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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COMMUNITY BUILDING & ENVIRONMENT |
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2022 East Boston Climate Resiliency Summit
On September 29th, NOAH hosted the 2022 East Boston Resiliency Summit. Mayor Michelle Wu visited the summit. The Mayor brought along with her the Chief of Environment - an East Boston resident - Alison Brizius, as well as Oliver Sellers-Garcia, Director of the City’s Green New Deal, and Shumeane Benford, Chief of Emergency Management. Mayor Wu’s administration has identified East Boston as in need of critical waterfront infrastructure improvements.
All together, more than 120 community residents and 22 organizational and academic leaders attended the summit to discuss a variety of challenging issues related to resiliency in East Boston. They sought to address extreme heat, flood prevention, critical infrastructure protection, evacuation preparations, air quality, food insecurity, pandemic planning, housing issues, youth concerns, and more - all underlined with equity considerations.
The summit was rooted in the idea that to be most resilient, neighborhoods like East Boston must utilize a collaborative resiliency network to alert and involve our vulnerable community to help prevent dangers. NOAH's Director of Community Engagement and Resilience, Latifa Ziyad, notes "If we are willing to collaborate and work with each other, as well as First Responders, to help us plan for a Climate event, East Boston’s thriving and diverse community will be much better off in the long run".
As we know, our East Boston neighborhood is physically, socially, and economically vulnerable to environmental change. A storm surge coupled with sea-level rise could severely disrupt lives and cause billions of dollars' worth of damage. Central Square is extremely vulnerable and, should a large storm like Superstorm Sandy hit the area, could be completely cut-off. NOAH has hosted four Climate Resiliency Summits since 2017, collectively attracting upwards of 600 residents, local officials, and climate practitioners. Individual and joint action is a big component of NOAH’s climate resiliency plan. By identifying actions that people can take to reduce harm from potential climate change-related impacts, developing initiatives to make those actions easy and accessible, and educating residents of their risks and available solutions, we can create significant positive change.
The next phase of NOAH's Resiliency programing includes an Emergency Preparedness Summit and the further development of a Resiliency Network. To learn more please contact Latifa Ziyad at: lziyad@noahcdc.org
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The HIP HIP HURRAY! 2 SNAPS and WICked FUN Concert Series
The final event in NOAH’s summer long concert series, ‘HIP’, concluded a great summer of community events. The six-part series was crafted in an effort to destigmatize and connect residents with food insecurity resources such as of federal food programs, SNAP, HIP and WIC.
Over the summer, eclectic musicians, story tellers, and community leaders joined NOAH to spread awareness of available food resources. Resident food insecurity remains high amongst our service area, and we continue to utilize efforts to address this pressing issue. The events offered some 1,300 in-need residents a series of healthy food demos, food cards and vouchers, carts to transport food, fresh vegetables, planting resources, and more.
The HIP Concert Series was created by NOAH in partnership with 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. The series was sponsored by the Mayor’s Office of Food Justice, with support from the Mass Service Alliance.
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NOAH Youth Organizers and Summer Programming
The NOAH Youth Organizers (N-YO) spent the summer months working tirelessly on their summer program initiatives, including Youth Soccer and Kayaking and Boat Safety. They continue their efforts to address environmental and social justice through projects such as their "No Trash, More Trees" campaign (200+ trees planted and maintained over the years), neighborhood events, community workshops, and more. NOAH Youth have also been helping to coordinate and host free activities and events for the community throughout East Boston.
As part of the City of Boston's Digital Equity Fund grant, aimed at addressing digital skills and technology access, NOAH provided each youth organizer with a surprise Mac Book Air to aid with their continued studies, hard work, and community activities, on completion of the summer program.
