1. family and parenting
2. children

First Parish in Concord: Social Action Grants Committee Grant Request Cover Sheet A. First Parish Sponsor
Name
Claudia Nimar
Street Address
172 Elm Rd .
City, State, Zip
Falmouth, MA 02540
Email Address
[email protected]
Date of Request
Are you a First Parish
Pledging Member?
3/15/13
x
Yes
No
Home Phone
Describe your relationship to Grantee Organization
Cell Phone
978-771-8216
I serve on the UU Urban Mini stry Board of Directors.
B. Grantee Organization Information
Organization Name
Unitarian Universa li st Urban M inistry
Contact Person
Greg Friedman
Title
Development Coordinator
Street Address
10 Putnam St.
Phone
617-318-6010
City, State, Zip
Roxbury, MA 02119
Email Address
[email protected]
Organization's Annual
$1,054,465
Operating Budget
Please describe the organization's mission
The mission of the UUUM is to unite communities and transform individuals through education, service, and
advocacy . We engage communities and congregations in social action and change, w ith programs that empower
youth and adults to realize their full potential.
C. Grant Request Overview
Goals of project for
which grant is requested
The UU Urban Ministry is seeking funding to provide disadvantaged children, youth and
adults in Boston with programs and services that he lp them succeed by the ir own
strengths. Our specific program goals are:
Renewal House - shelter residents begin healing from the trauma of intimate partner
violence and ultimately achieve independence.
Roxbury Youth Programs - underprivileged young people in Boston gain the ski lls and
confidence needed to succeed in school and in life.
United Souls - men support one another in a welcoming, affirming environment.
Explorers Club - children develop a life-long love of exploration and learning .
Bethany House - youn g women, including those leaving domestic violence shelters, are
placed in affordable, subsidized housing.
Jeric ho Road Roxbury -- Roxbury-serving non profits build capacity through the services
of volunte er profe ss ionals.
Briefly describe the
Target Population.
I. Roxbury Youth Programs participants are primarily African-American, with a smaller
but growing population of Latino youth. Most of our students attend Boston Public
Schools, and reside in neighborhoods characterized by high levels of poverty. Some
have been traumatized by exposure to violence. Historically we served equal numbers
of middle school and high school youth, but going forward we are enrolling 75% high
th
school/25% 8 graders in order to focus our resources on those areas where we make
the biggest difference. Diverse in their motivation and maturity, RYP youth served by
RYP range from those who are academically driven to those at serious risk of dropping
out.
II. Renewal House serves five families at a time, typically five adults and up to nine
children. Our residents generally come from poor neighborhoods in Greater Boston. In
2008, we became one of the first shelters in Massachusetts to start serving male victims
of domestic violence, although the majority of our residents are women. Most of our
residents are African American and Latino/a, and an increasing number are non-native
English speakers. Renewal House staff is also trained to address the needs of
underserved populations such as religiously observant people,
gay/lesbian/transgendered people, and those with disabilities.
III. Explorers Club serves elementary-school-age children from Roxbury and surrounding
communities such as Dorchester and Mattapan with a monthly exploration and learning
program. Nearly all are African American.
IV. United Souls began in the late 1990s as a support group for men involved with the
criminal justice system, but has since evolved into a welcoming venue for all men who
are seeking to become better husbands, fathers and community members.
V. Bethany Union (now called Bethany House), which merged into the UUUM in
October 2012, has for many years provided subsidized housing to young women in
Boston , mostly students. Going forward, Bethany House will be adding to the supply of
transitional housing in Boston by providing subsidized rooms to women who are ready
to leave shelter but cannot afford to move into their own apartment.
VI. Jericho Road Roxbury matches volunteer professionals with the needs of Roxbury­
serving nonprofits in order to build capacity and enable these organizations to serve
their communities more efficiently.
How many people will be
affected?
We serve approximately 300 people
directly through our various programs,
while our community outreach efforts
provide support and education to about
800 additional people (walk-in clients,
support group participants, domestic
violence hotline, training session
attendees, etc).
