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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EMPOWERING RESIDENTS FOR SUCCESS DURING NEIGHBORWORKS WEEK |
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June 4-11 is NeighborWorks Week and NOAH will be joining other NeighborWorks network organizations across the country to celebrate the successes of communities and how NeighborWorks and residents work together to empower people to enhance their lives.
Established in 1983, NeighborWorks Week is a chance for organizations like NOAH to showcase all we do to empower communities for success. Since its inception, NeighborWorks Week has highlighted the collective impact of the network and continues to show how each organization takes a distinct approach in serving its neighborhoods and communities. NOAH is part of the national NeighborWorks network, an affiliation of nearly 250 nonprofit organizations located in every state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Throughout the year, NeighborWorks network organizations empower people to take steps to achieve their goals, such as make their community safer, find and maintain secure housing, and ensure financial stability, which leads to thriving, healthier communities. In fiscal year 2021, the NeighborWorks network provided 470,704 housing and counseling services; created 22,001 new homeowners; and constructed, acquired and preserved 13,749 rental homes. Follow NOAH on social media this week to learn more about how NeighborWorks America is helping to empower communities for success.
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COMMUNITY BUILDING & ENVIRONMENT |
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The HIP HIP HURRAY! 2 SNAPS and WICked FUN Six-part CONCERT SERIES
This initiative (called HIP for short) is being held once a month on select Saturdays from 4-7 PM at Central Square Park in East Boston, MA. The concert series is designed to respond to a continued food insecurity that has been elevated by the COVID 19 pandemic.
The event series features live music performances from a variety of artists, healthy food demos, SNAP sign-up incentives, giveaways, 'survival' kits, Zumba dance lessons, local surprise officials, and more.
Sponsored by the Mayor’s Office of Food Justice, with support from the Mass. Service Alliance, the HIP Concert Series was crafted to encourage sustainable practices aimed to curtail hunger by the de-stigmatization of, and thus utilization of, federal food programs: SNAP, HIP and WIC. This Eastie event was created with our partners at East Boston Social Centers (EBSC), East Boston Neighborhood Health Centers (EBNHC), Zumix, Story Collider, Livable Streets, Communities Responding to Extreme Weather (CREW), Salvadoran American Foundation Boston and East Boston Main Streets.
Head over to our website for all the details, dates, times, line-ups, and more:
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B-Eastie Air Conditions
NOAH’s recent Environmental Justice/Climate Change project, “B-Eastie Air conditions” is designed to measure indoor and outdoor air quality for 40 families, schools and frequented businesses in East Boston.
NOAH has delivered air quality sensors and high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters to 10 local businesses and community hubs and 30 families with the goal of assessing the difference in air quality data from before and after the filters have been installed. This allows us not only to assist with air remediation, but also helps us gauge the conditions of local air quality. We look to help educate our local community about the relative impact of plants and air filters on indoor air quality though this imitative. We thank the City of Boston Air Pollution Control Commission and Environmental, Energy and Open Space Cabinet for the Community Clean Air Grant.
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HEPA Filter & Plant Delivered to the
El Salvadoran Consulate
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MIT East Boston Environmental and Racial Justice Challenge Tour, Discussions, and Presentation
Earlier in the year, NOAH participated in a class on Climate Change and Racial Justice Challenges with 22 MIT students and UMASS Boston's Dr. Paul Kirshen. The session covered local heat resiliency strategies and featured a tour of the sites most vulnerable to climate change in and around Central Square, East Boston. Like many cities and urban areas, East Boston is at risk of the Heat Island effect as global temperatures continue to rise. A limited amount of green space and shade combined with highly concentrated structures such as buildings and un-shaded pavement can increase temperatures to 1-7°F higher than in outlying areas. Central Square in East Boston is also highly vulnerable to major storm surges in a hurricane. Heat waves and the number of storms and Atlantic hurricanes have continued to increase in recent years.
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Climate Change Family Feud & Community STEAM Day
In May, NOAH held our environmentally focused Climate Change Family Feud game at the wonderful East Boston Community STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) Day event. The games takes a familiar format but in place of general knowledge participants are asked questions and encouraged to think about the impacts of climate change on our community. At the event, local children and youth created some amazing artwork to promote NOAH's healthy initiatives program (HIP) concert series mentioned above. We also promoted opportunities for the Youth Leadership Program.
