From the Community

‘Resurgence’ Projection Show, Outdoor Events at First Baptist Benefitting Non-Profit Campaign

By |

The Centre for Faith, Art, and Justice, the non-profit organization sponsored and housed by First Baptist Church in Jamaica Plain, will be hosting a series of three outdoor events the next three Saturdays. The events will be on April 10, April 17, and April 24 at 7pm. The purpose of these events is to highlight the capital campaign to finish the rebuild of the upstairs sanctuary/community space which was originally destroyed when the building burned down in 2005. The events will highlight the “Resurgence” projection show created by MASARY which will be shown across the front of our building every night from 7 to 10 pm from now until the first week of May. In addition, the events will feature live music and performances from local artists, speeches from community leaders and activists, as well as more information on the work the Centre does in our community and the work we hope to do in the future with our newly renovated space.

1,513 Views
From the Community

JP Nonprofit Community Servings Launches Targeted COVID-19 Meals Program

By |

Jamaica Plain's Community Servings, a nonprofit provider of medically tailored meals and nutrition services to individuals and families in Massachusetts experiencing critical and chronic illnesses, recently announced another expansion of its meal delivery program with the launch of a targeted COVID-19 meals program to support individuals and their families dealing with food insecurity during the global pandemic. Since the start of the pandemic, the number of clients the agency serves weekly has increased by 56 percent, with capacity expanding to meet the need. To help identify and enroll participants in the three-month program, Community Servings is partnering with Massachusetts-based health care providers who can refer individuals that have recently tested positive for COVID-19, as well as those presumed positive or at high risk. “Expanding our medically tailored meal delivery to help feed people impacted by COVID-19 is possible thanks to the generous philanthropic support that we have received over the past year,” said David B. Waters, CEO of Community Servings. “This program, which enables Community Servings to advance its social and health equity vision, is a means for many of our neighbors in need to receive healthy meals tailored by our registered dietitians and cooked with care in our kitchen while safely recovering at home.”

Since the start of the pandemic in March 2020, Community Servings has prepared and delivered nearly 650,000 medically tailored meals to more than 2,000 people.

1,653 Views
From the Community

Nonprofit VOAMASS Names Rejoyce Owusu Director of Human Resources

By |

Jamaica Plain based Volunteers of America of Massachusetts (VOAMASS), a nonprofit that creates opportunities for individuals through residential and outpatient behavioral health treatment, re-entry for justice-involved individuals, veteran services and senior living, recently announced the appointment of Rejoyce Owusu as director of human resources. Owusu will oversee all aspects of the agency’s human resources activities, including oversight of talent acquisition, employee training and development, agency accreditation, and compliance with local, state and federal regulations. Owusu will play a critical role in developing relationships with employees across programs and locations, using her leadership skills to make the organization an employer of choice. “During this critical time for our profession and the communities we serve, having skilled and compassionate leaders like Rejoyce on our team is critical,” said Charles Gagnon, President and CEO of VOAMASS. “We are excited to welcome her to VOAMASS and are looking forward to utilizing her experience to strengthen and expand our workforce to better serve the thousands of individuals we support.”

Owusu, a Bronx, N.Y. native and Dorchester resident, earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from SUNY Geneseo and a master’s degree in management from Nazareth College in Rochester, N.Y. Prior to joining VOAMASS, she was HR Director at ideaMACHINE Studio, a Brooklyn-based video production service, and previously worked in talent acquisition at Prudential Financial.

2,073 Views
From the Community

Check Out a Virtual Tour of the Curley House on March 23

By |

The Emerald Necklace Conservancy’s recently expanded offices at the former home of Boston Mayor James Michael Curley, one of Boston’s most notable (and notorious) mayors. And they're giving you the opportunity to check out it out -- virtually. Although the Conservancy’s staff have been working remotely for the past year, they can’t keep this historically rich landmark overlooking Jamaica Pond to themselves any longer. The Curley house, located at 350 Jamaicaway, is situated just across the street from Jamaica Pond, the largest standing body of water in the Emerald Necklace park system. The 21-room, neo-Georgian mansion is registered as a historical landmark in Boston, however, the conservancy has not made any notable changes.

3,230 Views
From the Community

Strong Women Strong Girls Receives $25,000 Grant from Pure Leaf

By |

Jamaica Plain nonprofit Strong Women Strong Girls recently received a generous $25,000 grant from Pure Leaf to support its mission to empower girls to imagine broader futures through curriculum based multigenerational mentorship. With site locations in both Boston and Pittsburgh, SWSG champions the aspirations and promotes the potential of girls from under-resourced communities through innovative mentorship programming. This International Women’s Day, March 8, 2021, the tea company Pure Leaf is partnering with SWSG to start a national conversation around the positive things that come from saying no. Working with inspiring women such as Lauren Simmons, the youngest female trader in Wall Street’s 225-year history, and Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir, the first Muslim woman to play in hijab in NCAA DI basketball, influencers shared empowering stories about how saying no to distractions, limitations and obligations that don’t serve a greater purpose enabled them to accomplish their goals. Stories were shared on Instagram and the @PureLeaf feed using the hashtag #noisbeautiful.

2,187 Views