MISSION: NOAH, a community development corporation, promotes equity, community cohesion, environmental justice, and economic resiliency. We increase access to affordable housing,
create social and economic opportunities, and empower residents to be leaders of change.
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NOAH’S PANDEMIC SERVICES ADDRESS RENT RELIEF AND FOOD INSECURITY |
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Last year, in addition to our regular programming, NOAH implemented two new critical emergency assistance service lines: Hunger Relief and Rent Relief.
We are extremely fortunate to have been able to continue to respond to the needs of disadvantaged members of our community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 1,100 Boston households have been able to be safely housed through rent payments, and another 1,500 individuals have been provided food and/or grocery gift cards, through these two NOAH initiatives, since the pandemic began.
East Boston residents had the highest levels of COVID-19 infections of those of any Boston neighborhood during the pandemic. Fortunately, due in great part to the work of the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center, the positivity rate had dropped significantly as of July 2021. Nevertheless, high levels of COVID-19 combined with a steep rise in unemployment and other negative impacts of the pandemic have put further burdens on our home neighborhood, one of the most pressing being a devastating increase in food insecurity. The risk for food insecurity in East Boston had already been seven times higher than the rest of the state average, and became much worse.
NOAH remains part of the ‘Emergency Response Network’ which took root in the community at the beginning of the pandemic. Through 2020, NOAH directly provided food and essential household supplies to over 500 individuals, and donated funds to eight local non-profits to assist in food distribution, as well. As of July 1, 2021, NOAH had directly given food, supplies and/or grocery gift cards to over 1,500 individuals; and indirectly, had assisted partners such as the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center, the East Boston Social Center, La Collaborativa in Chelsea, and the East Boston Community Soup Kitchen, who helped thousands more.
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We are very grateful for all of the wonderful donations, large and small, in aid of our relief efforts. Long-term partners United Way of Massachusetts Bay & Merrimack Valley and NeighborWorks America were among the first to support NOAH in its pandemic assistance work, and have provided multiple significant grant funds. Additional foundations and private supporters have provided essential funding, as well, including the East Boston Foundation, the PCA Foundation, and several others. The City of Boston Office of Housing Stability has funded and spearheaded a major COVID-19 Rent Relief service line to three partners, including NOAH. As of mid-year, they had distributed $6.5 million to NOAH, of which NOAH has issued over $6 million in rent relief payments, so far. Kudos to Mayors Walsh and Janey and to DND Director Sheila Dillon for this and other wonderful COVID-19 relief initiatives! NOAH also received a $20,000 grant from the Boston Public Health commission towards PPE and food packages for those most in need; and was awarded two grants from the Boston Resilience Fund (BRF). NOAH was given $30,000 in 2020; and, this February, in a new collaborative grant, we received $145,000 from BRF for pandemic relief efforts in conjunction with EB Social Centers and EB Neighborhood Health Center’s Wellness and Resource Center. As one part of the 2021 BRF award, NOAH was able to deliver some 125 food boxes a week to the East Boston Community Soup Kitchen (EBCSK); the EBCSK servers 350+ in-need individuals and families on Tuesday each week. The 2021 BRF funds ran through June, but the need for food relief will remain long beyond.
NOAH continues its COVID-19 Rent Relief Programming, funded, as noted, largely by the City of Boston. The pandemic caused a dramatic increase in Boston residents facing job and income losses, putting far too many behind on rent payments and at serious risk of losing their homes. This program also now pays overdue utility bills and move-in costs. Other generous funders of NOAH's rent relief programming include The Cummings Foundation, Eastern Bank, Capital One, Fidelity Investments, as well as the T. D. Bank Foundation via its $125k 'Housing for Everyone' award. At least 35% of the families helped with rental relief assistance reside in East Boston. To date, NOAH has assisted 1,100+ households in remaining housed through rent-related payments since the pandemic began.
