Just-A-Newsletter  
Creating Opportunity  |  Strengthening Community  |  Improving Lives
April 2018  
A message from the Executive Director
Hello JAS Community!

This winter has encompassed some remarkable new frontiers for Just-A-Start! We've watched our first cohort of IT Training students continue to flourish, made significant strides on exciting real estate ventures, and were thrilled to accept a $500,000 grant from ECMC foundation. Our 50th anniversary has had an incredible beginning!

One of the true highlights of the year so far has been our "A Taste of Home" Dinner that we hosted on March 15th, 2018. Community members from all facets of our organization, be they board members, donors, students, residents, or staff, came together to share in Just-A-Start's 50 year history. The dishes served represented the diversity and personality of our entire community, and the event was an evening of storytelling and warm memories that we will cherish for years to come. 

As we look forward towards this year's projects and programs, including exciting community events like our fall festival, we hope that each and every one of you will join us on this exciting journey. Just-A-Start is proud to be made up of an incredibly diverse and inspiring group of community members, and we hope to celebrate our 50th anniversary with each and every one of you in the coming months. Be sure to stay up to date with us here and over at www.justastart.org to learn more about our upcoming celebrations and projects! 

Sincerely,
Deborah Ruhe
Executive Director



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50th Anniversary "A Taste of Home" Dinner


 On March 15th, Just-A-Start continued its 50th anniversary celebrations with the "A Taste of Home" Dinner. The evening featured dishes sourced from community recipes, showcasing every corner of JAS! Follow JAS's 50th anniversary events page at justastart.org to stay up to date on upcoming community gatherings.

Massachusetts Nonprofit Network Spotlight


Just-A-Start was honored to be recently featured as a member spotlight by the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network. The profile features the recently launched IT Training program as well as Just-A-Start's largest ever grant from ECMC Foundation. Click here to read the full article!
Fifth Street House 
In 2016, a house on Fifth Street was bequeathed to JAS by its former owner. Just-A-Start had subsidized the purchase of the home and JAS youth program participants assisted with renovations. She wished that the property be donated back to JAS to acknowledge the loan that allowed her to own her own home for decades.
 
Now, 30 years after the initial purchase, students in the YouthBuild program are working together to refurbish the property so that a new family can enjoy it through the City of Cambridge's first-time affordable home buyer program. JAS is grateful for the opportunity to continue the home's community legacy!
2018 CITC Allocations Announced 
On April 3rd, Lieutenant Governor Karen Polito announced the allocation of $5.9 million in tax credits to 46 CDCs through the Community Investment Tax Credit (CITC) program. Just-A-Start was proud to receive $125,000 of that allocation to help increase the impact of its generous donors!

For more of the latest updates on Just-A-Start visit www.justastart.org/news

1035 Cambridge Street #12  |  Cambridge, MA 02141   |  617-494-0444