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NOAH hosts a range of free, bilingual family-friendly activities/events throughout the summer. Programing kicked off with Children's and Youth Soccer in July and ran through the summer. The bilingual soccer program becomes more popular each year, bringing neighborhood residents together for important community-building and physical activity while helping to preserve one of East Boston’s limited green spaces. July also saw the start of the Learn to Kayak and Boat Safety sessions at Constitution Beach. This program offers a great opportunity to make the most of East Boston’s waterfront and is free and open to all. By the end of summer, 900+ residents had participated in Kayaking and Boat Safety. |
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NOAH organized a Spectacle Island Community Day Event in July. One hundred and sixty East Boston residents joined hundreds of other visitors to Spectacle Island, a 114-acre island in Boston Harbor, for a free island day event featuring live music, food, and fun activities for all ages. The event was funded through the Innovation Island Grant and awarded to NOAH by Boston Harbor Now. Other recent community events included a free kayaking day event at Chelsea Creek, a Community Street Cleaning Day event on Homer Street in East Boston, the return of N-YO-lead Movie Nights, and more. |
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ESOL, Citizenship, & Tech Goes Home
NOAH’s ESOL program helps new Bostonians learn, improve, and practice their use of the written and oral English language in a comfortable, communal environment, and encourage engagement in building a stronger community.
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.
NOAH is very proud of our recent Tech Goes Home graduates and current attendees, all of whom receive a brand-new Chromebook on graduating.
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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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MA STATE 50% INVESTMENT TAX CREDITS |
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Did you know that you can receive a 50% refundable state tax credit when you donate $1,000 or more to CDCs like NOAH? Through the Massachusetts Community Investment Tax Credit (CITC) program, you can!
NOAH has been awarded the highest allotment level of state tax credits in 2022, at $250,000 in state CITCs.
We are seeing more families in need at the current time than we have ever seen before in our 35 year history, and greatly need additional investments in NOAH’s work. One way you can support NOAH right now is through making a CITC donation of $1,000 or over! Community Investment Tax Credit 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.
Two recent examples of 2022 CITC donations include a bank's charitable foundation which donated $10,000 for which they were able to claim $5,000 in state tax credits/rebate dollars and an individual anonymous donor who was able to receive $5,000 in state tax credits/rebate from their $10,000 CITC donation.
If you are able, please consider a CITC investment today! Visit our secure donation page at noahcdc.org/donate, or reach out to Linda Foster, Director of Fundraising, at linda@noahcdc.org
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RENTAL HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION SERVICES |
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Through working with the City of Boston's Mayor's Office of Housing Stability's COVID-19 Rental Relief Fund initiative, NOAH has helped over 2,112 families remain housed!
In May of 2020, NOAH was selected as one of two non-profits designated to distribute vital relief funds though the City’s COVID-19 Rental Relief Fund initiative. The City of Boston has invested millions of dollars in rent relief. To date $14,743,882 (in Federal, State and/or City funds) has been distributed by NOAH case managers on behalf of distressed Boston households, allowing them to remain safely housed in their apartment homes.
We would like to 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!
If you know or are a Boston resident who wishes to apply for possible Rental Relief funds, please click HERE to apply. If you know or are a Boston resident who wishes to apply for other rental housing service lines such as eviction prevention or housing placement, please email housingstability@boston.gov, call 617-635-4200, or click HERE. |
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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 offers 15 or more CHAPA-certified FTHB workshops as well as an online course – in both Spanish and in English. Be sure to click HERE to register for upcoming classes in both English and Spanish.
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Financial Capability
NOAH offers free bilingual financial capability seminars and individual financial coaching for those who need assistance with managing their finances. NOAH's Financial Capability program runs 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.
Sign up for a free, personalized, financial coaching session.
Make a plan to reach your financial goals, manage your spending and improve your credit.
Sign up here:
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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.
Our HUD-approved counselors meet with clients one-on-one to develop an action plan based on individual needs, create budgets, work to obtain loan modifications whenever possible, contact lenders to advocate for homeowners, and more. All programming is offered in English and Spanish - other languages also available with translation services - and is free of charge.
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NOAH's Homebuyers Services also continues to work in conjunction with the Massachusetts Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) 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. The Massachusetts Homeowner Assistance Fund is available to for homeowners who are behind on their mortgage payments by at least three months because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal of HAF is to prevent foreclosures and displacements of eligible homeowners. Mass HAF is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). 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 if you qualify for Mass HAF and apply at: massmortgagehelp.org
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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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A Staff Transition
Carlos Grajales-Thrall, formerly NOAH's Property Management Coordinator/Administrative Asst., will now be working with NOAH’s Home Buyer Services as their new Foreclosure Prevention Specialist. NOAH's property management team would like to extend their gratitude to Carlos for his hard work and dedication over the past 3 years and wish him much success in his new role at NOAH.