Describe the Geographic
Location of Project
Roxbury and surrounding communities
Total Project Budget
$1,054,465
Please List Other
Funding Sources
YTD 3/15/13
Individuals: $199,407
Board Members : $54,707
Congregations : $104,714
Grants: $273,003
Rental: $11,250
State Contracts (Renewal House only): $89,199
Interest and Miscellaneous: $4,630
I
n/a (if not applicable, describe other
measurable goals in grant narrative.
Grant Request Amount
$15,000
$
I
To whom should award check should be made payable?
J UU Urban Ministry
I
D. First Parish Involvement
List First Parish members
involved in project
Patricia Waters -- UU Urban Ministry Board of Directors, Volunteer
Cynthia Mousseau -- Delegate to UU Urban Min istry/Mentor, Explorers Club/RYP
activity leader
Mark Richards - United Souls member
Loretta Sherblom - Volunteer Director of Funderburg Scholars and UUUM Delegate
Pat Brinkman - Past Volunteer, Explorers Club
Gail Carey - Volunteer, Explorers Club chorus leader
Claudia, Joel and Mark Nimar ­ Board Member (Claudia); Volunteers, RYP
and Renewal House
Beth Norton ­ Volunteer, Hope Out Loud II concert
Women ' s Parish Association - advocacy, financial support, hand-crafted items
for resident s
Jane Blumberg served on our Capital Campaign Financial Fea sibility Study Committee
During thi s fiscal year, 39 First Pari sh members donated just under $17,000 to the
UUUM, and more than 50 First Parish members donated more than $30,000 to
Funderburg Scholars.
Describe any other First
Parish connections
Has organization or project received previous support (in all forms) from First Parish?
If so, please describe
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
$23,555
$18,224
$18,271
$18,210
$16,536
$17,400
2011
$18,232
2012
$20,821
$1,895
2013 YTD 3/15/13
I x
Ye s
No
E. Grant Narrative: First Parish in Concord Social Action Grants Committee
The UU Urban Mini stry is requesting funding from First Parish in Concord to support o ur programs for children, youth and
adults In Roxbury and nea rby neighborhoods. We are extremely grateful to First Pari sh for the congregation's steadfast
support over the years, and we hope you will agai n choose to partner with us in this important social justice work.
I.
EDUCATION AND ENRICHMENT
Our out-of-school-time Roxbury Youth Programs prov ides young people with academic coaching, co llege access
support, civic engage ment activities, a weekend exploration and learning program, summer campers hips for children and
summer employment for teens. RYP specializes in deep engagement, often working with young people over several years.
By forming in-depth, long-term relationships with our progra m partic ipants, we are a ble to nurture their talents and provide
opportunities for character development in ways that other after-school progra ms are unable to do. For college-bound
students, staff and vo lunteers work directly with students to help them determine which college would be the best fit and to
ass ist with financial aid applications and the admissions process. For non-college-bound stud~nts, we have an Exploring
Careers program component tha t help students think through their options for life following high school. For students, staff
and volunteers alike, RYP offers the opportunity for a transformative experience . " Roxbury Youth Programs is like a
second home for me, said Shakeen, an RYP a lumnus. "They made me see outside of my range, and pu sh myself to go all
out for my dreams. " Shakeen is now enrolled in Roxbury Community College.
RYP's Summer Campership and Summer Employment programs provide fun and safe activities for children and youth
during the summer months. Every year, we se nd approximately 30 children to one of three renown ed arts camps with
which we have lon g-established relationships for steeply disco unted tuition. Our Summer Employment Program provides
older youth with a paycheck in exchange for working on various c ivic engagement projects in our local Roxbury
community. At the same time. they learn about employer expectations in what is often their first "job."
Explorers Club. our exploration and ment o ring program. provides elementary-schoo I-age children in Roxbury and nearby
neighborhoods with fun and educational ac tivities. Explorers Clubs are often sponsored by Boston-area UU congregations
and feature fun and educational workshops and activities on a variety of subjects. For example , First Pari s h member Gail
Carey has been preparing our children to sing in our upcoming Hope Out Loud II concert.
Renewal House offers an ESL class for shelter residents as well as community members. Language barriers often present
one of the most stressful cha llenges for non-Englis h-speakers who are seeking to rebuild their lives after escaping intimate
pa rtner violence. It contributes to social isolation and makes finding work difficult. Our ESL class, whic h now meets twice
a week, provides free classes for women to develop crucial Engli s h language s kills that will help enable them to build
independent Ii ves for themselves and the ir children.