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Union Block: The redevelopment of the historic Union Block building in Downtown Taunton has received state funding. Union Block is a 38-unit mixed-use, mixed-income development that will provide affordable, workforce and market rate housing to residents of Taunton and surrounding communities.
Benfield Farms: At the Carlisle Town Meeting, the residents voted to approve $125,000 of CPA funds to help pay for a new septic field. NOAH has been working diligently with the Board of Health, Conservation Commission, and the Select Board on this complex arrangement. Meridian Associates is designing the new field.
AOP (City of Boston’s Acquisition Opportunity Program): This spring we purchased and renovated a three-decker property on St. Andrew Road, making our total now 18 multi-family properties which has preserved 52 units for affordable housing. AOP is NOAH’s highest housing priority. Why? Securing more AOP properties to prevent displacement of vulnerable families who would be evicted if purchased by an investor hoping to convert to condominiums. We are urging the City to make programmatic changes so we can compete in this still very hot marketplace where three-deckers are too often over $1M.
Pre-development and development activities continue for Aileron in East Boston (7 ownership and 36 rentals), Ayer (120 units), Attleboro (110 units), and Union Block (38 units). NOAH also continues to pursue other potential pipeline projects throughout Greater Boston. We will submit a funding application to the State for 35 rental units for our artist-themed Aileron mixed-income development on Condor St. in September.
If you know of any potential pre-development, development or City of Boston AOP real estate projects and would like to suggest them to NOAH, please reach out to ED Phil Giffee at 617-418-8240 or pgiffee@noahcdc.org.
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BUILDING AN EAST BOSTON RESILIENCE NETWORK |
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Building Climate Resilience in East Boston
East Boston is at high risk of climate related storm surges. We’ve heard many people ask ‘What happens if there is a really bad storm surge and roads are blocked? Where do I go and what does my family do? How can I prepare?’ These questions led us to partner with New York University’s School for Global Health. In 2019 we began work on a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funded project: Integrative Action for Resilience; Social Cohesion, Adaptation and Leadership in Emergencies in Urban Populations: SCALE UP East Boston. We wanted to know if residents are aware of the potential effects of climate change, where they get information when there are emergencies, and how to quickly respond if there were a severe event.
SCALE UP collected community-level and organizational data in East Boston through nearly 300 bilingual community surveys, initiated the early development of a Climate Resilience Conceptual Framework, and served as the foundation for the creation of the East Boston Resilience Network. This spring, NOAH hired a Resiliency Planning Coordinator, Latifa Ziyad, to work with local agencies and organizations such as the East Boston Health Center, first responders, and City emergency agencies, in order to organize a ‘Whole Community’ East Boston Resilience Network. The fantastic work of the many East Boston agencies which immediately and effectively responded to the massive COVID-19 food insecurity in our community serves as a positive role model for collective responses. So does the new EB Climate Group which meets weekly to address East Boston’s many extreme temperature and Climate concerns in our environmental justice community.
The SCALE UP project was co-developed with NOAH youth in East Boston to increase leadership capacity. The immediate focus of the curriculum was creating resilience for acute and chronic effects of climate change, especially flooding due to hurricanes and sea level rise. Our youth learned climate science and stresses particular to East Boston, how to become resilient, how to analyze and refine informational and communication outlets for disruptive events, build communication skills, and become change agents. Thirty hours of class time, with additional time for homework and a major capstone project were expected to complete the training.
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The increasing sea-level rise/storm surge dangers that pose a major threat to our community remain a key concern. In March, NOAH’s Executive Director, Phil Giffee, joined NBC Boston to discuss the threat through a simulation illustrating the danger of flooding in East Boston. You can watch the full segment by clicking HERE. We are very concerned that Central Sq./Liberty Plaza and the tunnels are highly susceptible to flooding if a Super Storm Sandy were to come at us in the near future. Our public/private shoreline infrastructure is far too underprepared for such an event. We would like to make plans with private sector owners, the City, and local residents to quickly address this vulnerable area.
