|
Join us and meet your neighbors at the East End House Summer Block Party! It will be an evening filled with balloon animals, a moonbounce, face painting, art projects, live music, ice cream, hot dogs, and some healthy food as well, and much more! The event is co-sponsored by the East Cambridge Planning Team and the Cambridge Police Department. All are welcome to attend. Just stop by 105 Spring Street on Aug. 19th between 6:30 and 8:30pm. For more information contact Emily at 617-876-4444 or emily@eastendhouse.org. |
|
East End House Receives Top Honors From the Annie E. Casey Foundation & the United Neighborhood Centers of America
East End House was recognized as the top recipient of the organizational Families Count: Family Strengthening Award given for excellence in economic development and family support. Last year East End House won the Families Count: Development Award for our family engagement and strengthening programming in the community. This year, the focus of the award was shifted to improving financial security as a way to positively impact families and communities across the country. "We are thrilled to be recognized again by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the United Neighborhood Centers of America with this award. East End House, and independent neighborhood centers across the country, have been committed to empowering families in our communities for well over a century. It is an honor to be recognized for the work we do," said Michael Delia, East End House President and CEO. |
Mentoring Program Kicks Off
The Youth Mentoring Program got started this month with a Mentoring 101 Training facilitated by MassMentoring and the Community Programs Office at East End House. Volunteers are being matched with youth and the  first four matches met at a Meet your Mentor Party last week. The four pairs attended the Cape Cod League All-Star Game at Fenway Park and had a blast to spite the stormy weather. There will be another Mentoring 101 training for new mentors in early September. If you are interested in making a difference in the life of a young person through a mentoring relationship, please contact Emily at emily@eastendhouse.org or 617-876-4444. Mentors and mentees having a blast at the game.
You can also get more information on becoming a mentor on our website at www.eastendhouse.org/getinvolved. |
East End House Kids and Staff Accept Grant on the Fenway Field
The Ronald McDonald House Charities awarded East End House a grant for our new one-on-one mentoring program for middle school youth. Three middle school students and four staff were on the field to accept the check on May 20th before the Red Sox took the field against the Blue Jays. The group got a chance to stay and watch the home town team grab a win. It was the first time any of the youth had been to Fenway Park or a Red Sox game. One youth described the experience as, "the greatest thing that ever happened to me!"
|
Healthy Environments, Energy Efficiency, and Sustainable Agriculture: Middle School Youth Took Action to Improve their Community this Spring
Youth in East End House's Middle School Program learned how the vulnerability of the Earth's resources affects their community through three "green"-themed service projects within the Spring Energy and Environmental Service Learning Initiative. In the first project, youth threw on their rain parkas and braved the elements to remove invasive species along the Charles River. The Charles River Conservancy educated youth on the importance of maintaining the ecology of the river and the negative effects of invasive species. East End House partnered with the Home Energy Efficiency Team (HEET) to learn how to weatherize homes and make them more energy efficient. Staff learned basic skills and passed on their knowledge to youth as they weatherized the homes of several senior citizens in the community. Staff and youth insulated water heaters, put weather stripping on windows, and installed energy efficient light bulbs and programmable thermostats. Youth learned about the connection between energy efficiency and the environment, while helping seniors to cut their heating costs.  The staff, youth, and families celebrated their year of service by visiting two local community farms in June. At Waltham Fields the group learned about the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, planted a salsa garden, and got their own tomato plant to take home. At Drumlin Farms, youth learned how farmers get high crop yields and thinned potato and melon gardens to help the vegetables and fruits grow to their full potential. This year 28 middle school youth performed over 160 hours of community service! Service learning opportunities are are strong component of the Middle School Program curriculum, as they allow young people to learn about issues that affect their community and the world. It also gives them the tools to take action and affect positive change. Stephanie Riley planting the
salsa garden |
|
Science, Swimming, Sports and Much More: Summer Fun is Off to a Fantastic Start
Summer Fun is off to a great start to spite the rainy weather. We have a tremendous staff with lots of diverse interests and experiences. With an Art Specialist and Science Specialist on board, all the kids will have at least one hour of art instruction and one hour in a science class everyday.  There are a whole bunch of other enriching and fun choices throughout the day ranging from Kickball, to Outdoor Sculpture, to Creative Writing and everything in between. We are looking forward to more sunny days so we can play in the neighborhood parks, sprinklers, our backyard garden, and the Gold Star Pool. The kids also explore the city with weekly field trips. This week they visited the Museum of Science to explore exhibit halls and Demiurge Studios to learn about video game design.