United Souls. a network and su pport group for men, focuse s on iss ues such as fatherhood , violence prevention, and
community. The group began in 1999 as a program for Boston-area men who were either facing incarceration or dealing
with issues related to re-entering society after prison . It has since evolved into a welcoming venue for men of all
backgrounds who are struggling with urban life's more difficult challenges.
II.
HOUSING AND SUPPORT SERVICES
The only faith-based domestic violence s helter in Massachusetts, Renewal Hou se provides emergency shelter and an array
of services to those tleein g from abus ive living situations. More than just a provider of she lter, Renewal Hou se put s faith
into action by considering the "whole person" - such as their spiritual needs. mental health, relationships, self-esteem, and
parenting issues. We pay special attention to the needs of children. who greatly benefit from having a safe space to process
what they have witnessed and/or experienced. Renewal House also maintains a formal post-shelter support program, called
Beyond Shelter. which seeks to provide the support that is often mi ssi ng from people ' s lives once they leave shelter.
Although unique among domestic violence shelters , post-shelter support can be crucial in providing needed support and
services and for preventing former resid e nts from s lipping into social. isolation. Renewal Hou se approaches domestic
violence from a public health perspective, engaging in a great deal of violence prevention and educational outreach to
children, youth and adults in a variety of venues.
Bethany House , which mer ged into the UU Urban Mini stry in October 2012 , provides subsidized housing to young
women , including transitional housing for domestic violence survivors who are leaving shelter. Boston's severe shortage of
affordable housing has created a bottleneck for those looking to move out of shelter, and we are thrilled that Bethany
House will be contributing to the s upply of transitional housing in the city.
III.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Launched in fa ll 2012, Jericho Road Roxbury is a service grant program that provides invaluable pro bono ass istance to
s mall but vital Roxbury-serving nonprofits, while also offering direct service volunteer opportunities for Boston-area UUs
and others to donate their time and expertise. Jericho Road Roxbury is improving the quality of life in Roxbury by
strengthening the management and operations of nonprofits, which in turn are able to serve the community more
effective] y and efficiently.
UU Urban Ministry Proposal to First Parish in Concord • Section E • March 2013 • Page 1 of 1
UU Urban Ministry
2012 Grant Report to First Parish in Concord Social Action Grants Committee
We are most grateful to the Social Action Grants Committee of First Parish in Concord for the boenerous
grant of $15,000 in support of Unitarian Universalist Urban Ministry programs. This funding was used for
general operating expenses, including staff salaries, program expenses, administrative costs, and
transportation and food for program participants. We are pleased to provide you with the following grant
report for 20 J 2 funding.
Renewal House
In 2012, Renewal House sheltered 36 individuals consisting of 16 women and 20 children. Of this total, 9
were Latino/a, 8 Caucasian. 14 African American, and 5 Asian. As in recent years, we are allowing
residents to stay longer due to the severe shortage of affordable housing for low-income people.
As always, Renewal House paid special attention to the needs of children and the relationships between
children and mothers. Our weekly Art Therapy program provided children an opportunity to express
themselves and their experiences in a supportive environment, and offered time for children and their
parents to engage in fun activities together. We are very proud of this program, which has been so useful in
helping children process their experiences and in helping mother and child repair the bond that is often
frayed due to the trauma of living in a violent household.
Beyond Shelter, Renewal House's post-shelter support program, continued providing support and services
to former shelter residents. Unique among domestic violence shelters, Beyond Shelter addresses the social
isolation and lack of support that many former residents face once they leave shelter. Our latest Beyond
Shelter program development is the creation of a Leadership Team, composed of four former residents
who organize the Beyond Shelter events. We were very excited to have been able to hire one of the team
members part-time to lead monthly group circles for current residents. This not only provides leadership
roles for former residents , it also provides a venue - without staff presence - for current residents to speak
with peers who have dealt with the same issues.
