at 5 Shandon Rd. Evening meetings are in the planning stages but are expected soon. For more information, contact Paul Malkemes at 617-929-0925 or paul@tbpm.org.

Mission:

The Safe Neighborhood Initiative (SNI) addresses public safety and prosecutors community development issues through the collaborative efforts of to work the Boston Police Department and the Massachusetts and Suffolk County Attorney General's Offices. Its success addresses three exclusively primary areas of community concern: Coordinated Law Enforcement, Neighborhood Revitalization, and Prevention and Treatment. Local law enforcement cooperation allows prosecutors to work exclusively generated on cases generated by the SNI i, and has helped community residents to remove and prosecute violent offenders from their neighborhoods.

How to get involved/application guidelines and procedures:

Contact individual SNI coordinators or the DA's office for more information.

Charge for services:

No

Key Programs Offered:

The coordinated law enforcement strand includes community policing, the establishment of an SNI neighborhood prosecutor in District and Superior Courts, and enhanced cooperation in special projects between the community and law enforcement agencies.

The neighborhood revitalization efforts of the SNI may include expedited city services, rehabilitation of abandoned property, the coordination of local merchants, and/or job training programs.

The prevention, intervention, and treatment principle of the SNI mobilizes community and government resources around priority community health issues, from youth violence prevention to outreach to seniors.

Type of facility in which this program/organization located:

Varies

Also (or Previously) Known As...:

SNI

Last Updated:

04/28/2011

Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition

Email:

info@mattapanfoodandfitness.org

Website:

http://mattapanfoodandfitness.org/

Mission:

The Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition draws on the wonderful ethnic and cultural diversity of the Mattapan community to promote a healthy living environment, with a focus on access to healthy foods and the promotion of physical fitness for all ages.

Key Partners:

ABCD Head Start, B-3 Community Services Unit of the Boston Police Department, Boston Organization of Nutritionists and Dietitians of Color, the Boston Public Health Commission, Brookwood Community Farm, Church of the Holy Spirit, Christine’s Fitness Vibe, Citizen Schools, Mildred Avenue Middle School, City Natives Nursery/Boston Natural Areas Network, Clark-Cooper Community Garden, Colorado Street Neighborhood Association, Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation, The Food Project, Harvard Prevention Research Center, Jubilee Christian Church, Mattapan Civic Association, Mattapan Community Development Corporation, Mattapan Cultural Arts Council, Mattapan Community Health Center, Mattapan Family Services Center, Morton Street Board of Commerce, Nutrition and Fitness for Life Program, Boston Medical Center, Youth and Family Enrichment Services.

How to get involved/application guidelines and procedures:

Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of every month at 7:00 p.m. at the Mildred Avenue Community Center, 5 Mildred Ave. in Mattapan. All meetings are open to the public.

If you would like more information about the Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition, or to find out how you can get involved, please contact MFFC at info@mattapanfoodandfitness.org.

Key Programs Offered:

The Mattapan Farmers Market: The MFFC sponsors a weekly farmers market in Mattapan Square on Saturday mornings from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. July through October. This year, the market will be held in the parking lot of the Church of the Holy Spirit, 525 River St. form July 10th through October 2. At the market you can find a wide variety of fresh, affordable, organic fruits and vegetables from local farms. Farmers at the market accept EBT/SNAP (Food Stamps), WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Coupons.

Mattapan Moving for Life: To promote the utilization of community resources for physical fitness, the Coalition is establishing an annual Mattapan Moving for Life fitness event.

Healthy on the Block: Join MFFC to help corner stores in Mattapan offer healthier options, including better quality fruits and vegetables at a reasonable price. The Strategic Alliance for Health Corner Store Initiative is working with community members and organizations to increase community access to healthy affordable food through community corner stores. Help MFFC to plan for this project and identify corner stores to participate in this community- supported effort. Contact the program coordinator, Cassandra Cato-Lois for more information about how to get involved.