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Tree Planting Day at Condor Street Urban Wild
In collaboration with Boston Parks Department Urban Wild and One Tree Planted, NOAH held a volunteer Tree Planting Day at the Condor Street Urban Wild, East Boston. Over 30 volunteers helped plant 10 new trees and watered and cleaning up the area.
Planting Workshop with Umana Academy
NOAH also held a Planting Workshop for local children at the Umana Academy In East Boston. Lissi Guerrero, a community volunteer with NOAH, helped host a presentation for the class of children on how to plant an care for their seeds. We're excited to see how all the plants grow!
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Students from Umana Academy pose with their newly planted seeds |
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NOAH Youth Organizers
The NOAH Youth Organizers (N-YO) continue to empower and build strong relationships with the community, educate and create public awareness on local issues, and further their efforts to achieve environmental and social justice. Current projects include their "No Trash, More Trees" campaign, "Woke Wednesday" discussions and neighborhood events, community workshops, and more. Over the summer, NOAH’s Youth Leadership Crew will be helping to coordinate and host free activities and events for the community throughout East Boston.
NOAH's annual summer programs will be returning soon, including free kayaking at Constitution Beach. Be sure to stay tuned to our social media channels (including Facebook) for more details soon.
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Tech Goes Home
NOAH works to address a digital divide though our Tech Goes Home (TGH) computer classes, with our latest classes graduating in February and May. In these comprehensive IT/computer classes, students learn valuable technical skills that transfer directly to their day-to-day lives, in employment, in the pursuit of higher education, and at home. NOAH is proud of all our recent course graduates and current attendees, all of whom receive a brand-new Chromebook on graduating.
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ESOL
Tech Goes Home courses are part of NOAH’ s ESOL programing, with the overall mission to help new Bostonians learn, improve, and practice their use of the written and oral English language in a comfortable, communal environment. Each year we educate between 100-150 individuals though ESOL related programing. Additionally, NOAH offers an ‘Intro to Citizenship’ course to help community members navigate the citizenship application process.
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Our friends at Boston Cares recently provided NOAH's ESOL and Citizenship students with some amazing new educational material and tools to further practice their English and prepare for the citizenship process. Additionally, NOAH has received 10 new Chromebook from our supporters at English for New Bostonians (ENB) to be given to our current ESOL Tech Goes Home students. The computers are provided by ENB along with professional development software. These donations allow our students to build their resumes and further explore career options.
If you are interested in NOAH's English for Other Languages classes or want to find out more about any of NOAH’s related CBE programing, please contact Manlio Mendez at mmendez@noahcdc.org or 617- 418-8242.
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RENTAL HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION SERVICES |
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In the last 12 months, over 1,150 households in need were assisted through the Rental Homelessness Prevention and Emergency Housing Assistance service lines. This included a record number of 380 households at risk of homelessness or suddenly homeless, often due to a fire, or other non-pandemic-related reason, in addition to the City of Boston COVID-19 Rental Relief program clients served, which numbered 770 households over that same period. The rising number of clients reflects a growing need faced by the vulnerable communities and residents that NOAH serves, and highlights the importance of this and other related programming which helps in avoiding or mitigating homelessness.
As noted, NOAH’s Rental Homelessness Prevention Services programming has continued to work with the City of Boston’s Mayor's Office of Housing Stability to assist with the City’s COVID-19 Rental Relief Fund initiative. NOAH was selected by the City to help offer ‘Rent Relief’ during the pandemic and to date, $12,642,073 (in Federal, State and/or City funds) has been distributed by NOAH case managers on behalf of over 1,770 distressed households, allowing them to remain safely housed in their apartment homes.
We would like to again express our gratitude to Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, and to Chief of Housing and Director of the Mayor's Office of Housing, Sheila Dillon, for expanding and maintaining all this much-needed and life-saving funding!