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NOAH's 2020 Virtual Resiliency Assembly is available to view online
In November 2020, NOAH held a Virtual Resiliency Assembly to put a spotlight on best local change agents and to open a dialogue on the need for an East Boston Resiliency Network to amplify our community efforts. Watch the Assembly in full by clicking below or by chapter on NOAH's YouTube channel.
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If you have any questions about NOAH's East Boston resiliency work, please reach out to East Boston Resiliency Planning Coordinator, Latifa Ziyad, at lziyad@noahcdc.org. |
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NOAH ANNUAL MEETING 2020 VIDEO
Day in & Day Out: A Look Inside NOAH
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Earlier in the year the NOAH Youth (N-YO) began intensive leadership development trainings to expand the youths tool kit on community organizing and campaign development.
The youth demonstrated their leadership by helping shape the annual Leadership Institute that occurs in February. The Leadership Institute ran over the course of three days with over 25 youth attending each day to engage in different conversations regarding climate change, climate justice, environmental justice, youth empowerment, and more. During one of their first activities 50% of the youth knew about Climate Change challenges and learned enough to talk about it to the public.
The youth also attended an annual youth rally with 150 other youth to speak with politicians at the MA State House about youth employment, environmental justice, and gentrification/displacement. NOAH youth spoke directly with East Boston State Rep. Adrian Madero, a former NOAH Vice-President.
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Return to in-person Community Summer Programs
Over the Summer, NOAH’s Youth Leadership Crew helps coordinate and host free activities and events for the community.
As COVID-19 restrictions began to lift, NOAH was eager to resume in-person summer programing when it was safe to do so. NOAH’s Children's and Youth Soccer returned in July, and is an amazing way to encourage East Boston’s children to practice team-building and healthy physical activity. July also saw the return of Learn to Kayak and Boat Safety sessions at Constitution Beach. This offers a great opportunity to make the most of East Boston’s waterfront during summer, and is free and open to all.
Check out the Events Calendar at the bottom the newsletter for upcoming dates and times of these and other events.
For more information on Community Summer Programs and N-YO, please contact Manlio Mendez at mmendez@noahcdc.org or 617-418-8242.
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Although our building is still closed to the general public, NOAH's Property Management staff have been working very hard to maintain and upgrade the NOAH offices. All necessary safety precautions are in place to comply with state regulations concerning COVID-19, including plexiglass and office partitions to insure a safe environment for both staff and clients.
During the pandemic, so far, NOAH has worked with our tenants to help 132 households to submit applications for rental assistance funds, enabling them to receive over $145k in past due rent payments; assisted three residents in receiving Section 8 certificates; and helped 410 individuals with food boxes and grocery gift cards.
If you have any questions, please contact Mal Nelson, Director of Property Management, at
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NOAH’s Homebuyer Services staffers have utilized Zoom to continue providing bilingual workshops, classes, and counseling to clients remotely. Furthermore, the department’s tailored First-Time Homebuyer classes and Financial Capability workshops have been able to address the unique challenges presented by COVID-19. A newly developed webinar on Foreclosure Prevention has proven popular and was offered in English and in Spanish. The staffers continue to have various bilingual guest speakers from financial institutions and other companies to provide expert advice to workshop and course attendees. So far this year, NOAH has had 291 First-Time Homebuyer graduates and 111 Financial Capability workshop attendees.
If you have any questions about the Homebuyer Services Department, please contact Director Diana Franco at 617-418-8266 or dianaf@noahcdc.org.
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RENTAL HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION SERVICES |
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In 2020, our City-funded Emergency Housing (EHAP) and Financial Assistance (FAP) programs awarded over $120K of grant funding to 51 households to obtain or retain apartment homes; as well as providing counseling, referrals, and/or emergency Family Safety Net (FSNP) and EHAP hotel stays; and altogether serving over 311 at-risk households.
