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Building Communities
Changing Lives
July 2021
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Dear Friends,
We remain busy at Community Teamwork this Summer with the opening of our Friday Farmers' Market at Lucy Larcom Park and our continued work providing thousands with rental assistance through our RAFT and ERMA Programs. In addition, many are taking advantage of our First Time Home Buyers classes and Financial Coaching through our Financial Education Center, and we are busy planning our Annual Golf Charity Classic again this year in support of our Mill City Mentor Program,
Our Entrepreneurship Center participated in a recent roundtable bringing small businesses together to speak with Lt. Governor Karyn Polito and Secretary Mike Kennealy, who kicked off their 26-city tour across Massachusetts discussing ways the state can use the American Rescue Plan Act Funds; and we also spoke about our work during COVID and our recovery efforts at the Gateway Cities Legislative Caucus recently held at UMass Lowell. Lastly, we are thrilled to announce that Community Teamwork received a large grant for Financial Literacy initiatives from the Massachusetts Division of Banks.
Additional details on all of these recent activities and initiatives can be found below in this newsletter. We hope you enjoy the beautiful weather and, as always, thank you for your ongoing support.
We wish you continued health and happiness,
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Karen Frederick, CEO
Community Teamwork
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The 2021 Lowell Farmers' Market is Open for Business!
Find out more about the market and download your vendor application.
We're looking for entertainers too!
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Mill City Mentors Program makes available
Online Application for Mentors and Mentees
The Mill City Mentors Program at CTI now has an online application for parents/guardians to complete when looking at potential mentoring programs for their children ages 7-22:
If you have any questions or concerns when filling out the online application, please feel free to reach out to Ed Banks, Program Coordinator: ebanks@commteam.org
Thank you!
SAVE THE DATE FOR MCM GOLF CLASSIC
Thursday, September 16th
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Financial Education Center |
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First Time Home Buyers Webinar (FTHB)
The next monthly FTHB workshop is being held via Zoom August 10, 12, 17 and 19. 6pm-8:30pm -- Must attend all 4 sessions. Cost $60
Join us this September for the Financial Literacy Academy! A free 6-session course covering all the hot topics such as Budgeting, Credit, Saving and so much more! Sessions will be held virtually via Zoom on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6pm to 8pm!
Dates: 9/21, 9/23, 9/27, 9/30, 10/5, 10/7
If anyone you know is looking for help with their financials, please feel free to reach out to us. We’re here to help. Call 978.770.3077 or email Tracy Parenteau to register or schedule your appointment and safeguard your financial future!
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Lt. Governor Polito and Secretary Kennealy meet with the Entrepreneurship Center @ CTI and with Small Business Owners to Discuss Economic Recovery
Secretary Kennealy bookended by Larry and Evan Kretikos new owners
of TREND, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, Rep. Tom Golden, Rep. Vanna Howard
and Larry Andrews
Michael Kennealy, Housing and Economic Development Secretary came to Lowell to raise awareness of the Governor’s plan to invest some of Massachusetts' America Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds in Downtown across the Commonwealth. He is touring downtowns to speak to business owners and other stakeholders as well as to promote the plan.
His visit along with Larry Andrews, President and CEO at Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation, Lt. Governor Karyn Polito, and other dignitaries started with a 30-minute tour of a few businesses in downtown Lowell (Trend, Classic Convenience, Lowell Culinary, Little Delights) and concluded with a 45 minute roundtable discussion at the Olympia Restaurant with local business owners and partners.
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Gateway Cities Legislative Caucus Presentation
Lowell is first stop for pols on tour COVID-19 RECOVERY
Karen Frederick, CEO CTI discusses the impact of COVID-19 in the gateway
cities of Methuen, Lawrence and Lowell and the challenges going forward.
Members of the Gateway Cities Caucus met at the UMass Lowell Innovation Hub on the first stop of their Merrimack Valley tour which also included stops in Methuen and Lawrence. Caucus members heard about the challenges and opportunities posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in Lowell in the areas of health care, education, food insecurity, economic development, and human services.
Presentations were made by Assistant City Manager/DPD Director Christine McCall, Lowell Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Joel Boyd, Community Teamwork, Inc. CEO Karen Frederick, Merrimack Valley Food Bank, Inc. Executive Director Amy Pessia, and Lowell Community Health Center CEO Susan Levine.
Community Teamwork CEO Director Karen Frederick told the legislators, “We were able to keep our programs going. We never lost one day of service.” But there were new challenges. "Families couldn’t get to food,” Frederick said. So Community Teamwork carried it to people, providing “724 meals daily.” Just as Dr. Joel Boyd said the pandemic made systemic issues more visible, Frederick said, “child care was in crisis before the pandemic.”
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New Division of Banks Program Awards Community Teamwork $244,400 for Innovative Financial Literacy Initiatives and Debt Resolution Education
In June, the Massachusetts Division of Banks (Division) launched a pilot program which awarded $2,254,361 in grants to 18 organizations to fund financial literacy and debt resolution education programs. The intent of the funding is to empower all residents of the Commonwealth with the knowledge they need to obtain and keep a home, save and pay for a college education, and better understand maintaining their overall finances.
Community Teamwork’s Financial Education Center was one of the 18 nonprofit organizations serving Massachusetts consumers with challenging financial needs and was awarded $244,400.
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YouthBuild of Greater Lowell Graduation Ceremony |
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Please Join Us
Community Teamwork's YouthBuild of Greater Lowell
Graduation Ceremony
Friday August 20, 2021
Ceremony is from 11:30am to 3:00pm
Shedd Park
453 Rogers Street, Lowell, MA 01852
Please RSVP to Tim Caldwell
by August 13, 2021
978-905-7375
It was a long year but the YouthBuild students persevered. This year’s Graduation is being held outdoors and it is going to be a lot of fun!
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Funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor's
Employment and Training Administration.
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from YouthBuild of Greater Lowell
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CAREERS AT COMMUNITY TEAMWORK
Housing Development Project Manager
The Housing Development Project Manager will oversee a number of affordable housing and development projects in various stages of planning and construction. They will receive support as needed to learn pieces of the work that are new to them, and have opportunities for growth and increased responsibility over time. Reports to experienced Housing Developer.
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This newsletter is sponsored by our Premier Partner, Enterprise Bank, who continues to support Community Teamwork's mission each and every day.
We appreciate their continued generosity and the generosity of all of our donors.
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There are ALWAYS Ways to Help |
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If you find yourself in a position to help, your contribution will aid our efforts on every front as we work together to defeat COVID-19, care for our clients and families in their hour of greatest need, and emerge stronger than ever.
To make a donation to help Community Teamwork fulfill its mission, please
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COMMUNITY TEAMWORK
978.459.0551
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