Programming helps residents maintain or obtain apartment homes and avoid or mitigate homelessness. The focus is on serving current tenants who suffer from being displaced, or who are vulnerable to dislocation within the next 90 days. Services also assist those who are newly homeless to obtain shelter or a new apartment, including fire and other emergency related victims. This work is part of NOAH's commitment to low- and moderate-income Boston residents in need of support related to accessing affordable housing opportunities in the region. There are several service lines under the Rental Homelessness Prevention and Emergency Housing Assistance programming umbrella: EHAP (Emergency Housing Assistance) – Provides short-term emergency hotel stays immediately following any such Red Cross assistance, as well as move-in grants paid to a new landlord (deposit/first/ or last months’ rent up to $4,500); and also provides counseling/case management, as needed; FSNP (Family Safety Net) – Provides short-term emergency hotel stays and counseling/case management assistance in transitioning to shelter or new housing; FAP (Financial Assistance) – Provides rental funding grants paid to landlords to prevent evictions ‘upstream’ (preferred) or for first or last and deposit for new apartments up to $4,500; COVID-19 Rental Relief – Provides housing-related financial assistance to economically distressed households, including rental payments to landlords to keep households in their apartment homes, payment to utilities for overdue bills, and/or move-in costs for new units, as needed; and Homelessness Prevention – Provides counseling and case management for households at risk of homelessness, particularly for those who do not directly meet the criteria of the other service lines above. Increasing monthly rents continue to leave moderate- and low-income families extremely cost burdened. Rent in Boston remains among the highest in the country. A report from Colliers International shows that rent has since reached an all-time high, rising 11% in the last quarter of 2021 from 2020.
If you have any questions about the Rental Homelessness Prevention programs, please contact Linda Foster, Director, at 617-418-8246 or linda@noahcdc.org If you know a Boston resident who wishes to apply for possible Rental Relief funds, here is the link: Boston RRF.
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Our Homebuyers Services and Financial Capability program staffers are also working harder than ever to respond to an increased need within our community. HUD notes: “An estimated 12 million renter and homeowner households now pay more than 50 percent of their annual incomes for housing. A family with one full-time worker earning the minimum wage cannot afford the local fair-market rent for a two-bedroom apartment anywhere in the United States”. Massachusetts is no exception. Per the US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 5-Year Estimates (2022), the median value of an owner-occupied home in Boston rose to $581,000 in 2020, compared to $395,000 in 2010. In the state of Massachusetts, the median home value was nearly $400,000, with some cities seeing an increase of over 50% since 2010. And, by April 2022, per Realtor.com, the median selling price in Boston was $775,000.
First-Time Homebuyer
NOAH's First-Time Homebuyer (FTHB) classes cover everything anyone might need to know about buying a first home including addressing unique challenges presented by COVID-19 and the current economy. NOAH annually holds 15 or more CHAPA-certified FTHB workshops as well as an online course – in both Spanish and in English. Since 2012, NOAH has seen 3,761 FTHB graduates and 1,194 actual FT homebuyers. To view upcoming FTHB class dates and learn more about registering please scroll down to the Upcoming Events section of our newsletter.
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Financial Capability
NOAH offers free bilingual financial capability seminars and financial coaching for those who need assistance with managing their finances. NOAH's Financial Capability program is running a series of courses through 2022, each designed to give the attendee the knowledge, skills, and tools to feel confident in their financial decision-making skills. Be sure to scroll down and check out the Upcoming Events section of our newsletter for all the details.
We also offer free individual financial counseling. You do not need to attend a class to sign up; simply email us at nkallab@noahcdc.org and we will send you the details! Over the past 12 months, NOAH's Financial Capability program has provided free education/counseling to 180 individuals in establishing financial goals, budgeting, credit, and more.
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Foreclosure Prevention Services
NOAH's Foreclosure Prevention Program has a focus on assisting consumers who are in imminent default and in danger of losing their homes, and offers homeowners help in understanding their options and determining the best and most affordable solutions based on their own personal financial situations. Since this service line began in 2007, NOAH has helped well over 3,000 families avoid foreclosure. NOAH coordinates the bilingual North Shore Partnership Regional Foreclosure Education Center programming and serves as the MA AGO LCAF for foreclosure prevention.
NOAH's Homebuyers Services is also working in conjunction with the Massachusetts Homeowner Assistance Fund to prevent foreclosures and displacements of eligible homeowners. NOAH provides assistance to HAF applicants by providing application support, financial counseling, and guiding homeowners through the foreclosure prevention process.
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Matched Savings
Pictured is NOAH's Executive Director, Philip Giffee, signing Matched Savings account checks for NOAH clients who recently completed the latest round of the Program.
