EVENTS OF NOTE

In the field of philanthropy we talk a lot about impact.  A walk around the photograph and art exhibit currently on display at Boston’s City Hall and a talk with the teenaged photographers teaches vividly about the impact of just one life on another.

My Life, My Choice is a small but mighty organization that works to end the commercial sexual exploitation of children – the prostitution of minors. The organization conducts prevention activities with girls at risk, and helps girls and young women in Greater Boston who have been exploited to escape, heal and find new direction for their lives. The hallmark of the model is survivor mentorship by adult women who were exploited as minors, and who have turned their lives around.  I recently met some of the teenagers at a stunning exhibit of their photography. Continue Reading »

Courtesy Boston Family Boatbuilding

This fall, the A.C. Ratshesky Foundation made its first set of grant awards under its new guidelines. The new guidelines refined the existing interests of the foundation to help low income individuals and families.

The new program areas include family partnering in early education, employment and self-sufficiency, and active learning for preteens and teens. The trustees have also agreed to increase grant sizes and consider requests from communities outside of Boston within the I-495 region.

The following grants list includes new grants as well as several multi-year grants made under the foundation’s prior guidelines: Continue Reading »

NEW AND NOTEWORTHY

Located in a renovated firehouse in a primarily low-income East Boston Latino neighborhood, Zumix engages youth in music and the arts. First Lady Michelle Obama recently presented the 2011 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award to Zumix youth and staff at the White House. Zumix is one of only 12 programs chosen from a national pool of more than 471 nominees and 50 finalists for the country’s highest honor for youth arts programs.

To read the full press release, click here.

Featuring Zumix, a grantee of the Foley Hoag Foundation, Clowes Fund, Mabel Louise Riley Foundation and Schrafft Charitable Trust