NOAH's Rental Homelessness Prevention Services Line also continues to partner with The City of Boston Office of Housing Stability to help with the City's COVID-19 Rental Relief Fund initiative, in addition to its other rental counseling service lines. the Rental Relief Fund assists Boston households who are facing a financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic and are in need of financial assistance to cover rent and related expenses. We would like to once again express kudos to Mayors Marty Walsh and Kim Janey, and to DND Director Sheila Dillon, for establishing and expanding this great program. NOAH's City-funded COVID-19 Rent Relief Program has paid over $6 million to keep over 1,100 households safe in their homes during the pandemic, so far.
If you have any questions about the Rent Relief or other Rental Counseling or Rental Homelessness Prevention programs, please contact Linda Foster, Department Director, at 617-418-8246 or linda@noahcdc.org.
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NOAH's ESOL and U.S. Citizenship courses remain remote during the pandemic. Fortunately, due in part to the Chromebooks provided by English for New Bostonians and Tech Goes Home, ESOL students who lacked IT access have been able to adjust to remote learning and continue to participate in their classes.
This May, three NOAH ESOL students were recognized by the East Boston Adult Education Coalition for their efforts. Each year, the East Boston Adult Education Coalition recognizes students from programs across East Boston. Flor Portillo, Maria Duarte and Monica Serna of NOAH were selected: Flor Portillo for her great work in her NOAH English classes, which she was taking alongside HiSet classes at Bunker Hill Community College; and Maria Duarte and Monica Serna for their continued progress in NOAH’s English classes while at the same time being enrolled in U.S. Citizenship classes and becoming citizens in March. Congratulations to all three. NOAH would also like to take this opportunity to recognize all of our ESOL students attending e-classes, especially during these trying times.
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In addition, NOAH would like to congratulate Monica Serna, Luz Restrepo, Olga Estrada, Maria Duran and Alberto Luna on completing our Citizenship course, passing the test, and becoming United States Citizens. It takes hard work and dedication to prepare, study, and complete the process, especially during the pandemic. Kudos and welcome to all the new citizens!
If you are interested in NOAH's English for Other Languages classes or want to find out more about any of NOAH’s related ESOL programing, please contact Manlio Mendez at mmendez@noahcdc.org or 617- 418-8242.
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STRONG COMMUNITIES WITH NEIGHBORWORKS WEEK |
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In June, NOAH joined nearly 250 nonprofit organizations in celebrating the 38th annual NeighborWorks Week. The theme, as with last year, was “Building Strong Communities Together Every day” - something NOAH whole heartedly embodies throughout our efforts. Over our social media platforms, we raised the question of what it takes to build strong communities and what it means to do so. For us, it means increased access to affordable housing, social and economic opportunities, and the empowerment of residents to be leaders of change. With the support of NeighborWorks America, NOAH and sister NW organizations across the nation are able to continue to work towards achieving that goal. In fiscal year 2020, NeighborWorks network members reported more than $9.3 billion of investment in their communities.
We also utilized that week to bring attention to NeighborWorks America’s Stop Home Scams Initiative. NeighborWorks reports that up to 21% of renters are at risk of eviction, and the number of seriously delinquent mortgages hit its highest level in more than five years. In response, housing scams are on the rise across the country. NeighborWorks America has launched a national public education initiative, Stop Home Scams, designed to alert and empower residents to protect their homes, access trusted assistance, and report illegal activity to the proper authorities. For more information on this initiative please visit www.stophomescams.org.
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NOAH Is delighted to introduce four new members of staff to our passionate team in 2021:
Annika Lambert joins NOAH’s Real Estate team as a Project Manager. Annika is dedicated to NOAH’s mission of increasing access to affordable housing and is working with many different entities in each community to achieve shared housing and preservation goals with marked sensitivity to historical, ecological, and land use concerns.
Crystal Carrillo-Gamboa is our new Emergency Housing Assistance Programming and Rental Housing Case Manager. Crystal is helping residents maintain and obtain apartment homes in response to the severe lack of affordable, stable housing in the Greater Boston region, and is working to provide case management for those at risk of homelessness.