Thirty-four NOAH clients completed the Matched Savings Program in March 2022. As part of this savings program, NOAH matches every $50 monthly deposit made into a Matched Savings account for ten months. At the end of the 10-month period, clients have $1,000 to put towards their personal financial goals. Many, many thanks to NeighborWorks America for sponsoring this program! And kudos to Citizens Bank for developing special accounts for the initiative, as well.
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NOAH’s bilingual Homebuyer Services and Financial Capability workshops, classes, and client counseling remain accessible over Zoom, and the staffers continue to have various bilingual virtual speakers from financial institutions and other companies to provide expert advice to workshop and course attendees. If you have any questions about the Homebuyer Services Department programming, please contact Diana Franco at 617-418-8266 or dianaf@noahcdc.org.
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MASS HAF
The Massachusetts Homeowner Assistance Fund (Mass HAF) is now available to for homeowners who are behind on their mortgage payments by at least three months because of the COVID-19 pandemic. If you are looking for mortgage assistance, you may qualify. NOAH can help you learn more and apply.
For more information on how NOAH can help, please call 617-418-8242, text us at 619-829-0939, or email Manlio Mendez at mmendez@noahcdc.org
The goal of HAF is to prevent foreclosures and displacements of eligible homeowners. Mass HAF is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
You may qualify for Mass HAF if:
• You own and live in a condominium, single family-home, or a 2-, 3- or 4-family property in Massachusetts
• You are behind on your mortgage payments by at least 3 months
• You or someone in your household had their income go down, or living expenses go up, after January 21, 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes job loss, fewer work hours, paying more for childcare, illness, or being unable to work because you had to take care of a family member
• You meet the program’s income limits
Mass HAF assistance is for overdue mortgage payments and if you qualify, your mortgage servicer would be paid directly. The assistance is a grant not a loan. You do not have to pay it back. Learn more at massmortgagehelp.org or by speaking to NOAH at 617-418-8242 or text us at 619-829-0939.
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As always, NOAH's Property Management staff have been working hard to maintain and upgrade NOAH's properties and offices. Over the winter months, the dedicated team did a great job clearing the incredible amount of snow around our properties with them help of some new machinery. At NOAH's offices, all necessary COVID-19 safety precautions remain in place, including plexiglass and office partitions to insure a safe and comfortable environment for both staff and clients. If you have any questions, please contact Carlos Grajales-Thrall at 617-418-8247 or email propertymanagement@noahcdc.org
Jorge Correa, NOAH's Maintenance Superintendent, will be retiring this month. Jorge’s unconditional dedication and contributions over the past 22 years have been integral to the success of NOAH’s Property Management Department. All of us at NOAH would like to thank Jorge for his incredible contributions to our team, residents, properties, and East Boston community over the years.
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Jorge Correa (second from the left) at his retirement party, with PM Dept. Director Mal Nelson (far left) |
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NOAH's current pre-development and development projects include Aileron, a two-phase project located at 127-159 Condor Street in East Boston. Phase I consists of 7 homeownership condos currently under construction with an anticipated completion date of spring 2023; both affordable and market rate condos will be available. Phase II, which is expected to receive funding next year, will create 36 affordable rental apartments, artist makerspaces/studios, a shared community gallery, and a sculpture garden. Ayer Common is a 2-phase project that will create a total of 106 townhouse-style rental units located at 65 Fitchburg Rd in Ayer, MA. Phase I will be comprised of 64 affordable and workforce housing units, and Phase II will consist of 42 affordable units. In July, this project will be applying for a 40B zoning permit, and construction is anticipated to start in 2025. Union Block, the redevelopment of the historic Union Block building in Downtown Taunton, is located at 1-31 Main St overlooking the town green. This $20.9M, 38 unit mixed-use, mixed-income development will provide affordable, workforce and market rate housing to residents of Taunton and surrounding communities. Groundbreaking is anticipated in Fall of 2022.
NOAH works with many different entities in each community to achieve shared housing and preservation goals with marked sensitivity to historical, ecological, and land use concerns. We also continue to pursue other potential pipeline projects throughout Greater Boston including additional East Boston and suburban locations.
If you know of any potential East Boston or other regional real estate projects and would like to suggest it to NOAH, please reach out to ED Phil Giffee at 617-418-8240 or pgiffee@noahcdc.org.