As always, NOAH's Property Management staff have been working hard to maintain NOAH's properties and offices. At NOAH's offices, all necessary COVID-19 safety precautions remain in place to insure a safe and comfortable environment for both staff and clients. If you have any questions, please contact Paula Vasquez at 617-418-8247 or email pvasquez@noahcdc.org
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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, Alexandra Granbury, Alfred E. Chase Charity Foundation Bank of America N.A. Trustee, Allen Family Charitable Lead Annuity Trust, Arcadias, Boston Harbor Islands National & State Park -Innovation Islands (Boston Harbor Now), Bushrod H. Campbell and Adah F. Hall Charity Fund, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, BlueHub Capital, BPHC -Social Determinants of Health, Cambridge Savings Bank, Charles H. Farnsworth Trust Bank of America N.A. Trustee, Citizens Bank, City of Boston, David Blake, East Boston Foundation, English for New Bostonians, Fidelity Charitable, Mr. & Mrs. George Koehler, New England Grassroots Environment Fund, Mr. & Mrs. Greg Comeau, Hackett Feinberg P.C., HarborOne Bank, Harvard Memorial Church, Jeffrey Loeb, JPMorgan Chase Foundation (NWA), John Connell, Joy Street Design, Karen Otto, Klein Hornig LLP, Madeline Devlin, Mary Stevens, Massachusetts Attorney General Office, Massachusetts Division of Banks, MHIC, MHP, Narrow Gate Architecture LTD, NeighborWorks America, One Bead Project, The Perry/Wood Family Trust, Resolution Architects, Robert Dorfman, Rockland Trust, Rick High & Anne Perkins, Rose Fiore, Sailor Snug Harbor, T.D. Charitable, United Way of Mass. Bay & Merrimack Valley, Webster Bank, and anonymous donors.
NOAH would also like to extend a special thank you to: Citizens Bank, which awarded NOAH another large Financial Literacy grant award; Cambridge Savings Bank for its generous donations in 2021 and 2022; and the Cummings Foundation for a $100,000 award over two years in support of the Homelessness Prevention project.
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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NOAH would additionally like to thank those who have joined us to volunteer. Opportunities range from long-term law school interns and AmeriCorps volunteers to half-day project volunteers, such as working in our youth-led community garden or performing maintenance upkeep at Trinity House for the formerly homeless in East Boston, homebuyer education, and working on work-force preparation skills with new immigrants. |
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Volunteers from Deloitte, Urban Wild |
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NOAH welcomed back volunteers from Deloitte to clean-up and maintain two East Boston sites, 'Our Garden' and the Condor Street Urban Wild. Deloitte has been a wonderful supporter of NOAH, and we are always grateful for all their hard work. |
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Volunteers from Blue Cross Blue Shield MA, 'Our Garden' |
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Volunteers from Blue Cross Blue Shield MA joined NOAH at their 12th annual Service Day in September. The group built and installed raised beds at the 'Our Garden' community garden. The team also worked to put together emergency supply kits as part of NOAH's Climate Resiliency efforts. We are grateful to all volunteers for their great work. |
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FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER CLASS – December 3 & 4
Tuesday, December 3, 9:00am - 1:30pm (Part I)
Wednesday, December 4, 9:00am - 1:30pm (Part II)
CURSO DE PRIMEROS COMPRADORES – 6 & 7 de Diciembre
Martes, 6 de Diciembre, 9:00am - 1:30pm (Parte 1)
Miércoles, 7 de Diciembre, 9:00am - 1:30pm (Parte 2)
NOAH HOLIDAY PARTY - December 15
Thursday December 15, 6:00pm
Spinelli's Banquet Hall, 282 Bennington St, East Boston, MA 02128
FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER CLASS – January 21 & 22
Saturday, January 21, 9:00am - 1:30pm (Part I)
Sunday, January 22, 9:00am - 1:30pm (Part II)
CURSO DE PRIMEROS COMPRADORES – 24 & 25 de Enero
Martes, 24 de Enero, 9:00am - 1:30pm (Parte 1)
Miércoles, 25 de Enero, 9:00am - 1:30pm (Parte 2)
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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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