Bus Route 15

Family Nurturing Center

Phone: 

(617) 474-1143

Fax: 

(617) 474-1261

Hours of operation (or meeting times & dates): 

Monday through Friday, 9:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Mission: 

The FNC works with others to build nurturing communities where children are cherished, families are supported, and healthy human development is promoted by all.

Nurturing Programs bring parents and children together to learn, have fun, and build supportive relationships with other community families. These programs strengthen family relationships, improve parenting skills, and build a sense of community that makes it easier for families to withstand the stress of raising children. We work with housing communities, health centers, schools, community based organizations, child care programs, senior programs, volunteer groups, faith-based organizations, private and public institutions and others to achieve our mission.

Location

Family Nurturing Center
200 Bowdoin St
Dorchester, MA 02122
United States
How to get involved/application guidelines and procedures: 

Contact the Family Nurturing Center, or check the get involved page.

Key Programs Offered: 

Nurturing Programs: validated, internationally recognized curricula that promote nurturing relationships among all family members while building community connections to support positive parenting. Offered in various forms for parents and children, fathers, teen parents, foster families, and the Cape Verdean community.

Training Programs: Trainings and workshops vary in length and are customized for each particular audience. FNC provides training in English, Spanish, and Cape Verdean Creole and will train at your site, ours, or another convenient location. FNC provides customized training programs and consultation in the following areas: Nurturing Program Development Trainings (including cultural adaptations) Family and Parenting Support (including fathers) Team Building Community and Program Development Early Childhood Development (including Infant Massage) Parent Leadership

Circles of Caring: FNC convenes groups of parents, child care providers, health care workers, and others to develop a shared vision for supporting families in their neighborhood. Then we work together to make that vision a reality.

Welcome Baby celebrates the birth of a baby, providing the family of the newborn with a beautiful basket full of gifts as well as valuable parenting information, safety items for the home, books to promote early literacy, and a community resource directory to link them to a variety of community supports. The program supports new parents at a critical time in their family's development, increasing their knowledge about what to expect and where to go for help, and links them to needed neighborhood resources.

Community Meeting Space Available: 

No

Also (or Previously) Known As...: 

Family Resource Center, Dorchester CARES Family Resource Center, Family Nurturing Center

Created: 
03/02/2011

Healthworks Foundation Fitness Center at St. Mary's

Phone: 

(617) 825-1600

Hours of operation (or meeting times & dates): 

Monday & Wednesday 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM; Tuesday & Thursday 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM; Friday 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM; Not open on the weekend

Mission: 

The Healthworks Foundation provides a fun, safe, and supportive environment in which women can become empowered to take control of their physical and emotional wellbeing. The member/scholarship program gives women free access to the environment needed to develop the whole woman- mind, body, and spirit. Healthworks Foundation understands that gaining access to fitness is the first step for many women towards empowerment. Since this is often a difficult step, it is crucial for women to obtain support.

Location

St. Mary's Branch
90 Cushing Avenue
Dorchester, MA 02125
United States
How to get involved/application guidelines and procedures: 

Please call for more information!

Community Meeting Space Available: 

No

Dorchester People for Peace

Phone: 

(617) 282-3783

Website: 
Hours of operation (or meeting times & dates): 

Regular meetings are the second Monday of every month, 7-9 pm at the Vietnamese Community Center at 42 Charles Street next to Field Corner T station and special events are frequent.

Mission: 

Our mission is to oppose the war in Iraq and US militarism in general; to build a multi-racial peace movement throughout the neighborhoods of Dorchester; and to work against the war at home, including violence, budget cuts, racism and political repression. We are always open to new people. Visit us at dotpeace.org.

Location

Vietnamese Community Center
42 Charles Street
Dorchester, MA
United States
Key Partners: 

United for Peace with Justice; Project HIP-HOP; ACORN; Boston Workers Alliance; Safety Net; City Life/Vida Urbana; and all local community anti-violence groups and individuals

How to get involved/application guidelines and procedures: 

You are very welcome at all regular meetings and special events. Get our wonderful weekly newsletter by writing Jeff Klein at jjk123@comcast.net. Please volunteer to leaflet or make calls. Join a committee: Anti-war; Biolab; Counter-recruitment; or Multicultural Competence.

