Archives for October 2018

The days are cooling off and the skies are getting stormy but nothing will stop us from spreading positivity. Join us in these good vibes with our top three feel-good stories of the week!

The Best of Friends

Via ABC News

Six-year-old Braylon Henson has a rare genetic disorder called ectodermal dysplasia, meaning that he was born without sweat glands. Because of this, Braylon cannot go outside for recess if the outside temperature is above 74 degrees. School Resource Officer Ronald Saladin saw Braylon sitting alone during recess one day and asked him if he would like to help Saladin patrol the school. Now, the pair are best friends, patrolling the school together every day. Braylon even got his own police officer uniform!

All of God’s Children

Via WYFF

Amanda Cartagine, owner of Greenville Pizza Inn in Greenville, South Carolina, employs a number of special needs team members. In fact, 63% of her kitchen staff have special needs and she makes sure to go above and beyond to make them feel included. This past week, a customer complained about the service, despite Amanda pulling him aside and explaining that her employee did not understand what he was asking. The customer told her that she needed to put a sign on the door to make customers aware. Instead of arguing with the man, Amanda simply put a sign on the door that read “We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and hire ALL of God’s children.” She hopes that this will encourage people to be more open-minded.

Everyone’s Favorite Delivery Man

Via CBS Evening News

Todd Kirnan has been making deliveries for businesses in downtown Gresham, Oregon 12 hours a day, seven days a week for the past 20 years. Todd, who has autism, isn’t in it for the money; he simply likes to help people. People describe him as one of the nicest, kindest people who is always smiling. The community thanked him by throwing a parade in his honor, with one final surprise at the end of the parade – a statue of him. This is proof that no good deed goes unnoticed.

We should always accept others and celebrate our differences. Remember that you never know what another person is going through so sometimes just being kind can make a difference in their lives. Have a great weekend!

 

According to the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development’s 2017 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress, there are only about 500 unaccompanied homeless youths under the age of 24 in the city of Boston. However, this number only accounts for youths who were accounted for by shelters and other organizations and does not count youths who may be staying with friends temporarily or sleeping on the streets.

Bridge Over Troubled Waters, a Boston-based non-profit, is dedicated to transforming the lives of runaway, homeless and high-risk youth ages 14-24, through safe, supportive and encouraging relationships. They offer a number of programs ranging from immediate emergency services to long-term housing programs.

The Make a Difference Project was lucky enough to take a tour of the Bridge Over Troubled Waters facilities and we were so inspired by the scope of work that Bridge is doing to dramatically change these young lives. Here are just a few of the programs and services that BOTW provides to the youth of Boston:

Street Outreach and Mobile Medical Van

Bridge has a team of trained outreach workers that regularly visit areas of Boston and Cambridge where homeless youth are known to gather. They work to build trust through regular, consistent contact with the goal of providing additional resources to help them end their cycle of homelessness. If you’ve ever walked through the Boston Commons in the evening, you’ve probably seen Bridge’s innovative Mobile Medical Van parked right by the Park Street T station. The Van, which is the first of its kind in the nation provides critical care including medical attention, clothing, food, and referrals to Bridge services or other agencies.

Physical and Mental Health Services

Bridge offers weekly medical and dental services free of charge to youth who come through their West Street Headquarters. These services are staffed by healthcare professionals from Healthcare for the Homeless and Tufts and Harvard Dental Schools. They also employ a team of licensed clinical counselors who are specially trained to deal with homeless and at-risk youth. Youth meet with a counselor upon arrival and the facility and can then set up appointments either in-house or at an outside agency with a referral.

Transitional Day Program

This program is a drop-in center where youths can meet their basic survival needs seven days a week.  They are served a hot meal, can take a shower, access lockers and do their laundry. There are case managers available to help them obtain documentation papers such as IDs, transcripts, etc. There are also life skills workshops available as well as community dinners.

Education and Career Development Program

Many of the youths passing through Bridge’s programs don’t have a high school diploma. This is why they offer a comprehensive three-tier approach to academic and career success. The program includes classes to prepare youth to earn their alternative high school degree, guidance for those who wish to continue their education including financial aid incentives, and career development which offers open job search hours and job training in soft skills.