Edward Doherty is NOAH’s new Fundraising and Communications Associate. Along with internal and external communications, Edward is assisting in raising and retaining grants, contracts, donor, and other revenues to support the organization's operations.
Latifa Ziyad is our East Boston Resiliency Planning Coordinator. Latifa is assisting our vulnerable community through response and recovery coordination services and in planning for emergency preparedness. Latifa has been working to lead and engage in a wide range of analytical, technical, hands-on, and collaborative community planning-related activities that are helping to shape an inclusive, neighborhood-driven, resilience network for East Boston.
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MA STATE 50% INVESTMENT TAX CREDITS |
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Once again, NOAH has been awarded the highest allotment level of state tax credits, at $250,000 in state CITCs.
Community Investment Tax Credit (CITC) donors can invest in NOAH’s work, providing flexible working capital that can be used to support current or new programs, fill funding gaps, and leverage other resources. Utilizing CITCs, donors making a gift of $1,000 or more are able to receive half back (50%) in state tax credits or rebates. A $500 net donation can work like a $1,000 donation to help NOAH offer free programming to seniors, disabled individuals, families, and children in need.
If you are able, please consider a CITC investment today! Reach out to Linda Foster, Director of Fundraising, at 617-418-8246 or linda@noahcdc.org for more information.
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NOAH AWARDED SPECIAL GRANTS! |
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Cummings Foundation: NOAH was chosen from a total of 590 applicants during a competitive review process. We will receive $100,000 over two years. This grant, in support of the Homelessness Prevention project, will strengthen NOAH’s ability to provide no-/low-income households bilingual homelessness prevention services. This year’s grant recipients represent a wide variety of causes, including social justice, homelessness prevention, affordable housing, education, violence prevention, and food insecurity. The nonprofits are spread across 43 different cities and towns. The complete list of 140 grant winners, plus more than 800 previous recipients, is available at www.CummingsFoundation.org.
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Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation (EBCF). The generous grant is part of a commitment from the Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation to provide financial support to local organizations focused on COVID-19. During the early days and weeks of the pandemic, Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation began to lend its support as quickly as possible, and it has steadily increased throughout 2020 the amount of unsolicited grants to nonprofit organizations. In total, $11 million in COVID-19 relief grants has been provided to hundreds of local and regional organizations in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island in 2020. The most recent funding supports organizations focused on housing stability, homelessness, food security, and essential services and utilities for low- and moderate-income individuals and families. For more information, visit www.easternbank.com/socialjustice/About-EBCF. |
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TD Charitable Foundation: In addition, NOAH received $125,000 as one of 32 recipients of the 15th Annual 'Housing For Everyone' grant program from the TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank.
