Faith-Based

Charles Street Church Food Pantry

Mailing Address (if different than physical location): 

Hours of operation (or meeting times & dates): 

12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. on the first and third Thursday of every month.

Mission: 

Location

Charles Street AME Church
551 Warren Street
Dorchester, MA 02121
United States
Key Partners: 

How to get involved/application guidelines and procedures: 

Bring a photo ID and something that shows your address when you arrive at the food pantry.

Key Programs Offered: 

St. Mary's Food Pantry

Mailing Address (if different than physical location): 

Phone: 

617.282.3181

Email: 

pantry@stmarysdorchester.org

Website: 

www.stmarysdorchester.org

Hours of operation (or meeting times & dates): 

Tuesday, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Mission: 

The Food Pantry is one of the most established ministries at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. Concerned by issues of hunger and poverty in the Uphams Corner neighborhood of Dorchester, St. Mary’s Food Pantry was established in 1991 to help address the needs of those struggling to put food on their tables. Today the food pantry is staffed solely by volunteers and feeds approximately 300 low-income families (875 individuals) from Dorchester, Roxbury, and Jamaica Plain each month.

 

St. Mary’s food pantry is a member agency of the Greater Boston Food Bank and receives most of its food from this source. In addition, the pantry relies on Partner churches, community groups and individuals to help keep its shelves stocked.

Location

St. Mary's Church
14 Cushing Avenue
Dorchester, MA 02125
United States
Key Partners: 

How to get involved/application guidelines and procedures: 

 

FOR CLIENTS

  1. BulletThe St. Mary’s food pantry located at 14 Cushing Ave. in Dorchester is open on Tuesdays from 9:30 -11:30 AM.

  2. BulletThose in need of assistance may come to the pantry once a month to receive a variety of dry, canned and perishable food.

  3. BulletID is required at each visit.

  4. BulletRecipients must be “income eligible” to receive food assistance. See guidelines at point of registration.

  5. BulletFor information about Food Stamps and other free and low-cost food resources, call Project Bread’s Food Source Hotline: 1-800-645-8333.

FOR VOLUNTEERS

There are a variety of volunteer opportunities at St. Mary’s food pantry:

  1. BulletHands-on assistance during pantry hours: Tuesdays 9:30-11:30 (Volunteers arrive at 8:30). Tasks include client sign-in and registration, translating for non-English speaking clients, food storage and pantry maintenance.

  2. BulletPlanning and implementing a food drive on behalf of the pantry

  3. BulletTranslation of written materials such as pantry policies and procedures, etc. – most notably Spanish, Creole and Portuguese

  4. BulletClerical assistance: telephone, written correspondence, etc.

To learn more about volunteer opportunities or to request a Volunteer Application, please contact our Food Pantry Coordinator.

FOR DONORS

Donations of non-perishable dry and canned foods (no glass containers, please) are always welcome. For a “wish list” of most needed foods, to plan a food drive or to arrange a food delivery, please contact our Food Pantry Coordinator.

Key Programs Offered: 

The Center for Church and Prison

Phone: 

617-445-0400

Fax: 

617-445-0404

Mission: 

To collaborate with churches in providing resources for developing preventive structures and reintegration programs that will lead to decline in the recidivism rate especially for black men. To serve as a religious based information and educational center on prison and detention. To work with churches in facilitating the smooth re-entry of prisoners into the society from prisons, detentions and correctional facilities.

Location

516 Warren Street
Dorchester, MA 02121
United States
Created: 
02/03/2011

Masjid al Quran

Phone: 

(617) 445-8070

Hours of operation (or meeting times & dates): 

Men and women gather for prayer every Friday at 1:00 PM. Worshippers and visitors enter the prayer hall through ablution rooms via a central narthex.

Mission: 

Masjid al Quran is an Islamic mosque. Formerly a Nation of Islam Mosque (the old Muhammad's Mosque No. 11), the Masjid al Quran has been a center of worship for "mainstream" (Sunni) Islam since the 1970s. A brief history of the Mosque may be found here. The mosque has been active in interfaith efforts. A 2007 Boston Globe article states: "[Current Imam] Mahdee has sought a more visible role for Masjid Al Quran in Boston's public life, taking part in interfaith lectures and attending Israeli Independence Day celebrations at the Israeli consulate long before the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, made such outreach imperative for Muslims. Mahdee says the mosque can do more, but he also believes that other faith communities could do more to reciprocate Masjid Al Quran's efforts. Mahdee would also like to see the mosque's younger congregants -- those in their teens, 20s, and 30s -- become more involved in the mosque."

