“I believe that every person is given the power to make a difference."
– Dr. Maya Angelou
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Network members' voices bring good news and share highlights from
around our community.
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Communities have long had the answers to feeding themselves. It's time for anchor institutions to listen and bolster their home-grown efforts.
Explore this article in which Boston Medical Center's HealthCity interviews our own Diana Rivera, Program Manager and leader of the Community Food Systems Fellowship, on how localized work can bolster community food systems.
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Network Events
Connect with Vital Village Network at these upcoming events. Click
event to RSVP or learn more.
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Children's Mental Health Storytime Schedule
Click on the flyer to download it and access clickable links and QR Codes.
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Community Events
Join Vital Village Network partners and other community organizations at these upcoming events. Click event to RSVP or learn more.
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From now through February 2nd, 2023
Thursdays from 1:30-5:30pm EST
The market will run every week except on 11/24 and 12/29. Our stands are EBT accessible with HIP eligible benefits included. If you are interested in tabling at our greenhouse market, please contact the market manager at: aegar@thefoodproject.org. You can also order online Wednesday for pick up on Saturday. Reach out to dandrews@thefoodproject.org for more information. Learn more here!
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Opportunities
Check out job, volunteer, and grant opportunities available in our
community.
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JOBS:
Elevated Thought is an art and social justice 501(c)(3) organization based in Lawrence, MA. We develop spaces for BIPOC youth and communities to engage and understand art’s liberating power. ET actively addresses forms of injustice through creative youth development, spatial reclamation projects, public outreach, and paid opportunities for BIPOC creatives. ET is seeking a bilingual (English and Spanish) candidate At least five years of experience demonstrating increasing levels of responsibility across a variety of development disciplines with an emphasis on grant management. Learn more and see the application instructions here.
North Suffolk Mental Health Association is hiring for a variety of positions, including early childhood educators, MA level family clinicians, and expressive therapists! Learn more at the application portal here. Full and part time positions are available.
Accompany Doula Care is looking for an Executive Director. This position is a full-time exempt employee, who is committed to addressing inequities in birth work and has the ability to support our diverse, dynamic, and growing organization. If you have a background in development and nonprofit management, an interest in working in a non-profit start-up environment, and a passion for maternal and child health or public health, we would like to meet you! Learn more here.
PROGRAMS and GRANTS:
PowerCorpsBOS is a green jobs program that provides young adults with training, career readiness support, and connections to employers in the green industry. An “earn and learn” program, PowerCorpsBOS pays members to participate in hands-on training that prepares them for living-wage careers. Over the course of its 6-month training program, PowerCorpsBOS teaches Corps members a variety of transferrable soft skills and technical forestry skills that can be used in the green industry and beyond. For their commitment, Corps members are paid $15.75/hour at 35 hours per week (Monday-Friday, 8:30-3:30) and also receive a monthly T pass. Learn more at the website here, or download a flyer here.
The Grassroots Fund's grant programs are designed to energize and nurture long term civic engagement in local initiatives that create and maintain healthy, just, safe and environmentally sustainable communities. We offer three grant programs for different types of groups:
- Seed grants are designed to support new (often less than 1 year old) environmental projects.
- Grow grants support initiatives that look to deepen their work or broaden participation.
- The Young Leaders program supports efforts with significant leadership by organizers under 25 years old.
Learn more here about the different types of grants.
The Story of Stuff Project established the Grassroots Grants Program in 2017 to support small organizations and groups organizing against water privatization and plastic pollution in the United States. Since we launched, we have supported 70 grassroots groups with over $200,000 in funding.
We offer these partners financial resources, media infrastructure, and strategic planning and coalition building know-how needed to build winning campaigns. The Grassroots Grants Program is committed to equity and inclusion and prioritizes the funding of people of color, low-income, rural and women-led organizations. Learn more here!
Apply to GenUnity’s community leadership program (2-3 hr/week) by January 28th at 11:59pm. Focus: Health Equity. Anyone in the Greater Boston Area is encouraged to apply. Cohorts meet for 2-3 hours/week, for 10 weeks, embarking on an inquiry-based journey to answer the questions essential for driving positive change in their communities and organizations. Programs are delivered alongside 40+ community partners, in a space facilitated by DEI/racial/social justice experts trained to lead deep dialogue. Learn more here!
VOLUNTEER:
Youth Transitions Task Force
The Youth Transitions Task Force plans to continue the conversation around early college and career alongside our current work on dropout prevention and re-engagement integrations.
Please contact Inanna.Pickering@bostonpic.org if you would like to be added to the calendar invitations for our monthly meetings on Thursdays from 9:00-10:30am.
