Families

Child Care Choices of Boston

Phone: 

617-542-5437 (KIDS)

Fax: 

617-292-4629

Email: 

cccb@bostonabcd.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.

Location

Child Care Choices of Boston
105 Chauncy Street 2nd Floor
Boston, MA 02111
United States
See map: Google Maps
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.

Also (or Previously) Known As...: 

Part of Action for Boston Community Development/ABCD

Created: 
04/26/2011

Smart from the Start

Phone: 

(617) 858-4687

Email: 

rachelle.eddins@smartfromthestartboston.com

Website: 

http://www.smartfromthestartboston.org/

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.

Location

Franklin Field Resource Center
70 Ames Street
Dorchester, MA 02124
United States
See map: Google Maps
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.

Created: 
04/19/2011

Wyoma Dance

Mailing Address (if different than physical location): 

502 Ashmont St, #3
Dorchester, MA 02122 

Phone: 

617.823.6053

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. 

Created: 
04/19/2011

Weed and Seed

Website: 

http://www.ojjdp.gov/mpg/Weed%20and%20Seed-MPGProgramDetail-612.aspx

Mission: 

Weed and Seed, a community-based strategy sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), is an innovative, comprehensive multiagency approach to law enforcement, crime prevention, and community revitalization. Weed and Seed is foremost a strategy—rather than a grant program—that aims to prevent, control, and reduce violent crime, drug abuse, and gang violence.

The strategy involves a two-pronged approach: law enforcement agencies and prosecutors cooperate in "weeding out" violent criminals and drug abusers and public agencies and community-based private organizations collaborate to "seed" much-needed human services, including prevention, intervention, treatment, and neighborhood restoration programs. A community-oriented policing component bridges the weeding and seeding elements. 

Key Partners: 

Dorchester's Weed and Seed Sites:

Grove Hall Safe Neighborhood Initiative (Project RIGHT, Mass Housing, Boston Police District B-2 & additional partners) to reduce crime, improve the quality of life, and to increase the efficiency of local criminal justice operations within the Grove Hall area. Meets 2nd Thursday of each month from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Grove Hall Community Center on Geneva Avenue. Contact Michael Kozu (617-541-5454, ext. 5 mkozu@projectright.org) for details. Grove Hall is a graduated Weed and Seed site.

Washington Corridor/Talbot Weed & Seed, Safe Neighborhood Initiative: Washington/Talbot Weed & Seed group meets the fourth Tuesday of each month from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. The location changes monthly. Boston Police District B-3 attends these meetings. W&S information is mostly communicated via email. To be added to the email list, contact Paul Malkemes (617-929-0925; paul@tbpm.org).

Created: 
04/12/2011

Sea Breeze Mexican Grill

Phone: 

617-297-5205

Email: 

info@seabreezemexicangrill.com

Website: 

http://www.seabreezemexicangrill.com/

Hours of operation (or meeting times & dates): 

Sea Breeze is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner - 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. - with a wide and affordable menu. In addition to beef, chicken, pork and veggie items, Sea Breeze carries a great selection of seafood choices. They also a offer a kids' menu for children under 10.

Location

1782 Dorchester Ave
Dorchester, MA
United States
See map: Google Maps
Key Partners: 

St. Mark's Area Main Street

Created: 
03/22/2011

FAMILY, inc.

Phone: 

(617) 969-1454

Email: 

info@familysystem.net

Website: 

http://www.familysystem.net

Hours of operation (or meeting times & dates): 

 

Codman Square Health Council Meeting
  • Third Thursday of every month
  • Codman Square Health Center (637 Washington Street, Dorchester) Board Room
Mission: 

To create secure and nurturing environments of mutual support in which all children and families can thrive. A community organizing system, we create partnerships with individuals and institutions to connect educational, health care, economic, and other systems to collaboratively create healthy, safe, sustainable communities throughout the world.

Our values:
  • Every person is valued: from the youngest to the oldest, from the richest to the poorest
  • For healthy development, all children need to be nurtured through intergenerational relationships;
  • Harmonious support systems enhance the lives of children and families within the community;
  • Society’s systems should be in harmony with nature’s systems;
  • We must think globally and act locally – FAMILY starts at the local level and develops sustainably;
  • We are one family.