Last Updated:

04/26/2011

Health Resources in Action

Location

622 Washington Street

Dorchester, MA

United States

42° 17' 23.5284" N, 71° 4' 16.8672" W

See map: Google Maps

Phone:

(617)451-0049

Fax:

(617)282-3950

Email:

You can email HRiA via the form at http://hria.org/about/contact.html

Website:

http://hria.org/

Mission:

HRiA's mission is to help people to live healthier lives and build healthy communities through policy, research, prevention, and health promotion. For over fifty years, Health Resources in Action has been a leader in developing programs that advance public health and medical research. Through theCommunity Health and Medical Foundation divisions, HRiA works with governments, communities, scientists, and nonprofit organizations that share an imperative for resolving today’s most critical public health issues through policy, research, prevention, and health promotion.

Executive Director/CEO/President/Coordinator/Other:

Ray Considine, MSW

Key Partners:

United Way

Clients include the Black Ministerial Alliance of Greater Boston, the Boston Collaborative for Food & Fitness,
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office of the U.S. Surgeon General/Medical Reserve Corps,
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bank of America, Hilda and Preston Davis Foundation
Paso del Norte Health Foundation, the Richard and Susan Smith Family Foundation, Boston Medical Center
Bowdoin Street Health Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Children's Hospital - Boston, the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, the AIDS Action Committee, and many more.

Key Programs Offered:

HRiA is an innovative and unique organization combining consulting services with public health programming. Our staff of public health professionals, physicians, and social scientists possess the depth and breadth of experience to meet public health challenges and tackle complex life sciences consulting projects.

HRiA offers free training to the community and maintains an extensive health research library. Trainings are offered on broad subjects such as evaluation, coalition building, collaborative leadership, engaging diverse populations, etc. as well as topical areas such as asthma, substance abuse, tobacco, violence, teen pregnancy, and leadership.

Last Updated:

04/26/2011

Child Care Choices of Boston

Location

105 Chauncy Street 2nd Floor

Boston, MA, 02111

United States

42° 21' 10.5012" N, 71° 3' 39.8376" W

See map: Google Maps

Phone:

617-542-5437 (KIDS)

Fax:

617-292-4629

Email:

help@childcarechoicesofboston.org

Website:

http://childcarechoicesofboston.org

Mission:

Child Care Choices of Boston (CCCB) serves as the Child Care Resource and Referral Agency for Boston, Brookline, Chelsea, Revere and Winthrop.

CCCB plays a key role in making child care work for everyone by providing support, resources, technical assistance and training to a diverse community of families, child care providers, employers and businesses in the greater Boston area.

Each year, CCCB provides more than 6,000 low-income families with voucher management services that enable access to much needed child care. The program disburses more than $43 million annually, while working with close to 1,000 child care providers in the region.

Charge for services:

Parent services free; contact CCCB about professional development

Key Programs Offered:

Index of child care for parents, special needs support, financial assistance for child care, provider business assistance, English/Spanish professional development, resources for parents and providers.

Vouchers accepted:

CCCB provides vouchers for child care.

Also (or Previously) Known As...:

Part of Action for Boston Community Development/ABCD

Last Updated:

04/26/2011

Smart from the Start

Location

70 Ames Street

Dorchester, MA, 02124

United States

42° 17' 22.686" N, 71° 5' 7.3176" W

See map: Google Maps

Phone:

(617)858-4687

Email:

rachelle.eddins@smartfromthestartboston.com

Mission:

Smart from the Start is a community engagement and family support initiative of the City of Boston. It promotes school readiness by providing early learning opportunities and family support for families with children, ages 0 to 5, living in or around Boston Housing Developments in Dorchester, Roslindale, Mattapan, and Charlestown.

Executive Director/CEO/President/Coordinator/Other:

Cherie A. Craft, M.Ed., Executive Director; Rachelle Eddins, Dorchester Program Coordinator

Key Partners:

City of Boston, Thrive in 5

How to get involved/application guidelines and procedures:

Call Dorchester Program coordinator at (617)858-4687 with questions or to register for programs. Some events and programs may be drop-in.

Main office is located at the Thomas Johnson Community Center, 68 Annunciation Road, Boston, MA 02120. Phone: (617) 635-5030. Fax: (617) 635-5704.

Key Programs Offered:

Parent Power Hour: Are you a Parent or Caregiver? Empower yourself and socialize with other parents to learn new ideas that lead to a brighter future. Wednesdays, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Program runs all year.