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Digital Rendering of Aileron Project |
Digital Rendering of Ayer Project |
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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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Adam Dobson, Allen Family Charitable Lead Annuity Trust, Arcadias, Bushrod H. Campbell and Adah F. Hall Charity Fund, BlueHub Capital, BPHC -Social Determinants of Health, Boston Partner Outreach, Cambridge Savings Bank, Charles H. Farnsworth Trust , Citizens Bank, City of Boston, David Blake, English for New Bostonians, Mr. & Mrs. George Koehler, Greg Comeau, Hackett Feinberg P.C., HarborOne Bank, Innovation Island, Jeffrey Loeb, John Connell, Joy Street Design, Karen Otto, Klein Hornig LLP, Madeline Devlin, Mary Stevens, MA Division of Banks, MHIC, MHP, Narrow Gate Architecture LTD, NeighborWorks America, Resolution Architects, Robert Dorfman, Rockland Trust, Rick High & Anne Perkins, Rose Fiore, Sailor Snug Harbor, T. D. Charitable, and United Way of Mass. Bay & Merrimack Valley.
NOAH would also like to extend a special thank you to: Citizens Bank, which awarded NOAH a large Financial Literacy grant award; Cambridge Savings Bank for its generous donations in 2021; the Cummings Foundation for a $100,000 award over two years in support of the Homelessness Prevention project; and to TD Charitable Foundation, who awarded NOAH a $125,000 grant as part of their 15th Annual 'Housing For Everyone" grant program.
And, as always, a great big THANK YOU to long-time funding partners NeighborWorks America and United Way of Massachusetts Bay & Merrimack Valley!
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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FINANCIAL CAPABILITY
NOAH offers multiple Financial Capability workshops, each focused on a different aspect of Financial Capability. All classes are currently online through ZOOM. Instructions to join the class will be sent out after sign up. Visit NOAH's Eventbrite page to register for upcoming workshops.
Fortalezca su Futuro Financiero (Ahorros e Inversiones)
Tuesday, July 19, 2022 6:30-8:30 PM
Fortify your Financial Future (Saving and Investing)
Martes, Agosto 23, 2022 6:30-8:30 PM
You can also sign up for a free, personalized, financial coaching session with one of our Financial Coaches to analyze your finances and reach your goals.
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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 - Junio
Parte I: 6/7/2022 @5:30-9:30pm
Parte 2: 6/8/2022 @5:30-9:30pm
FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER CLASS - July
Part I: 7/12/2022 @5:30-9:30pm
Part II: 7/13/2022 @5:30 – 9:30pm
CURSO DE PRIMEROS COMPRADORES - Agosto
Parte 1: 8/16/2022 @5:30pm – 9:30pm
Parte 2: 8/17/2022 @5:30 - 9:30pm
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NEIGHBORWORKS WEEK
June 4 - June 11
Tune-into NOAH's Social Media this week to learn more more about how NeighboroWorks is helping to empower communities for success for NeighborWorks Week 2022!
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SPECTACLE ISLAND
July 9
A free fun day of exploring Spectacle Island, listening to live music, enjoying culturally diverse foods, boating, and more.
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THE HIP CONCERT SERIES 2022
FREE | CENTRAL SQ. PARK | SATs | 4-7 PM
The HIP HIP HURRAY! 2 SNAPS and WICked FUN Six-part CONCERT SERIES, called the HIP Concert Series for short, is a brand-new initiative being held once a month on select Saturdays from 4-7 PM EST at Central Square Park in East Boston, MA. It is designed to respond to a spike in food insecurity particularly and recently elevated by the COVID 19 pandemic.
June 18 - Old School Hip-Hop || Father's Day
July 23 - Salvadorian Sound ||National Vanilla Ice-Cream Day
August 28 - Zumba & DJ || World Honey Bee Day
September 10 - R&B Unhinged || National Preparedness Month
There are no scheduled rain dates.
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The next concert in the series, June 18, will feature performances from Edo.G, renowned rapper from Roxbury, Massachusetts best known for being the leader of the hip hop group Ed O.G & Da Bulldogs, with whom he released two albums in the early 1990s. Zumix alum. Omar Sosa will also be performing in addition to healthy food demos, guest speakers, WIC, SNAP and HIP, Climate Change interactives, and more.
For more information, please contact Latifa Ziyad at (857) 322-1331, email lziyad@noahcdc.org, or visit the HIP Concert page on our website noahcdc.org/hip-concert-series-2022
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KEEP UP TO DATE - FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA! |
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Make a BIG impact even with a SMALL Donation!
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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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