 

Location

80 Waban Hill Road
Newton, MA 02467
United States
See map: Google Maps
Key Partners: 

Community Agencies and Organizations:
Artists for Humanity
BOLD Teens
Boston Neighborhood Network
City Year
Codman Square Merchants Association
Codman Square Neighborhood Council
Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corp.
Dorchester Neighborhood Service Center
Roxbury Youth Works
STRIVE, Inc. 

 

Education Institutions:
 
City and State Departments: 
Mayor Menino
Boston Police Department 
Boston Public Health Commission
Department of Youth Services
 
Business Community
Valvoline, Inc.
Mount Washington Bank
Silverbrook Farm
Coutinho Farm
 
Partners in Haiti:
 
Community Agencies and Organizations 
Association of Schools and Teachers
City Of Verrettes
Caisse Populaire Solidarite Des Verrettes (Bank)
FATEM
ODKM (Desarmes)
MCC Desarmes
Faith in Action International
Societe D’exportation de Fruits et Legumes
The Haiti Connection
ODVA
 
Education Institutions:
DePaul University, Chicago, IL
Tuskegee University
University of Fondwa
Ecole Normale de Liancourt (Local Teachers College)
Ecole Providence
 
Government Agencies:
Bureau de District Scolaire des Verrettes
How to get involved/application guidelines and procedures: 

The individuals and families who take part in FAMILY are invited to become members of FAMILY. They are not clients, but members. The benefits of membership will vary from one individual and family to another, depending on their needs, but the major benefit is the security of being part of a caring network of mutual support.

The mission of FAMILY is global, and our vision is for its concept to spread in very natural ways. We are eager to engage in dialogue about all aspects of FAMILY, including potential areas of collaboration with interested parties. We invite you to join us.

Key Programs Offered: 

FAMILY works at both the level of the individual and the organization, in both Codman Square, Dorchester, and in Haiti:

  • We connect individuals with existing resources in the community so that they are surrounded by a uniquely tailored network of mutual support. To do this, we place FAMILY Advocates into strategic locations within the community to work directly with children and their families.
  • We partner with organizations to enhance their capacity to provide effective support to children and families by eliminating redundancy, improving community responsiveness, and sharing resources. To do this, our Director of Community Organization convenes gatherings with partner organizations where effective strategizing can occur. 
Also (or Previously) Known As...: 

Fathers And Mothers Infants eLders and Youth

Created: 
03/17/2011

Dorchester FAMILY School Initiative

Mailing Address (if different than physical location): 

Website: 

http://mydorchester.org/about_DFSI

Hours of operation (or meeting times & dates): 

Mission: 

 

The Dorchester FAMILY School Initiative (DFSI) provides academic, enrichment, and wellness services to our partner schools: the Oliver W. Holmes, Lee Academy, and Joseph Lee Elementary Schools. Other DFSI partners include DotWell, SCI, and FAMILY, Inc.

Our mission is to remove barriers to learning; to improve children’s physical, social, and emotional wellness; and to connect students and families to their schools and community.

You can read about DFSI Partners and DFSI Programs and Services, or take a moment to learn about Full Service Community Schools.

Location

1452 Dorchester Avenue
Dorchester, MA 02122
United States
See map: Google Maps
Key Partners: 

 

The Oliver W. Holmes Elementary School is a K1-5 school of 282 students near Four Corners.

The Lee Academy is a K0-1 pilot school near Franklin Field.

The Joseph Lee Elementary School is a grade 2-6 school of 300 students near Franklin Field.

DotWell is the partnership of Codman Square Health Center and Dorchester House Multi-Service Center. DotWell is DFSI’s lead agency.

FAMILY, Inc. is a non-profit organization that works as a community organizing system. By creating partnerships with individuals and institutions, FAMILY, Inc. connects educational, health care, economic, and other systems to collaboratively create healthy, safe, sustainable communities throughout the world.

Social Capital Inc. strengthens communities by connecting diverse individuals and organizations through civic engagement initiatives.

