Category: Community Based / Non-Profit

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

Dorchester Park in Dorchester, Massachusetts was established in 1891. Having changed size over subsequent years, it remains a beautiful part of the community. Please take the opportunity to explore our website; you'll learn a lot about Dorchester Park's history and future. You'll also discover a variety of events held for the community throughout the year.

MetroLacrosse is a non-profit organization whose mission is to address the social and economic disparities that exist in urban settings by inspiring personal, educational and athletic success among urban youth and teens.

The mission of the Greater Boston Nazarene Compassionate Center (GBNCC ) is to provide relief to the most vulnerable, distressed and underprivileged people of the Boston area, with particular emphasis on the Haitian community and the youth in Dorchester, Mattapan, Roslindale and the surrounding communities.

As faith leaders, we explore the root causes of factors that are jeopardizing the health and welfare of our congregations, and take a vested interest in building the capacity of our community through outreach and education. The Dorchester Nazarene Church was among the first Haitian congregations in Boston to openly address the issue of HIV/AIDS prevention and education. We strongly embrace the idea of reaching out and addressing the needs of the whole individual in a culturally complete and sensitive way. Our aim is to promote the health and welfare of our community and also to serve as a supportive link to the wider U.S. social and economic system.

For the past 7 years, the GBNCC has been home to many successful programs and activities that have significantly impacted the lives of many thousands of individuals. GBNCC ’s main program areas are Adult Basic Education (ESL/Computer Literacy), Youth Services (including the Higher Education Resource Center), Health Education, and Food and Nutrition Services.

We have attracted funding from local foundations and corporations, including the Boston Foundation, CCHER, Boston Capacity Tank, United Way of Massachusetts Bay, Clippership Foundation, English for New Bostonians, BMA, Komen Foundation, the Boston Foundation and many others. We combine grants, donations, volunteer efforts, church support, and professional services to cover our expenses, and are continually developing relationships with new funders.

We are a licensed and accredited program designed for the needs of school aged children. We offer a balance of tutorials, computers, recreation, a after school program and arts and crafts with nutritious meals provided. We also have a new language program that now is teaching french and spanish.

ODWIN's two-fold mission is:

(1) To counteract poverty by enabling non-traditional students (people of color, ethnic minorities, working poor with inadequate educational preparation) to enter the professions, thus enabling them and their families to escape poverty, achieve positions of influence, and enhance economic and social change in the Boston community.

(2) To counteract racism and sexism, two of the key causes of the conditions that cause poverty, by increasing the number of competent women and minorities in the professions.

The James Blake House (1661) is owned and operated by the Dorchester Historical Society. A recent restoration project has brought the house back to its circa 1895 appearance. See this article for an excellent write-up about the project.

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.