Having fun at the sprinklers!
There are still limited spots available. Your 5-12 year old can still be part of the fun! Summer Fun is a ten week full-day program that runs through the end of August and offers a ton of fun and enriching classes like swimming, baseball, basketball, dance, art, interactive science classes, journalism, computer programming, field trips all over the Boston area, and much more! For more information or to enroll your child, contact Chrissy at 617-876-4444 or chrissy@eastendhouse.org. |
Spotlight on Child Care Staff: Annette Shipp
Annette joined the East End House Child Care staff in early 2005. She started out volunteering at her children's Head Start Program and then decided to return to school to pursue a degree in Early Childhood Development. During her tenure at East End House, Annette has played an important role in the lives of so many young children. She has a natural ability to adapt to each child's learning style and developmental stage that results in her classroom being a trusting and loving environment for children to learn. When asked about her commitment to East End House, Annette credits her co-workers. "At East End House, I feel like I am working with a big family. Everyone has something to bring to the table when it comes to skills and talents. We are quite a team." Annette and the rest of the staff are the biggest reason our Child Care Program has been able to provide high quality care to all the kids in the program.
|
|
East End House is Looking for Energetic, Dedicated, and Talented Staff We are looking for new staff dedicated to our mission of providing quality programs to all members of our community. If you have the skills and passion, send us your resume. We are currently recruiting for the following job openings:
|
Save the Dates and Community Programs
Community Programs Happenings
If you are over 55 and looking for a way to stay active, enjoy your neighborhood, and meet some great people, the East End House Walking Club is for you! The group meets every Wednesday at 10am and takes a moderately paced stroll around the neighborhood. No need to sign up-just come to 105 Spring Street to join the fun.
Are you worried about losing your vision or want to learn how you can better cope with vision loss? East End House is holding a informational workshop on Vision Loss on Wednesday, August 5th at 10:30am. MAB Community Services will be on hand to share strategies, services and adaptive equipment available to those 60 and over experiencing vision loss.
If you are struggling to pay monthly bills or meet your basic needs, the Community Programs office may be able to help. You may be eligible for government benefits or for other local services. Stop by the Community Programs office for a free Benefit Eligibility Screening.
Are you looking for a fun, interactive, and educational morning for you and your 0-5 year old? Do you want to share ideas and stories with other parents? East End House playgroups may be for you! They are held every other Tuesday from 10-11:30am at East End House. Upcoming groups are July 28th and August 11th. You do not need to sign up, just drop by and enjoy the activities and a light snack. All with children under the age of 5 are welcome and encouraged to attend. For more information contact Camille at 617-876-4444 or camille@eastendhouse.org. Passport to Kendall Square to benefit East End House will be held Wednesday, October 14th from 6-10 pm. Microsoft is opening the spectacular event space to 300 elite Yelp members. Guests will enjoy fabulous food and drink, gaming, entertainment, fashion, culture and cutting edge science and technology. The event, sponsored by Clearly Creative, will be a showcase of the innovative businesses and organizations in the Kendall Square area. Applications for tables are now being accepted. Go to www.clearlycreative.net/passport_to_kendall_square for an application. All the proceeds will benefit the programs and services East End House offers to the community. For more information on the event go to www.eastendhouse.org. |
|
Let us know what services and programs you would like to see at East End House. Please e-mail your suggestions to rebecca@eastendhouse.org. Thank you in advance for your input and feedback.
For more information about East End House, please visit our web site at www.eastendhouse.org. | |