How to get involved/application guidelines and procedures: 

 

For more information, families may contact:

Key Programs Offered: 

Created: 
02/06/2013

Boston United for Students

Email: 

info@bostonunitedforstudents.org

Website: 

http://www.bostonunitedforstudents.org/index.html

Mission: 

Boston United for Students is a broad-based coalition committed to improving the quality of the educational experience for all Boston students and teachers. We believe that there is an urgency to significantly improve student achievement so that Boston public school students graduate college ready and career prepared. We know that achieving these goals will require a fundamental change in the next Boston teachers' contract to create new working relationships and operational flexibility that will enable students and teachers to meet the challenges of public education in the 21st Century. Our drive for student success is not limited to changes in the teachers' contract. It also includes advocacy for improved administrative practices and earnest implementation of current and new contract reform measures.

Key Partners: 

For a list of member organizations, visit http://www.bostonunitedforstudents.org/Pages/members.html.

How to get involved/application guidelines and procedures: 

Visit http://www.bostonunitedforstudents.org/Pages/get_involved.html. To make your voices heard, the community is also urged to call, email or fax the School Committee (telephone) 617-635-9014 (fax): 617-635-9689,feedback@bostonpublicschools.org.

Community supporters also can call the Boston Teachers’ Union at (617)288–2000, fax: (617)288–0024. Advocates can also make their voices known to the City Council at (617)635-3040 or the Mayor’s Office at Boston City Hall, (617)635-3151.

To contact us email:info@bostonunitedforstudents.org.

Created: 
03/14/2011

Boston Medical Center

Phone: 

617.638.8000

Website: 

http://www.bmc.org

Mission: 

Boston Medical Center is an extraordinary community of health care providers devoted to the proposition that every person, regardless of his or her social or economic circumstances, deserves the best health care.

Our mission is simple: to provide exceptional care, without exception.

Located in Boston's historic South End neighborhood, BMC is a private, not-for-profit, 639-licensed bed, academic medical center and the primary teaching affiliate for Boston University School of Medicine. Consistent with its mission to provide the best in health care to all, BMC is the largest safety net hospital in New England and reaches into the community as a founding partner of Boston HealthNet, a network of 15 community health centers through Boston serving more than a quarter million people annually.

Location

Boston Medical Center
One Boston Medical Center Place,
Boston, MA 02118
United States
See map: Google Maps
Key Partners: 

BU School of Medicine, BMC HealthNet Plan, 

Boston HealthNet:

Codman Square Health Center
637 Washington Street
Dorchester
617.825.9660
(http://www.codman.org)

Dorchester House Multi-Service Center
1353 Dorchester Avenue
Dorchester
617.288.3230
(http://www.dorchesterhouse.org)

East Boston Neighborhood Health Center 
10 Gove Street
East Boston
617.569.5800
(http://www.ebnhc.org)

Geiger-Gibson Community Health Center
250 Mount Vernon Street
Dorchester
617.288.1140

Greater Roslindale Medical and Dental Center
4199 Washington Street
Roslindale
617.323.4440
(http://www.roslindale.org)

Harvard Street Neighborhood Health Center
632 Blue Hill Avenue
Dorchester
617.825.3400
(http://www.harvardstreet.org)

Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program
780 Massachusetts Avenue
Boston
857.654.1000
(http://www.bhchp.org) 

Manet Community Health Center 
110 West Squantum Street
North Quincy
617.376.3030
(http://www.manetchc.org)

Mattapan Community Health Center 
1425 Blue Hill Avenue
Mattapan
617.296.0061
(http://www.mattapanchc.org)

Neponset Health Center
398 Neponset Avenue
Dorchester
617.282.3200

Roxbury Comprehensive Community Health Center
435 Warren Street
Roxbury
617.442.7400

South Boston Community Health Center 
409 West Broadway
South Boston
617.269.7500
(http://www.sbchc.org)

South End Community Health Center 
1601 Washington Street
Boston
617.425.2000
(http://www.sechc.org)

Upham's Corner Health Center 
500 Columbia Road
Dorchester
617.287.8000
(http://www.uphamscornerhealthctr.com)

Whittier Street Health Center
1125 Tremont Street
Roxbury
617.427.1000
(http://www.wshc.org) 
How to get involved/application guidelines and procedures: 

Prospective volunteers can visit Volunteer Services, call 617.414.5122, or email Volunteer.Services@bmc.org. Otherwise, call one of the numbers listed below, or view the Provider Directory.