Our twice-weekly ESL class continued to provide support for non-native-English speakers staying at
Renewal House, as well as community members. Over the summer, we engaged an intern from Wellesley
College who worked with our volunteer ESL teachers to develop a new curriculum that focused on real-life
experiences, such as taking public transportation , going to doctor appointments, shopping for groceries, etc.
We also added a citizenship preparatory component to the class for those who are studying to take the U.S.
citizenship test. We are pleased with the volunteer-led ESL program, which is a key part of helping people
learn to self-advocate for themselves, obtain services, and achieve independence.
Renewal House continued its collaboration with Fenway Violence Recovery Program , Network LaRed,
and the Hispanic Black Gay Coalition in a partnership called TOD@S. This initiative is an outreach
group that seeks to learn from black and Latino members of the LGBTQ community how domestic
violence service providers can better serve them . Part of our work with TOD@S involves developing
community leaders who can serve as peer educators and peer counselors as an extension of Renewal
House's outreach efforts. Highlights include a well-attended vigil and program during Domestic Violence
Awareness Month in October, and production of a video focused on the experiences of LGBTQ folks of
color in Boston who have experienced domestic violence.
Renewal House held a very successful day-long spirituality retreat that involved a variety of activities, such
as workshops, yoga, music, and belly dancing. Our goal was to bring awareness to the connection between
spirituality and healing from violence and abuse. We also wanted to offer an outreach event that did not
require a multi-week commitment, as with support groups. The Asian Task Force and Elizabeth Stone
House, two Boston domestic violence shelters, brought all of their residents to the event. In total , about 40
people signed up, representing current and former shelter residents as well as community members.
UU Urban Ministry Grant Report to First Parish in Concord • March 2013 • Page 1 of 6
The Women's Alliance of First Parish continued to support Renewal House in a variety of ways,
including providing financial support and hand-crafted winter weather items for our residents. We are
especially grateful for Women ' s Alliance member Winifred Campbell's long-time advocacy and deep
engagement with Renewal House.
Among the many, many community education/outreach activities undertaken by Renewal House over the
last year are the following:
•
•
•
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•
Rev . Chorley and the Mass Restorative Justice Taskforce , a group she co-founded, convened a very
successful Restorative Justice conference in November called "Building Communities of Care
Wherever You Are. " The day-long gathering attracted more than 200 people from around the country
(and several from overseas) who were interested in learning more about restorative ju stice and its use
in conjunction with the criminal justice system.
Renewal House staff members presented twice to W AGLY (Wellesley Allies to Gay and Lesbian
Youth) , a group that provides weekly social and educational programs for GLBTQ high sc hool youth
and straight allies in the western suburbs.
Rev. Chorley and Partners in Faith hosted a training session for seminarians in Boston theological
schools on Domestic Violence and the important role of clergy when a survivor discloses information
about abuse.
Renewal House organized an event called "Why Bother? Engaging Men in a Violent Society." More
than 60 people attended the event, which featured a panel of leaders from local organizations who
work with fathers who have been abusive.
Rev. Susan Chorley participated in three radio interviews in 2012.
o Claudio Sanchez of National Public Radio reported on a Head Start program in
Connecticut that's starting to reach out to fathers who have been violent in the home . Mr.
Sanchez interviewed Rev. Chorley about this controversial strategy of violent fathers
maintaining relationships with their children.
o For a story on domestic violence survivors and the strength it takes to endure such an
experience, a student journalist at Emerson College interviewed Rev. Chorley about the
importance of faith to domestic violence survivors in the healing process.
o Boston News Network reported on two well-publicized incidents of domestic violence in
Boston involving a state representative and a Boston Public Schools headmaster. A
reporter interviewed Rev. Chorley for her thoughts on whether or not domestic violence
abusers should be allowed to remain in influential position of power.
Roxbury Youth Programs -- Afterschool
• All 35 of our students in the 2011-2012 program year advanced to the next grade. Three high
school seniors graduated high school, two of whom began attending college in the fall ; we are
helping the third find a technical training program.
• Four former RYP students have graduated from college in the last two years, and twelve former
RYP students are currently enrolled in college.
• First Pari sh members Claudia Nimar and Patricia Waters joined Senior Program Director Rev.
Susan Chorley in visiting St. Stephens B-Ready Afterschool Program to learn more about how
other youth programs in Boston work with teens , train volunteers, etc.