Community Meeting Space Available: 

No

Vietnamese American Initiative for Development Inc. (VietAID)

Phone: 

617-822-3717

Fax: 

617-822-3718

Email: 

hoa@vietaid.org, Hoa Ngo, Office Manager

Website: 
Hours of operation (or meeting times & dates): 

Monday - Friday, 9:00 - 5:00pm

Viet-AID's after-school program runs during the academic year of the Boston Public Schools (BPS), from 3:00PM-6:00PM each day for 3rd to 7th grades. The beginning portion of the day we provide homework help, support and tutoring. Any additional time at the end of the day is spent on academic enrichment and fun, cultural activities.

All student in the After School Program are referred to Viet Aid by partner elementary and middle schools. For more information on joining the After School Program, please contact Jessica Ranucci at 617-822-3717 x 26 or HoaMai Nguyen at 617-822-3717 ext. 22.

Mission: 

The Vietnamese American Initiative for Development (Viet-AID) believes in strengthening the Vietnamese community and building a vibrant Fields Corner neighborhood with our neighbors. Viet-AID achieves these goals by developing affordable housing and commercial spaces; providing high quality child care services; facilitating job and business development; and actively promoting civic engagement.

Location

Vietnamese American Initiative for Development Inc.
42 Charles Street Suite E
Dorchester, MA 02122
United States
How to get involved/application guidelines and procedures: 

Call (617) 822-3717 ext. 24 for application for the Au Co Pre- School
Call (617) 822-3717 for First Time Homebuyers Classes in Vietnamese
Call Thu Truong at (617) 822-3717 for Small Business Technical Assistance.

Community Meeting Space Available: 

Yes

Teen Empowerment, The Center for

Mailing Address (if different than physical location): 

The Center for Teen Empowerment, Inc. 48 Rutland Street Boston, MA 02118

Phone: 

617-427-1488 or 617-427-1599

Hours of operation (or meeting times & dates): 

Monday-Friday, 9am-6pm

Mission: 

To empower youth and adults as agents of positive individual, institutional, and social change.

Location

Dorchester Site
21 Balfour Street
Dorchester, MA 02125
United States
How to get involved/application guidelines and procedures: 

Please contact us if you are interested. We having several youth hiring times.

Community Meeting Space Available: 

No

Created: 
11/18/2009

Cape Verdean Community UNIDO

Mission: 

CVC UNIDO promotes the power and the potential of the Cape Verdean community. We advocate for, inform, and organize our community to reach its cultural, social, and economic well-being.

CVC UNIDO’s mission is to outreach to, inform, and organize the Cape Verdean community around issues of self-empowerment and social and economic development while advocating for and accessing resources that meet the self-identified needs of the community. This mission is accomplished by a consortium of native Cape Verdean and Cape Verdean-American individuals and representatives of local organizations that serve the Cape Verdean community in Greater Boston through a series of different programs and activities that reach out to families and youth. Goals are to bring the Cape Verdean community together to develop our collective power and strategize solutions to current challenges; to create opportunities, and an environment, where youth and families can gain tools to empower themselves and the community; to improve family cohesion through developing nurturing and parenting skills; and to assure services delivered by local, municipal, and state agencies are coordinated and culturally competent.

Location

492 Dudley Street
Roxbury, MA 02119
United States
Key Partners: 

Bird Street Community Center, City of Boston, Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative (DSNI), Log School, Settlement House, MassCosh, Northeastern University, St. Patricks Church, Upham's Corner Health Center

Key Programs Offered: 

Cape Verdean Providers, GOTCHA- Youth Employment Collaboration, Boston Cape Verdean Student Association Collaboration, Jorge Fidalgo Memorial Soccer Challenge, Youth Empowerment Project- Youth Leadership Development, “Boston… Connecting Cultures” Mural Project, Dudley Youth Council, College Bound, The World Is My City, Recreational Activities, Adult ESOL Classes, Citizenship Classes, Dorchester Occupational Health Initiative, Fuel Assistance & Information & Referral Family Fun Days, and VALOR (Values Affecting Learning Our Roots)- Family Support Program.

Community Meeting Space Available: 

No

Dorchester CARES Coalition for Families & Children, Inc.