Location

Masjid al Quran
35 Intervale Street
Dorchester, MA 02121
United States
Key Partners: 
Key Programs Offered: 

In addition to Friday community prayers, Masjid Al-Qur'an has an extensive array of educational and social activities including Islamic education classes. In the spring of 2005 the masjid began a weekly program titled, "Most of All Get an Understanding," which aims to educate non-Muslim members of the community on Islam. The masjid is a member of Cooperative Metropolitan Ministries an interfaith group comprised of 70 faith communities in the Boston area. As part of their urban-suburban partnership program, Masjid al-Qur'an has been paired with Temple Shalom, a reform synagogue in Newton. The partnership has brought rabbis to speak at the masjid and members of the masjid have attended prayer services at the synagogue. The two religious centers have coordinated volunteer activities together such as a food drive and delivering food to home-bound elders on Christmas day. Imam Taalib draws inspiration for the partnership from the fact that the building which houses the masjid was formerly home to a Jewish function hall.

Created: 
12/14/2010

Knights of Columbus Dorchester 107

Phone: 

617-620-8514

Hours of operation (or meeting times & dates): 

The Knights of Columbus Dorchester Council 107 meet at 7PM, on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at the St. Mark's Post on Bailey Street.

Mission: 

The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus. The Order is dedicated to the principles of Charity, Unity, Fraternity and Patriotism.

How to get involved/application guidelines and procedures: 

Any practical Catholic man interested in becoming a member should contact Grand Knight Michael Flynn @ 617-620-8514.

Also (or Previously) Known As...: 

Knights of Columbus

Greater Boston Interfaith Organization

Phone: 

617-825-5600

Fax: 

617-825-5400

Mission: 

GBIO was founded by a group of 45 clergy and community leaders who began meeting in January of 1996. What motivated this founding group to begin building GBIO was a common desire to transcend the historic divisions in Boston that existed between neighborhoods, particularly around race and class issues. These founders were motivated to build a new organization which could help build relationships across these divides and provide a new vehicle for different constituencies to act together on common interests in ways which would be powerful and effective. This founding group raised seed money from ten different religious denominations and the first staff organizer was hired in August 1997. In November of 1998, GBIO held its founding assembly attended by some 4000 people from across Greater Boston. This watershed event in Boston's recent history was the largest and most diverse mass meeting held in Boston during the past 25 years.

Anti-Usury Campaign

It is time to re-instate usury laws by capping interest rates at 10%. Why 10%? Because 10% is enough.

Ten percent is enough to allow credit to flow to all worthy borrowers. It is enough to allow bankers their fair share of profit. It is enough to protect families from permanent indebtedness. And it is enough to divert our economy away from the speculative gambling that has caused our present economic crisis, and back towards productive wealth creation in the industries of the future: green manufacturing, sustainable energy, and others that the American entrepreneurial spirit has yet to imagine.

Health Care

The fight for quality, affordable health care for all continues.

In 2005, over a half a million people were uninsured in the state of Massachusetts, many of whom were members of GBIO institutions. Through listening to these members, their stories became our stories and motivated us to become active in the fight for affordable health care for all. The passage of Massachusetts 2006 Health Reform Law was a landmark victory for GBIO and the residents of the Commonwealth of MA. More than 430,000 residents have acquired health insurance as a result of the passage of this reform, and Massachusetts rate of uninsured has dropped from seven percent to three percent, the lowest in the nation!

School Organizing Campaign

Location

Greater Boston Interfaith Organization
594 Columbia Road, Suite 203
Dorchester, MA 02125
United States

Catholic Charities Teen Center at St. Peter's

Phone: 

(617) 282-3614

Hours of operation (or meeting times & dates): 

Activities at the Teen Center begin at 4 p.m. with focus groups and homework help and continue into the evening with recreational activities.