• First Parish member Claudia Nimar provided a monologue and public speaking workshop to the
teens in RYP .
• We continued to enhance our highly successful College Access Program, which provides a
comprehensive SAT preparation program, field trips to colleges and college fairs, workshops on
interviewing, and one-on-one coaching to help with the admissions process, financial aid,
obtaining letters of recommendation from teachers and guidance counselors, and much more.
• With the help of our carefully screened and trained volunteers, we continued to provide high
quality one-on-one tutoring to all students every day .
• We created a new component, Exploring Careers, for those youth program participants who do
not plan on attending college. As with the College Access Program, we provide these students
UU Urban Ministry Grant Report to First Parish in Concord. March 2013 • Page 2 of 6
•
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with one-on-one coaches, who help them explore different post-high-school options . As we still
expect these students to graduate from high school and succeed academically, they participate in
all tutoring and academic support acti vi ties.
We continued to build on the past success of our Community Youth Leadership Program, which
teaches teens civic participation and coaches them to become leaders for positive change in their
communities. The students spent a day visiting the EPA; attended workshops with Boston Public
Health Commission, Food Project, MassCOSH, and Visions, Inc. , among others; hosted a panel
on immigration and integration in collaboration with Youth in Charge, the ACEDONE youth
group of Somali young people; conducted a survey on quality of life in Boston; and organized a
community fair.
We continued our Peer Leadership program , which provides stipends to participants to both teach
responsibility and serve as an incentive for them to engage in the maximum of our program
offerings, which in aggregate have a more powerful impact.
Local actor and playwright Jacqui Parker led one eight-week and one six-week theatre course
focused on creative writing, acting, and the process of producing a play. Students performed these
during our end-of-semester celebrations to which parents and volunteers attended.
Summer Employment Program - we employed 12 teens during the summer in partnership with
the Boston Youth Fund. The focus of the employment program was urban agriculture, and many
of our activities were geared toward different aspects of this issue. We planned the summer as a
continuum of learning, both hands-on and classroom.
Roxbury Youth Programs - Summer Activities
For the past 20 years RYP has provided campers hips to urban children and youth whose families would
otherwi se not have the resources to send their kids to camp. For the past 11 years. RYP has partnered with
Boston Youth Fund to provide summer employment for up to 15 Roxbury teens .
AU of the children in our Campership Program attended one of three specialty arts camps that provide
us with significantly reduced tuition. We sent 10 children to Creative Arts at Park in Brookline, s ix
children to Charles River Creative Arts in Dover, and nine children to Summer Arts at Derby in Hingham.
The three arts camps are renowned for their extensive curriculums, and the young people who attend
these camps through RYP camperships never fail to have fun and memorable summers.
Our Director of Youth Programs, Monique Marshall Veale, visited the children at camp several times
during the surruner. "Visiting the camps was a heartwarming experience!," she reported after one visit.
"Viewing the beautiful ground s, meeting the caring and high-energy staff and observing fully engaged
campers was truly uplifting. Each of the camps is very well organized a nd welcoming, and they offer a
wide range of activities to campers - no matter what each child ' s interests may be, he or she is sure to
find something that is fun and engaging. The showcase at the end of this camp session was wonderful,
with each child having the opportunity to shine and show off what they learned during the summer. The
children truly had a summer to remember l "
Many of the girls and boys attending the five-week summer program at Creative Arts at Park in Brookhne
enjoyed comic book drawing classes as well as dance classes - both very popular with our children. They
were also exposed to gymnastics, martial arts , and media arts classes, which are activities most of our kids
only experience in specialty venues such as the arts camps.
At the Charles River Creative Arts Program in Dover, the children once again participated in classes such
as drawing, drumming, swimming, video, basketball, sewing and pottery , as well as dance classes and
gymnastics.
The Summer Arts at Derby program in Hingham continues to be popular with our kids . The children
create their own schedules and choose from among more than one hundred courses in vi s ual art , dance,
drama, media, music, photography, writing, gymnastics, and sports.