The Housing For Everyone grant competition supports TD's longstanding commitment to community enrichment through its corporate citizenship platform, the TD Ready Commitment. The TD Ready Commitment seeks to help people feel more confident, not just about their finances, but about their future. It is driven by a central belief that together we can help build inclusive futures where everyone has the opportunity to succeed in a changing world. As part of the TD Ready Commitment, TD targets $775 million in total community giving by 2030 in four critical areas: Financial Security, a more Vibrant Planet, Connected Communities, and Better Health. For more, visit: https://www.tdbank.com/corporate-responsibility/the-ready-commitment/. |
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THANK YOU TO ALL OUR GREAT SUPPORTERS! |
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NOAH would like to say THANK YOU to all our wonderful recent funders for their support: |
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AAF CPAs, Rep. Adrian Madaro, Alfred E. Chase Charity Foundation Bank of America N..A. Trustee, Anonymous Donors, Paul & Edith Babson Foundation, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, BlueHub Capital, Boston Private Bank & Trust Company, Cambridge Savings Charitable Foundation, Bushrod Campbell & Adah Hall Charity Fund, Capital One Charitable, The City of Boston, Citizens Bank, Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation, East Boston Foundation,
East Boston Savings Bank Foundation, English for New Bostonians, Fidelity Charitable, Mr. * Mrs. George Koehler, Greg Comeau, HarborOne Foundation, Hackett Feinberg P.C., Harvard Memorial Church, HYM Investment, Jervin Chang, Joy Street Design, Karen Otto, Klein Hornig LLP, George & Carolyn Koehler, Susan Koffman & Thomas Cooper, David Koven & Diane Gordon, Michael & Hale Lake, David Lank/Sharpe Venture Group, Lawrence Braman, Laura Dziorney, Lauren DeMayo, Madeleine Devlin, Manon Hatvay, Mark Thatcher, Mass. Attorney General’s Office, Mass. Division of Banks, Mass. Treasury Department, Mass Mortgage Bankers, Massachusetts Housing Investment Corporation, Namar Kallab Dick, Narrow Gate Architecture LTD, Needham Bank, NeighborWorks America, Network for Good thanks to the David Lank & Marc Savatsky special fundraising campaigns, PCA Foundation, Peabody Properties, People’s United Community Foundation, Richard High & Ann Perkins, Perry Wood Family Trust, Pulte Mortgage, Resolution Architects, Robert S. Dorfman, Robert Wegener, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Rockland Trust, Rose M. Fiore, Sailors’ Snug Harbor of Boston, Santander Bank Foundation, Marc Savatsky, Save the Harbor Save the Bay, Smolak & Vaughn LLP, Steve Lichtenstein, TD Charitable Foundation, United Way of Mass. Bay & Merrimack Valley, Perry/Wood Family Trust, and the Wickman Family Foundation.
And, as always, a great big THANK YOU to long-time funding partners NeighborWorks America and United Way of Massachusetts Bay & Merrimack Valley, and to Citizens Bank, who has awarded NOAH another $40,000 Financial Literacy grant award this year!
With our generous supporters, we are able to continue to create and maintain more sustainable neighborhoods, community services and affordable housing opportunities than ever before.
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FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS
Learn from experienced industry guest speakers, including home inspectors, loan officers, insurance agents, and real estate attorneys, as well as NOAH HUD-certified counselors. For any questions about the Homebuyer Services Department, please contact Director Diana Franco at 617-418-8266 or dianaf@noahcdc.org.
Sign up for First-Time Homebuyers classes HERE
Curso de Primeros Compradores (In Spanish)
Parte 1:
17 de Agosto, 5:30PM - 9:30 PM
Parte 2:
18 de Agosto, 5:30PM - 9:30 PM
First-Time Home Buyers Class (In English)
Part 1:
September 14, 9:00AM - 1:30PM
Part 2:
September 15, 9:00AM - 1:30PM
Curso de Primeros Compradores (In Spanish)
Parte 1:
18 de Septiembre, 9:00AM - 1:30 PM
Parte 2:
19 de Septiembre, 9:00AM - 1:30 PM
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SUMMER CBE ACTIVITIES ARE BACK!
NOAH hosts a range of free family-friendly activities/events throughout the summer. For information about any of the programs, please reach out to Manlio Mendez at 617-418-8242 or mmendez@noahcdc.org.
Kayaking at Constitution Beach
Come join in the fun! Learn about and experience kayaking! This free bilingual program started on Friday, July 9, and will run on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10 AM to 5 PM all summer.
East Boston Children & Youth Soccer
This free bilingual program began on July 7, and will be held regularly on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays through the summer from 3 to 6 PM.
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KEEP UP TO DATE - FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA! |
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Head over to our FACEBOOK, TWITTER and INSTAGRAM pages. Once you’re there, be sure to click LIKE and FOLLOW to stay connected with NOAH.
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Make a BIG impact even with a SMALL Donation!
Please consider making a secure tax-deductible donation to
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Thank you for your interest in NOAH! You can find out more information on our website at www.noahcdc.org.
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