Phone: 

(617) 474-1256

Fax: 

617-474-1261

Hours of operation (or meeting times & dates): 

M-F: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Mission: 

The mission of Dorchester CARES is to coordinate, develop and institutionalize comprehensive, community-based programs which will support families and prevent child abuse and neglect in target neighborhoods.

Location

200 Bowdoin Street
Dorchester, MA 02122
United States
Key Partners: 

Department of Social Services, Department of Youth Services, as well as the 20+ Coalition member organizations serving families in Dorchester. Dorchester CARES and Family Nurturing Center of MA partner for the Dorchester CARES Family Resource Center, viewable on our guide here.

How to get involved/application guidelines and procedures: 

Contact our Family Support Advocate, Remetrious Pena-Rogers at 617-474-1256 x231 for volunteer opportunities. Contact Lyndsey Firneno, Executive Director, to get involved in program development and planning and membership opportunities on the Board of Directors.

Key Programs Offered: 

See http://www.dcares.org/services/ for complete listing.

Dorchester Family Connections: Dorchester Family Connections seeks to enhance family functioning; promote positive parent-child interactions, healthy childhood growth and development, and healthy birth outcomes; prevent child abuse and neglect; encourage maximum parental educational attainment and economic self sufficiency; and reduce repeat teen pregnancies.

Family Nurturing Program: The Family Nurturing Programs use an interactive focus to help family members recognize and communicate the needs of self and others, handle stress and anger, enjoy warm interactions with other families and volunteers. These 15 sessions engage both children and families in mutual learning and understanding. The program meets once a week for 2,5 hours for 15 weeks. The program provides food and transportation and is free of charge.

Patch: In any given neighborhood, there are many people, groups, and agencies that have resources to help families in crisis. Patch works with a variety of families in a strength-based way to determine what the stresses in the family are and help the family decide how to address those stresses. The Patch Team works directly with families and is made up of the expertise and talent of: neighborhood residents and parents, Dorchester CARES staff and community agency partners, and Family Caseworkers and managers from the Department of Social Services (DSS) and the Department of Youth Services (DYS).

 

Contact: Brenda Mottram, Patch Supervisor
Department of Children and Families
617-822-4739 (Park St area office)
617-740-8744 ex 242 (Patch)
brenda.mottram@state.ma.us

Family Cooperative Program: The Family coop strengthens families by connecting them to their neighbors and to their community's resources. It is a place where families can get to know their neighbors and access needed resources. The program provides advocacy, information and referrals, Family Nurturing Program, drop in childcare, basic needs, food pantry, clothing exchange, support groups, Play groups and Welcome Baby. Contact person: Noemia Monteiro, Program Coordinator (e-mail: nmonteiro@dCARES.org)

Welcome Baby! Began in July of 1997 in Dorchester, Massachusetts, a community rich with cultural diversity and supportive of the economic challenges that families face every day, as a collaborative effort between Dorchester CARES, Family Nurturing Center of Massachusetts, Inc. and Connecting the Dots for Boston Tots. When a baby is born, a basket filled with gifts is lovingly assembled and delivered to the family by a specially trained neighborhood visitor. This friendly one-time visit offers not only a beautiful gift from the community but information about community resources and services that families may need.

Parent Leadership Development: Dorchester CARES Parent Leader Internships are open to parents in the community who have been active in CARES programming and have demonstrated leadership potential. The program is designed to provide a safe and nurturing learning environment for parents to learn develop skills. These skills include the basics of reading, writing and computer skills. Interns also gain experience in human services by working as advocates for families. Interns participate on the Patch team, Welcome Baby visits and Prevention team trainings, team building and family support conferencing meetings; convene and facilitate monthly Parent Advisory Board meetings; complete a twelve-hour "Parent as Leaders" training; and recruit then go participants for the next course. Internships range in duration from six to eighteen months according to need. Upon completion of internship, efforts are made to link parents to potential jobs in human services. For more information: Contact Janet Connors, Training Coordinator at Dorchester CARES at 617-474-1256 X271.

Community Meeting Space Available: 

No

Created: 
01/28/2011

Project Hope

Phone: 

(617) 442-1880

Fax: 

(617)238-0473

Email: 
Hours of operation (or meeting times & dates): 

Seven days a week

Mission: 

Project Hope works in partnership with families so they can move up and out of poverty. We do this by being a catalyst for change in the lives of families and in the systems which keep them poor; developing and providing family support solutions for homeless.