UU Urban Ministry Grant Report to First Parish in Concord • March 2013 • Page 3 of 6
The teens in our "earn a nd learn" Summer Employment Program also had a great summer. The main
focus of this year's employment program was urban agriculture, and many of our activities were geared
toward different aspects of this issue. We planned the summer as a continuum of learning, both hands-on
and classroom - from the micro, such as what we can do in our own backyards, to the macro, s uch as how
low-income urban communities contend with "food deserts" and a lack of access to the kinds of healthy
foods people in other co mmunities enjoy. The yo uth learned how urban agricultural projects address these
issues by providing urban neighborhoods with fresh produce.
The summer students began with learning how to grow a vegetable garden. As in past years, the youth
initially greeted the idea of gardening without much interest and then quickly became invested in their
work and enthused about raising their own veget ab les. And, as usual, the payoff of eating the vegetables
that they grew themse lves was a highlight. RYP Staff also took the students to community farm s run by
the Food Project in Roxbury and nearby areas so the youth could see that communities have the power to
change their s ituation s for the better. They lea rned how these urban farms fit into the social and economic
environments of urban centers by providin g Boston residents with access to fresh produce, suppl ying
charitable organizations with food to distribute to those in need , and functioning as for-profit bu sinesses
that earn a profi t.
One of the students' primary projects during the summer involved designin g their own survey that
evaluated people 's attitudes toward quality of life in Boston. The students then fanned out across Boston
and surveyed 190 people. The students formally presented the results of the survey at an end-of-s ummer
community fair that they des ig ned and organized.
We were e speciall y moved by experience of one of our summer 2012 stude nts , Keon , who joined us
through the Boston Youth Fund lottery. Keon was a youth in between two worlds - he had spent time on
the streets gelling into trouble, but he was also st ill in school, even if he was not succeeding academically.
His first few weeks were challenging for both him and staff. He was disinterested and uninvolved ,
showed up late, and was unmotivated. Hi s soc ial skills appeared to be poorly developed, which concerned
us as a great deal of our program involves engaging in outreach activities. At about mid-summer, staff sat
down and had a conversation with Keon about whether he believed he could succeed at this summer job.
He told us he wanted to do it, and asked staff to give him a chance to demonstrate. From that point on, he
turned himself around 180 degrees. For the rest of the s ummer he was highly engaged, and played an
instrumental role in planning the community fair. He then signed up to be a part of RYP during the
academic year. What touched us the mo st is that he told the summer program group that this experience
significantly changed him, and that becau se of the connection he had established with staff and the
UUUM he fell like this place is "family." We are enormously pleased that we he was able to let down his
guard and drop the att itude that he had cultivated on the streets. Once he could be himself, he was a
terrific young man.
Roxbury Youth Programs - Funderburg Scholars
Funderburg Sch o lars continued to make a dramatic difference in the lives of many young people in
Roxbury Youth Program s. Led by UUUM volunteer and First Pari sh member Loretta Sherblom, the
program provide s laptops, textbooks and limited tuition help to disadvantaged RYP youth attending
college. Funderburg is proud to report that M ariam Sheriff graduated from Montclair State in 2012, Keia
Williams graduated from North Carolina A&T in 2011, Anastasia H atc her graduated from Urba n College
in 2011, Brandy Cross graduated from Salve Regina in 2010, and 12 RYP students are currently in
college and receiving support from the progra m. Loretta conducts all of the fundraising for Funderburg
Scholars, which has to uched many lives over the years.
United Souls
United Souls continued to provide a welcoming a nd supportive environment for a diverse group of men to
meet and engage with one another. The group meets weekly at the UU Urban Ministry to share their
stories and provide a safe space to talk about everything from relation ships to parenting to perso na l
struggles.
UU Urban Ministry Grant Report to First Parish in Concord • March 2013 • Page 4 of 6
United Souls Director and UUUM Chief Operating Officer Sam Williams continued to provide
workshops for Strive, a Dorchester-based employment program that also serves as a "feeder" for the
Uni~ed Souls group. Sam's workshops focused on habit formulation and how to break free of negative
habits that present obstacles to getting one's life back on track.
Explorers Club
Explorers Club had another wonderful year providing fun and educational activities one Saturday per
month for elementary-school-age children in Roxbury and nearby neighborhoods . This year, we were able
to hire an Explorers Club Coordinator, Roxanne Coker, who has done a terrific job leading the program.