Mission: 

A program of Catholic Charities Greater Boston, the Teen Center at St. Peter’s serves teens ages 15 to 19 from the Bowdoin/Geneva neighborhood of Dorchester. There are approximately 200 members of the Teen Center, with as many as 80 participating in educational or recreational activities daily. Through the center, adolescents of the mid-Dorchester corridor are provided with work opportunities, have access to various support services, and have a safe place to recreate. Work and activities aim to provide the skills necessary for academic success, while also increasing self-esteem and enhancing the perception of teens as a positive force in the community. Catholic Charities’ Teen Center at St. Peter’s is part of a unique collaboration with St. Peter’s School and the Bowdoin Street After-School Program. The three programs, all housed in St. Peter’s School, have worked together to serve the families of the Bowdoin Street neighborhood for five years.

Location

St. Peter's Church
278 Bowdoin Street
Dorchester, MA 02121
United States
Key Partners: 

Bowdoin Street After-School Program, Campaign for Catholic Schools, Catholic Charities, Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Boston (CCAB), St. Peter’s School, Yawkey Center

Key Programs Offered: 

Homework Help: Teens have a supervised time for homework, peer tutoring, and set times in the computer lab. School performance is reviewed and monitored. 
MCAS Preparation: Specialized and remedial tutoring is provided twice a week in math and English to prepare high school students for graduation requirements.
College Preparation: Tutoring is offered in both math and verbal skills to help with standardized tests. Workshops are provided on topics such as financial aid and application assistance. Tours of local colleges are arranged.
Computer Literacy: Classes focus on basic principles of word processing, spreadsheets, internet research, and web page design.
Focus Groups: A male and female focus group meets once a week to address adolescent developmental issues and the multiple challenges that confront youth today such as sexual activity, drugs/alcohol, family conflict, immigration issues and deportation, diversity and racism, gang participation, violence, and planning for the future.
Economic Literacy: These classes focus on managing money wisely. Teens set up a no cost bank account and learn to cut spending and increase savings.
Teen Center Council: Teens meet regularly to discuss pertinent issues affecting youth, seek resolution to conflict among members, and help develop and implement programs. Chosen leaders participate in the Teen Center Council and selected members will participate in the community’s Youth Council.
Performing Arts: Artistic programming throughout the year include classes in African Dance and expression through poetry and music.
Outdoor Education: In partnership with the Sierra Club, the Teen Center participates in hiking, canoeing, and over night camping trips in all of the New England area.
Recreational Activities: Planned activities include sports, dances, fashion shows, tournaments, cultural activities, and special field trips.
Youth Mediation: Trained by the Attorney General’s Office, teens help their peers resolve conflicts and disagreements without violence. This program offers students the skills needed to interact with each other at school, home, and in the community.
Counselors in Training: Counselors in Training are paid positions with job responsibilities in the St. Peter’s after-school program and the Teen Center, working 10-15 hours a week. Counselors help with the supervision of youth, homework, arts and crafts, and other projects. Counselors in Training are expected to perform well in school and take advantage of the Teen Center’s services.
Community Service: All teens have the opportunity to carry out supervised community service projects to increase their knowledge of the community and its needs, foster a sense of investment in their neighborhood, and develop positive values of service and contribution.
Family Fun Night: Events are held periodically offering games, cultural activities, and refreshments to involve members’ families.
Family Support: Referrals for community services are offered to the families of participating teens in need of outreach, mediation, and other services.

Created: 
03/28/2011

Jubilee House

Phone: 

617-282-8433

Email: 

Myron.Smith@use.salvationarmy.org (OR) Kimberly.Smith@use.salvationarmy.org

Hours of operation (or meeting times & dates): 

Office Hours: 9am-2pm, Mon-Fri Every Sunday 11:00 am - Sunday Service Children's church available for those age 2 - 10 Last Sunday of Each Month 6:00 pm - "Shabach" Praise and Worship Celebration Tuesday Evenings Sister's @ Heart - a Women's Bible study group Men's Bible study group The Well - a Bible study group for college students

Mission: 