Health Connection — Call 800.841.4325

Make an Appointment. Find a Doctor. Get Health Information.

Call BMC’s Health Connection toll-free atBoston Medical Center - Health Connection 800.841.4325.

The Health Connection is available Monday thru Friday, 8:30 am - 5 pm. After normal business hours, callers may leave a message to be returned the following business day by a nurse.

The Health Connection is a toll-free telephone information service. The staff, which include registered nurses, help patients, families and members of the community access Boston Medical Center's physicians, programs and services.

Main Switchboard
Call: 617.638.8000

General Information
Call: 617.638.6800

Health Connection
Call: 800.841.4325

Medical Records
Call: 617.414.4201

Patient Billing
Call: 617.638.6157

TTY
Call: 800.439.2370

Key Programs Offered: 

BMC HealthNet Plan: BMC HealthNet Plan is the largest health maintenance organization for both MassHealth and Commonwealth Care programs. The mission of BMC HealthNet Plan is to be a quality and cost effective provider-sponsored health maintenance organization supplying excellent care coordination and services.

  • Sunny Start - Health Moms & Babies: BMC HealthNet Plan Members that choose to enroll in Sunny Start get help from care managers, including

    • Customized care planning for low - high risk pregnancies
    • Access to registered nurse skilled in obstetrics/newborn care
    • Free car seat (MassHealth members)
    • Free manual breast pump
    • What To Do When You're Having a Baby book & other literature
    • Childbirth/Parenting Education
    • Transportation assistance
    • Help finding community resources

Haitian Health Institute (HHI): In order to meet challenges to improved access and health services for Haitians, a consortium of health care professionals mobilized to establish the Haitian Health Institute (HHI) in 1996 rather than have disparate clinics across metropolitan Boston. The Administrative Office of the Haitian Health Institute is located at Boston Medical Center, 771 Albany Street, Dowling 4, Room 4416, Boston, MA 02118. You can phone them at 617.414.7702, send a fax to 617.414 3810, email hhi@bmc.org or view MyDorchester.org's community guide entry here.

Created: 
04/09/2011

Boston Parent Organizing Network (BPON)

Phone: 

617-522-2766

Fax: 

617-522-2799

Email: 

info@bpon.org

Website: 

http://www.bpon.org

Mission: 

Boston Parent Organizing Network organizes, develop and support parentsand families who are marginalized by class, race, language, disability and immigration status to  work with and hold accountable the Boston Public Schools to provide an excellent education for all students.

In all we do we are guided by these principles:

  • Parents and families are the most effective advocates and leaders to bring about lasting improvements in student education.
  • Parents, families and students are the key source to identify the educational needs of children and youth.
  • Networking and collaboration among community based organizations and school based parent groups are necessary to effect system-wide change
  • Both system-wide and community-based issues must be addressed collectively to assure sustained success.

Our Vision

Because of BPON's effectiveness parents and families who are marginalized by class, race, language, disability and immigration status directly influence decision making at all levels of the Boston Public School System.

Location

BPON
209 Green Street 3rd Floor
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
United States
See map: Google Maps
Key Partners: 

Current organizational members include ACEDONE, ACORN, Black Ministerial Alliance, Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center, Center for Collaborative Education, City Life/Vida Urbana, Citywide Parents Council, Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative, East Boston Ecumenical Community Council, East Boston High School Family Center, EDLaw Project, English High School Family Center, Families First Parenting Programs, Hyde Square Task Force, Inquilinos Boricuas en Accion, JP Unidos, Massachusetts Advocates for Children, MassCOSH, Mass English Plus Coalition, Sociedad Latina, Trotter School Parent Council, and the Young Achievers Pilot School Family Association.

How to get involved/application guidelines and procedures: 

Visit the membership application page, found at http://www.bpon.org/about-us/membership-application. Also check out BPON's job opportunities.

Key Programs Offered: 

Since its formation in 1999, BPON has built on the strengths of its organizational members and thousands of parent volunteers to achieve significant change at both the school and district levels.  BPON is recognized as a powerful and unique force in reform of the BPS, creating consensus among diverse parents, developing their power through leadership training and amplifying their voices, and wielding this power in unified action.

BPON's focus is on engaging families to provide leadership in achieving excellent education for all BPS students.

Created: 
03/08/2011
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