Highlights from Explorers Club included a visit to the Chestnut Hill reservoir and Metropolitan
Waterworks Museum, and then lunch at the Unitarian Church in Chestnut Hill. The group also walked
around the reservoir and did a scavenger hunt.
Gail Carey from First Parish in Concord did wonderful choir work with the children in preparation for our
Hope Out Loud II concert (see below).
Youth from the UU church in Bedford provided a program called "Story Plays," an interactive and
creative program that was great fun for the children and volunteers.
We held our annual harvest fest activity in preparation for Halloween , hosted by the Stowe-Acton
congregation . The kids bobbed for apples, engaged in Halloween craft-making, a "hidden pumpkin" hunt,
and more.
Volunteers from the Newton congregation hosted a day of making individual apple and cherry pies, which
they got to take home. The kids also wrote Secret Santa letters and did a Thanksgiving art activity.
Old Ship Church friends (Hingham) conducted a fun "trash art" program. which was a big hit with the
children.
Hope Out Loud II
We were very excited about our midwinter celebration of song, dance and spoken word called Hope Out
Loud II ( a follow-up to last year's Hope Out Loud concert). Unfortunately, the February concert fell on
the Sunday of our massive blizzard and was therefore postponed until April 7. At this year's Hope Out
Loud, we remember Martin Luther King 1r.'s prophetic words from his World House speech: 'The large
house in which we live demands that we transform this world-wide neighborhood into a world-wide
family-hood." UU Musicians Beth Norton and Gail Carey (both from First Parish in Concord) and Anne
Watson Born (First Unitarian Society of Newton) , will be bringing singers from their congregations to
partner with Norris Welch and the Boston Community Choir. Children from Union United Methodist
Church's Liturgical Dance Team, co-directed by Lisa Palmer and Zalikah Lewis, and Radical Praise
children'S choir, directed by Angela Whetstone, will join Roxbury Youth Program children. UU multi­
percussionist Matt Meyer will be drumming us together, and, the UU Urban Ministry's Sam Williams will
be contributing spoken word along with guest artist Kemi Alabi.
New UUUM Programs
The UU Urban Ministry is thrilled to have launched two new programs that will help us expand our reach
in serving Boston communities.
In October 2012. the UUUM merged with Bethany Union , which opened its doors in 1890 with the
purpose of providing a home for women who were unable to support themselves. Its early focus was on
single women who had come to Boston in the late 1800s to seek employment but who soon faced
financial hards hip . In recent years, however, Bethany Union had evolved into a rooming house primarily
UU Urban Ministry Grant Report to First Parish in Concord • March 2013 • Page 5 of 6
for students. Wishing to steer Bethany House back to its original mission, the board of Bethany Union
voted in the fall of20]2 to merge into the UU Urban Mini stry.
We have renamed the program Bethany House and, going forward, we will be providing subsidized
hOllsing for women leaving shelter. rn recent years Renewal House, along with other shelters in the
Boston area, has been experiencing a significant backlog that results when residents who are ready to
move on to independent living cannot find housing and , instead, remain at shelters. This logjam seriou sly
limits the ability of Bosto n's shelters to receive new residents in need of urgent s upport services. Creating
trans itional housing rooms at Bethany Hou se will be a significant step towards alleviating this logjam at
s helters throughout the city.
Our other new program is Jericho Road Roxbury, a service grant program that matches the professional
expertise of volunteers with the needs of nonprofit organizations within the Roxbury community in
Boston. The new program is founded on the mode l developed by Jericho Road Project, which originated
at First Parish in Concord. The nonprofit community in Boston is large and complex. In Roxbury , many
nonprofits have been established over the years to address particular areas of serv ice or ad vocacy. Most
are small and operate on small budgets. Nevertheless , these nonprofits provide vital services in areas
where holes exist in the social safety net. Jericho Road Roxbury seeks to improve the quality of life in
Roxbury by strengthening the management and operations of these nonprofits, which in turn can serve the
community more effectively and efficiently.
UU Urban Ministry Grant Report to First Parish in Concord • March 2013 • Page 6 of 6