Nurturing Smart Prenatal Moms: Are you pregnant? Learn about stages of pregnancy, infant massage, nurturing yourself and much more! Fridays, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Recurring program. Call to confirm.

Playgroups: Infant: Tuesdays, 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.;
Toddler Play Groups: Thursdays, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.;
Preschool Play Group: Thursdays, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Last Updated:

04/19/2011

Wyoma Dance

Mailing Address (if different than physical location):

502 Ashmont St, #3
Dorchester, MA 02122

Phone:

(617)0822-0528

Email:

wyoma@wyomadance.com

Website:

http://www.wyomadance.com

Mission:

Wyoma is a performer and facilitator of African and healing dance, as well as a body/mind consultant. For over twenty-three years she has taught and conducted workshops in a wide range of contexts throughout the United States. She has also worked in Africa and New Zealand. Central to her approach is the transformative and organic nature of African Dance, and the recognition of our body's own inherent wisdom. Wyoma honors dance as a healing and spiritual endeavor, and has become a creative force for transformation among her students, audiences, and associate performers.

How to get involved/application guidelines and procedures:

To book workshops, residencies or performances please phone (617)822-0528 or email wyoma@wyomadance.com.

Key Programs Offered:

African Healing Dance Video
In 1997 Wyoma, created and danced the lead role in the African Healing Dance video, produced by SoundsTrue, Inc. The instructional program of six traditional African and Caribbean dances performed by Wyoma and her dance group Damballa uses Wyoma's unique teaching style to provide audiences with a high energy and user-friendly dance class at home. As facilitator of African Healing Dance ("spirit movement"), Wyoma provides a non-judgmental atmosphere in which we can explore our own natural rhythms and our relationship with ourselves, each other, the animals, and elements. Wyoma helps people gain the confidence and ability to connect with their own rhythm and movement. This organic movement is healing and transforming to the spirit and the body.

Facilitator and Teacher
As a teacher of traditional African Dance, Wyoma incorporates into her classes an understanding and value of culture deeply rooted in community. She encourages students to respect each other, listen, be aware of space, and pay attention to breathing. Students are connected to the culture through dances, drumming, and songs that relate the rich African history. Wyoma's repertoire includes dances from Guinea, Senegal, Mali, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Congo/Zaire, South Africa and other Sub-Saharan countries as well as Haiti and Brazil. Her classes include opportunities for students to experience their own natural movement, spirit, and sense of humor through improvisation.

Wyoma facilitates Kwanzaa workshops and celebrations intended for children as well as teaches African based movement for workout classes at spas and retreat centers.

Body Mind Consultant
Wyoma has over thirty years of experience as a massage therapist. Additionally, she has been practicing Yoga since the age of 18, receiving her teacherís training in Yoga in 1978 from the Sivananda Yoga Ashram in Montreal, Canada. She provides private consulting for physical, mental, and emotional health. Wyoma works to inspire creative problem-solving, increase body awareness, improve muscle tone and flexibility, rejuvenate, empower, and heal individuals.

Wyoma has worked with educators, students, individuals, and groups, utilizing dance therapy/healing dance, stress management techniques, intuitive healing massage, guided imagery, meditation and yoga.

Dance Project Manager
Wyoma initiated and managed the Ford Foundation funded Tudhaneni Dance Project in Namibia, Africa in 1998-1999, and consulted for the project in 2000.

The Tudhaneni Dance Project, located in Ongwediva in northern Namibia focuses on "building the future from the past" by fostering the interest and awareness of young people in the importance of dance as a medium for cultural expression in post apartheid Namibia. Working with dance groups at the local teachers' college, youth centre, schools throughout the region, and in rural villages, Tudhaneni aims at revitalizing traditional dance among young people by bringing elders and young people together to share their skills.

Consulting and Advising in the Arts

EARTH WALK NATURE LEARNING CENTER
Advisory Committee Member
Moab, Utah | 1998-present

Emphasis on the arts for private non-profit youth development program based in Moab, Utah (summer camp) and Denver, Colorado (school year-service learning component). Program focuses on leadership skills, cultural exchange, environmental awareness and community responsibility for inner city "at risk" population.

Last Updated:

04/19/2011