Category: Community Organizing

"SMAMS" is a non-profit corporation powered by dedicated volunteer residents and merchants. We work to revitalize our business district on Dorchester Avenue, from Ashmont Station to just south of Fields Corner. By working with the City of Boston and the National Main Street Center, we are participating in a citywide and nationwide revitalization of local business districts. (We are not a religious organization. We take our name from the neighborhood we serve, which is named after the local historic parish.)

Through a partnership of merchants, residents and civic leaders, our Main Street organization will make Upham’s Corner a thriving, multi-cultural, business and entertainment center that attracts people from all over Boston.

UCMS was first created in 1996, when a group of passionate neighborhood residents, merchants, and civic leaders banded together to plan and manage the revitalization of the once vibrant Upham's Corner business and residential district. With a volunteer Board of Directors and a small but committed staff, UCMS set out to create new permanent jobs, an optimal mix of retail businesses, and shopping opportunities that fit the needs of residents.

DotOUT is a grassroots, member driven organization committed to the ideals of
acceptance, inclusion, fairness, and equality. We believe in the strength of the gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender (“glbt”) community in Dorchester and recognize that
together through our activism and neighborliness we can positively influence local
opinion on issues that are relevant to us and our community. We recognize that
Dorchester's glbt residents have a long history of contributing to the very essence of our
neighborhood. It is upon this foundation that we unite as a community to working with
our neighbors and friends in an ongoing effort to improve the quality of life in Dorchester
by continuing to build bridges to Dorchester's many communities. In so doing, we will
advance the ideals of fairness and equality for all the residents of Dorchester.

ONEin3 Boston serves the one-third of Boston's population that is between the ages of 20 and 34. The program connects Boston's young adults with resources related to home buying, business development, professional networking, and civic engagement.

In 2001, the Friends of Ronan Park (FoRP) was established under the premise that a park has the distinct ability to transform and rejuvenate a community, and should thus be nurtured and protected by everyone. Urban parks are particularly vital as they are the heart of so much daily activity for children and families. Conversely, if they are neglected, parks become a cancer that attacks the heart and spirit of a neighborhood.

One of the goals of FoRP is to encourage usage of the park in constructive, creative and fun ways as well as build towards leaving a more permanent legacy that speaks directly to all who visit and use the park. Since the inception of FoRP, Ronan Park has witnessed success through events such as Shakespeare in the Park, park clean-ups, National Night Out, the annual Multicultural Festival, and more. A recent influx of new homeowners in the community surrounding Ronan Park has sparked an increased interest in revitalizing the park

The mission of the Commission on Affairs of the Elderly is to enhance the quality of life for Boston's senior citizens through planning, coordinating, and monitoring the delivery of services to the elderly in an efficient and effective manner.

Reflect and Strengthen (R&S) is a grassroots collective of young working class women from the urban neighborhoods of Boston who take a holistic approach to organizing to create personal and social transformation. Our programming focuses are political education, healing form trauma, creative expression, community building and campaign work to end racial disparities in the juvenile justice system.

The Boston Public Library's mission is to preserve and provide access to historical record of our society, and to serve the cultural, educational, and informational needs of the City and the Commonwealth.

The vision of the Boston Public Library is to touch the lives of every Bostonian in
libraries, online and in the community.

Priorities for 2009‐10
Advancement of Learning
* Early Literacy: babies to pre‐kindergarten
* Academic support: School age children and teens
* Lifelong learning: For all ages
Easy Access to BPL Resources Most in Demand
* Serving the greatest number of people with existing or reduced resources
* Includes open hours, electronic access, and collection
Libraries as Community Gathering Places
* Existing facilities are clean, organized, and welcoming public environments
Programs and Services that Help People during these Economic Times
* Includes services such as job and career information, resume writing, foreclosure
prevention programs, etc.