The Jubilee House is a 23-room mansion located in Dorchester's Codman Square, at the heart of Boston's most diverse community. Jubilee House is designed as an intentional living community, fostering Christian growth and personal transformation through everyday involvement in the urban environment. What We Do: The Salvation Army Jubilee House is a community based ministry on various levels. It is a church with Sunday worship services and Bible studies on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Its position within the Salvation Army also involves it in many seasonal assistance and outreach programs: i.e. Thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets, a wide variety of summer enrichment programs for children and teens. More recently we have been involved in serving the evacuees of the Katrina disaster. Why Jubilee House? The name “Jubilee House” is derived from the Biblical concept…the Year of Jubilee. This festival was prescribed by God in the book of Leviticus. Celebrated every fifty years, it was to be a year of rejoicing when every debt was cancelled, every slave set free, every prison opened and every lost heritage restored. Our credo quoted from the prophet Isaiah ( in Isaiah 61:1-4) speaks of one to come who would bring about a more universal Jubilee. It is our mission to let those of our community know that there is hope, joy, victory, freedom, and deliverance in Jesus Christ, our Jubilee!

Location

10 Melville Avenue
Dorchester, MA 02124
United States
Key Partners: 

The Salvation Army; Codman Square Health Center, Dorchester Center for the Visual Arts, Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation, the Codman Square Youth and Family Coalition, the Home for Little Wanderers, DSS and DYS, the Greater Boston Food Bank, as well as many churches and faith based ministries. Some of these local ministries are The Boston Project, Emmanuel Gospel Center, Ten Point Coalition, Black Ministerial Alliance, Quincy Street Missional Church, the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute and numerous others. Has hosted students from Gordon College, UMass Boston, Harvard University

Key Programs Offered: 

Jubilee House The Salvation Army's Jubilee House in Dorchester opened its doors in June of 1997. The house was original built in 1880 and in recent years was the home of Jonathan and Jordan Knight of New Kids on the Block musical fame. The Salvation Army purchased the home from the Knight's mother in 1996. For six years, Jubilee House officers and staff have ministered to the members of the Dorchester community through a number of programs: Brengle Academy - alternative Christian middle school After-school Homework Club - recreational and educational activities, including homework assistance, held three days a week Community food co-op Emergency and Holiday assistance Higher Ground - a summer camping program for urban teens Summer Enrichment Program - fun and games during the summer

Community Meeting Space Available: 

Yes

Created: 
12/20/2010

First Parish Church

Phone: 

617 436-0527

Hours of operation (or meeting times & dates): 

Worship Service, Religious Education, and Child Care on Sunday, at 11:00 A.M.

The Meetinghouse Hill Civic Association meets on the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall.

Other regular groups include: Patriots Trail Girl Scouts Troup Alcoholics Anonymous Sunday at Three Concert Series Dien Hong

Mission: 

No matter what your age is, no matter where you come from no matter who you are, there is a place for you at First Parish Church, Dorchester’s only Unitarian Universalist church. At First Parish, you’ll meet a great mix of friendly people, hear relevant messages, enjoy compelling programs, and much more. We welcome you to come as you are, be who you are, and grow with us.

Location

10 Parish Street
Boston, MA 02122
United States
Key Programs Offered: 

Children's RE First Parish offers a parent-run Religious Education program for children and childcare for infants and toddlers. On most Sundays, the minister or service leader will invite the children to come forward for the Children’s Focus early in the service, after which the kids go upstairs for their program. If you come with children, you are welcome to have them either try out our RE program or stay with you during the service. If you wish, you may also accompany them upstairs. This year, we will be learning about how other cultures and religions celebrate life, their beliefs, famous people, occurrences in nature, and times of year. Using a UU curriculum known as “Holidays and Holy Days” we will learn about important days as well as significant parts of the traditions and culture they come from. Through crafts, ceremonies, games and discussion, our religious education program will help our children learn more about the world and people around us and the many ways people are religious. The more holidays we learn about, the more we can understand. Some holidays will be more familiar, while others will open us to other spiritual and cultural practices. Adult RE Programs for adults have included: Building Your Own Theology Meditation and other spiritual practices Historic Jesus

Community Meeting Space Available: 

Yes

Created: 
12/02/2010

St. Ann Catholic Church

Phone: 

(617) 825-6180

Email: 

saintannneponset@gmail.com

Website: 

http://www.saintannneponset.com/Pages/default.aspx

Location

243 Neponset Avenue
Dorchester, MA 02122
United States
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