Housing

While Bridge Over Troubled Waters caters to needs beyond homelessness, the most critical need of the youth they serve is safe housing. Bridge has a number of living options available to youth at every stage of the program.

• Warming Center
  • Initially open only in the winter months, the warming center has recently become a year-round overnight shelter for youth who are in immediate need.
• Emergency Residence
  • The Emergency Residence Program is a short-term transitional program for homeless youth who commit to regular counseling, maintain 40 hours a week of work, school or both, save 70% of their income and work with case managers to obtain long-term housing. The youths live with roommates in dorm-like housing at the Bridge headquarters.
• Transitional Living Program (TLP)
  • For those aged 18-24, Bridge offers a long-term residential program located just outside of Boston. At any given time, 12 young men and women will occupy these apartments for up to two years. They are required to maintain employment, have weekly meetings with a counselor and work with case managers on reaching their goals. They pay a minimal rent which helps them build credit and obtain a landlord recommendation (from Bridge.) Residents of the TLP can also use all of the services at Bridge.
• Single Parent House (SPH)
  • The SPH program is an open-intake, voluntary transitional living program for pregnant and parenting homeless young women and their children. Serving 11 families at any given time, the program is the only one of its kind in Boston.

Since it was founded over 40 years ago, Bridge Over Troubled Waters has continued to provide life-saving services for the most vulnerable and at-risk youth in and around Boston. Their comprehensive programs focus not only on fulfilling basic survival needs but providing the resources and encouragement to move onward and upward in life.

If you are looking to get involved in making a difference, here are some local events happening this week!

 

Boston Partners in Education Back to School Bash

Wednesday, October 3rd 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

The Frogmore

365 Centre Street, Boston

The Frogmore in Jamaica Plain will be serving up free small plates of low country boil for their guests. Bring your friends because a portion of the proceeds from any drink purchase will go towards Boston Partners in Education mentoring programs. You’ll also have the chance to participate in raffles for some great prizes including: Pizza and Paint night, Rock Climbing with friends, Sweet Tooth Basket, and Much More! To purchase your tickets, click here.

 

Heading Home to Dinner

Wed, Oct 3– Thu, Oct 4 (multiple events)

Boston Design Center

1 Design Center Place, Boston, MA

Heading Home to Dinner is Boston’s annual “dine by design” event where members of the Boston design community create dinner table and bar cart designs that are auctioned off in order to help our neighbors in need. Heading Home is a non-profit organization that re-houses and provides a supported pathway to self-sufficiency for young families in the Boston area. For tickets and more information on the events, click here.

 

YWCA Northeastern Massachusetts FALL FEST

Thursday, October 4th 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm

YWCA CAMP Y-WOOD

58 Liberty Street, Captain’s Pond, Salem

FALL FEST is a fundraiser held at the YWCA’s Camp Y-Wood. They are raising funds to complete repairs and restore Y-Wood so it can re-open in Summer 2019. It was closed for the summer because of storm damage to the property. Help the YWCA to re-open Y-Wood.  CLICK HERE to attend, sponsor or donate!

71st New England PVA Annual Banquet

Fri, October 5, 2018 6:00 PM – 11:00 PM

Moseley’s On the Charles Ballroom & Banquet Facility

50 Bridge Street, Dedham

The New England PVA Board of Directors cordially invites you to celebrate the Chapter’s 71st Annual Banquet with an evening of dinner, music, dancing and silent raffle. Proceeds from the event will benefit the New England Chapter of Paralyzed Veterans of America. For tickets and more information, click here.

 

Cape Cod for Kids 5k

Saturday, October 6th 10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Seafood Sam’s

6 Coast Guard Road, Sandwich

Family Continuity’s first Cape Cod for Kids 5K will take place Saturday, October 6, 2018 at 10 a.m. in Sandwich, Mass. The Cape Cod for Kids 5K benefits Family Continuity, a non-profit mental health and social services agency helping families in Cape Cod and Massachusetts. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.