Community Servings’ mission is to actively engage the community to provide medically tailored, nutritious, scratch-made meals to chronically and critically ill individuals and their families. As one of Boston’s largest volunteer programs, we welcome volunteers of all abilities to prepare meals in our kitchen, occasionally deliver meals to clients, and help with our fundraising efforts and special events.
Cradles to Crayons provides children from birth through age 12, living in homeless or low-income situations, with the essential items they need to thrive – at home, at school and at play. We supply these items free of charge by engaging and connecting communities. One of Cradles to Crayons' organizational values is a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion. As such, we welcome many diverse individuals as volunteers.
If you or someone in your group has special needs or accommodations, please contact volunteerboston@cradlestocrayons.org before filling out this form. Learn more here.
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Resource Connector
Learn more about resources relevant to children and families in our community from our community.
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January 23 - March 30, 2023
Mondays and Wednesdays OR Tuesdays and Thursdays
4:00pm - 6:30pm EST
The Possible Zone is a free, fun, STEAM-infused entrepreneurship youth development program where students launch their own business and prepare themselves for any future career. The program is open to BPS students in the 10th and 11th grades. This program takes young people on a journey that taps into their creativity, cultivates their skills as designers and entrepreneurs, builds strong relationships with supportive adults and peers, and broadens their sense of what is possible in their careers.
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Find COVID-19 Testing Near You find your nearest testing site, including many with walk-in availability at boston.gov. Regular COVID-19 testing, both when sick and asymptomatic, can help prevent community spread of the virus, so we appreciate you taking advantage of these opportunities!
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For Children and Caregivers:
The Homework Assistance Program (HAP) is a free after-school service led by Harvard University trained teen mentors that offers homework help, mentorship, and activities for students in grades K–8. Join online for a space to work on homework with peers and extra guidance on assignments in any subject, from sciences to humanities. Bilingual help in English and various languages is available.
HandholdMA.org, is a family friendly website designed for parents of school-aged children in Massachusetts who are worried about their child’s mental health. Is your kid just being a kid, or is their behavior something to worry about? If so, what are the next steps you can take? HandHold will help you figure that out.
Sitters for Scholars, our volunteers are prepared to provide high-quality babysitting in person for children while parents pursue their education. To maintain the safest environment, both sitters and parents will be required to be vaccinated and boosted, and all individuals, including children two years and up, will also be required to wear a mask. You can sign up here, or see more information here.
Find your ideal therapist of color and boost your wellness journey with content written by and for people of color.
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Scoop on the Stats
Explore data from across the United States
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In our September Scoop on Stats, we highlighted how access to safe public transportation impacts key social determinants of health that can buffer several health disparities. Access to public transit can decrease rates of respiratory and cardiovascular disease by reducing air pollution and traffic crashes. Reliable public transit reduces barriers to accessing resources like preventative medical care and healthy food, and allows caregivers to spend less time commuting and more time with young children during key stages of their development.
This fall, the Vital Village Data Workgroup developed a mapping tool to elevate trends in community experiences with the MBTA. Residents in Greater Boston can anonymously share highlights, resources, and challenges with bus, T, commuter rail, or ferry services. Quotes will appear on the map aggregated by neighborhood, highlighting disparities across geography and service. The workgroup will share this tool with local transportation advocates, city officials, and community members to ensure our lived experiences are centered in public transportation decisions and to help residents make their own informed transit decisions.
Do you have an experience on the MBTA that needs to be told? We encourage you to click on “Share your Story” and make your voices heard! If you are interested in joining the Community Data Workgroup or adapting the tool to your city, please reach out to Milan.Chuttani@bmc.org.
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Sharing Technology
Explore technology related to child and family well-being.
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The UPDATED Abundance Boston Food Access App 3.0.2 is now available! Abundance empowers Boston residents to easily access affordable, high-quality food resources. Download the FREE app today!
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The COVID-19 Resource Map now has updated addresses and hours of over 90 locations in Boston currently provide free breakfast, lunch or dinner for youth, and 10 free community fridges open to the public 24/7.
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CONtexts aims to promote positive outcomes between caregivers and children by sharing weekly resources through a FREE text service and interactive resource sharing map. These resources are ideal for anyone working with or caregivers of children ages 0-5.
To subscribe, text KIDS to 844-806-0616
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¿Le gustaría que le agreguen a la lista de correo en español?
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We Did it Together!
Collective actions and investments.
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Let's #GrowOurVillage, Together |
Thank you for championing our shared mission to expand a collective responsibility for all children. |
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Our Mission
Vital Village is a network of residents and agencies committed to maximizing child, family, and community wellbeing.
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Share with Us
Have an event, job opportunity, or resource to share with the network?
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Stay Connected
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