Harvard Allston Partnership Fund Recipient Organizations Announced

(Allston) Harvard University recently announced the recipients of the 12th annual Harvard Allston Partnership Fund (HAPF) grants. Eighteen local nonprofits were selected to receive grants totaling $100,000 to support programs in the Allston-Brighton community.

Since its creation in 2008, HAPF has provided $1.2 million in grants to xxx different local organizations, supporting programs for thousands of Allston-Brighton residents.

The COVID-19 crisis directly impacted how many of the recipient organizations could immediately assist their constituents. Many worked quickly and creatively to adapt their services as they continued to actively support their community and maintain their individual missions. Both Harvard and the City of Boston worked collaboratively to amend the purpose of the grants being awarded to allow organizations flexibility in use.

The program, established by Harvard University and the City of Boston, in collaboration with the Allston community, was created to support nonprofit organizations providing neighborhood improvement projects, cultural enrichment, and educational programming for residents living in North Allston-Brighton. The awards support everything from educational programs and enrichment activities, to arts programming and engaging activities for families.

Some organizations have been providing groceries and home-cooked meals local families. Others’ programs have transitioned online to provide literacy skills, citizenship preparation, and financial security training to low-income adults. Still others plan to utilize the funding for their programs, such as skating lessons or fishing programs, when it is safe to resume activities.

The 2019 recipients are:

Allston-Brighton Community Development Corporation - $4,000 to educate residents on student debt and to reduce economic instability in the neighborhood through workshops and personalized counseling.

Allston-Brighton Youth Hockey Association - $9,050 to support youth hockey and Learn to Skate programs.

Allston-Brighton Substance Abuse Task Force - $4,000 to support the Youth Coalition by providing 15 members stipends and the ability to carry out much needed youth-driven vaping and marijuana prevention programming in the community.

Baldwin Early Learning Pilot Academy - $4,000 to Baldwin ELPA's Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) Program which fosters young students' critical thinking, problem-solving and academic skills through hands-on, engaging activities that incorporate science, technology, engineering, arts and math as well as literacy.

Big Sisters of Greater Boston - $5,000 to support one-to-one mentoring programs for 18 girls at the Gardner Pilot Academy.

Boston String Academy - $7,500 to provide high quality musical instruction to local youth.

Brazilian Women’s Group - $4,000 to recruit 75-100 Brazilian women for the “One Stop Shop” program, a 10-month series of professional and leadership development courses aimed at advancing women’s careers and organizing them to stand up for their rights.

Charles River Watershed Association - $4,000 to collaborate with the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and local community groups to improve stormwater and flood resilience in Christian A. Herter Park by organizing a volunteer invasive plant removal and rain garden installation in the park and organizing related educational activities for residents and middle school students.

Earthwatch - $4,000 to support the development and training of community ‘Green Teams’ that will steward storm water infrastructure within the North Allston/Brighton neighborhood.

Family Nurturing Center - $10,000 to maintain two existing playgroups, one in Spanish and one in English, serving families in North Allston/Brighton.

The Fishing Academy - $4,000 for scholarships for area youth to benefit from fishing instruction.

Friends of the Honan Allston Branch Library - $4,950 to provide sewing instruction.

Gardner Pilot Academy - $8,000 to support residents of the North Allston and North Brighton community that participate in the Gardner Pilot Academy (GPA)/YMCA After School Program.

Literacy Connection - $7,500 to continue to increase English literacy and assist more local residents to become naturalized citizens by providing English language tutoring, pre-GED/Hi-SET, literacy tutoring and citizenship preparation classes.

Open Door Soup Kitchen - $2,000 to support the Kitchen’s overall mission of providing home cooked meals to those in need.

Project Citizenship - $4,000 to serve permanent residents in the North Allston/Brighton community with citizenship services - including outreach and information, application assistance, legal services, client advocacy, and other help that eligible immigrants need to become U.S. citizens.

West End House - $5,000 to provide summer programming to 100 North Allston youth ages 7-18.

West End House Summer Camp - $5,000 to expand an existing program by offering the camping experience for 20 more boys from the North Allston/North Brighton area.

Winship Parent Council - $4,000 to fund 35 weeks of music education, provided by the Handel and Hayden Society), one of the oldest and most esteemed classical music organizations in the United States, for more than 200 children who live within the zip codes of 02134 and 02135.

A full list of recipients since 2008 can be found at www.community.harvard.edu or www.edportal.harvard.edu

Funding decisions are made by a volunteer board of community members following careful review of all applications received. For more information please visit http://edportal.harvard.edu, or email hapfund@gmail.com.

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