Locations

Family Residence & Children's Center
45 Magnolia Street
Dorchester, MA 02125
United States
Community Building & Main Offices
550 Dudley Street
Roxbury, MA 02119
United States
Key Programs Offered: 

Dorchester Adult Literacy Coalition(DALC): Sarah Bayer (ABE/ESOL) - sbayer@prohope.org; Project Hope provides services in ABE, ESOL, GED, and Job Skills.  They have licensed child care and operate in morning and afternoons.

Adult Educational Services (AES): offers a basic adult education to more than 80 low-income women a year. It combines full time, intensive academics with creative programming to foster each woman's empowerment and self-development in mind, body, and spirit.

Children's Center: a high-quality, nationally accredited child care center for 26 homeless and low-income children, ages 0-6. Eighteen percent of Boston centers achieve this rigorous standard of national accreditation. The center promotes the whole child’s physical, social, emotional and intellectual growth; targets children in crisis and with special needs; involves parents in promoting family literacy and kindergarten-readiness; and works for better access and quality child care in the broader community.

Family Child Care Business Enterprise (FCCBE): an innovative venture that trains 30 low-income women a year for child care careers and oversees a network of 20+ home-based family day care businesses. Trainees take part in college-level child development coursework, internships, and business preparation. The day care providers are assisted with their professional development and business success.

Family Shelter: one of the first homeless shelters for families in the state and remains a model for its respectful and empowering approach. Approximately 20 women and their children are sheltered each year.

Housing Service: assists Dorchester/Roxbury families with various housing issues. A team of experienced staff provides housing counseling, landlord negotiation, housing search assistance, budgeting advice and training, emergency rental funds, and more.

Workforce Development & Employer Partnerships (WDEP): founded to assist women—single mothers predominantly—and other community members in the Dudley neighborhood who found that without adequate training and an accessible path to employers their dreams of living wage jobs were out of reach. Aids in job readiness training, access to career ladder job opportunities, and ongoing case management support during the program and for a full year after job placement.

Community Meeting Space Available: 

Yes

Created: 
11/29/2011

Bowdoin Street Health Center

Phone: 

(617) 754-0100

Hours of operation (or meeting times & dates): 

Monday-Thursday: 9am-7pm
Friday: 9:30am-5pm
Saturday: 9am-1pm

Mission: 

The Health Center is a member of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston., which is world-renowned for excellence in patient care, research, teaching and community service. A Havard-teaching hospital, the medical center offers medical expertise in cardiology, cancer care, women's health, diabetes/vascular surgery, obstetrics, transplantation and AIDS. If you need specialized care, testing or hospitalization, our clinical staff can refer you or your family members to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center or Children's Hospital. Reports on tests and specialized care are sent to our providers so they can manage all your care needs.

Location

Bowdoin Street Health Center
230 Bowdoin Street
Dorchester, MA 02122
United States
Key Partners: 

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Childrens Hospital Boston, Kit Clark Senior Center, Boston Public Health Commission, Dorchester Cares, Teen Empowerment Alternatives for Community & Environment, Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation, Greater Four Corners Action Coalition

How to get involved/application guidelines and procedures: 

Referrals, community organizing through Community Health Program, involvement in community events.

Key Programs Offered: 

Besides its clinical services, Bowdoin Street Health Center has a number of community-outreach, mentoring, volunteer programs: check out the HealthyIs Media Gallery or the Health Corps Program for High School Students as fine examples.

Community Meeting Space Available: 

Yes

Created: 
11/03/2010

Food Project, The

Phone: 

(617) 442-1322

Hours of operation (or meeting times & dates): 

M-F: 9am-5pm

Mission: 

To grow a thoughtful and productive community of youth and adults from diverse backgrounds who work together to build a sustainable food system. This community produces healthy food for residents of the city and suburbs, provides youth leadership opportunities. Most importantly, we strive to inspire and support others to create a change in their own communities.

Location

The Food Project - Dorchester Office
555 Dudley Street
Dorchester, MA 02125
United States
How to get involved/application guidelines and procedures: 

Donate, volunteer, buy our food, work on our farm, sign up for our mailing list, shop weekly at any of the Dorchester farmers' markets July through October.

Community Meeting Space Available: 

No

Created: 
11/02/2009
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