Building Communities
Changing Lives

January 2022

Dear Friends and Supporters,

As we start the new year, Community Teamwork is gearing up for our important 2023 – 2025 Community Needs Assessment (CNA), and we need your help. Every three years, we conduct a survey to find out the most pressing needs in our communities. The results of the survey help to form our Strategic Plan, which we update every three years, and are shared with organizations in cities and towns in Greater Lowell.

From housing, to transportation to childcare needs, the survey is your opportunity to prioritize needs and help shape programs and services to meet those needs. Additional details on how you can help are below as well as a link to the 2021 – 2023 CNA.

We hope you will join us in welcoming new staff as we fill important agency positions, and please be sure to congratulate our YouthBuild Program Manager, Siobhan Sheehan, on her election to Vice President of the Massachusetts YouthBuild Coalition.

I continue to be so proud of our staff and our many community partners for the work they continue to do for our community each and every day, work we would not be able to do without the support of our donors, including the TD Bank Foundation, who recently provided funding to The Entrepreneurship Center to help small businesses succeed.

Wishing you a happy and healthy 2023!

Gratefully,
Community Teamwork
Community Needs Assessment Survey
Community Teamwork is in the process of its new Community Needs Assessment. We are working to get as many survey respondents as possible and need your help.

Would you please consider responding to the link below and/or sharing with your Lowell and greater Lowell friends and networks?

This opportunity helps Community Teamwork generate our Community Needs Assessment for Greater Lowell, which provides qualitative and quantitative data on poverty in our region and can be used to help identify additional resources for the region.
Community Needs Survey: Help us understand our community!
 
Encuenta de las necesidades de la comunidad: Ayúdenos a entender nuestra comunidad!
 
ការស្ទង់មតិអំពីតម្រូវការសហគមន៍៖ ជួយយើងឱ្យយល់អំពីសហគមន៍របស់យើង។
 
Pesquisa das Necessidades da Comunidade – Ajude-nos a entender a sua comunidade.
 
استبيان الاحتياجات المجتمعية: ساعدنا على فهم مجتمعنا.


Community Teamwork is a catalyst for social change. We leverage our programs, our partnerships, and our collective voice to foster equity, compassion, and community engagement to create housing, education and economic opportunities.
CTI's Siobhan Sheehan Elected Vice President of the Massachusetts YouthBuild Coalition
The article below appeared in this month's News Around the Coalition, published by the Massachusetts YouthBuild Coalition.
We are so excited to announce that Siobhan Sheehan, the Program Manager for YouthBuild Lowell, was voted in as the new Vice President of the Massachusetts YouthBuild Coalition in November. Siobhan has a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from the University of
Massachusetts Lowell.

Siobhan shared, "I have been a part of the YouthBuild Lowell family for 11 years. Starting my journey as a Case Manager, I moved up the ladder to eventually become Program Manager. Prior to YouthBuild, I worked for 10 years with the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office. Although that experience was wonderful, I felt that I was not making enough of a difference in the world. I knew from working in corrections that something needed to be done. It was clear that the impact the community had on those individuals was crucial to help them stay on the right path for success.

That was when I found YouthBuild and learned about all the wonderful things they created for young people. I have had the honor of working with these young people- witnessed success, growth, and change and understood what it takes to support our young people in a meaningful way. As a community, it is our responsibility to help those in need and work towards creating opportunities for success.

I want to say Thank You to all the YouthBuild staff across the world. You are making a difference and I am proud to call all of you my family."
CTI Announces New Director of Development
Community Teamwork is pleased to announce that Deniz (Denise) Ozturk has joined the organization as the incoming Director of Development (DoD). In this role, Denise will manage the Community Investment Tax Credit (CITC) charitable-giving and State tax reimbursement incentive program unique to Community Development Corporations. She will also oversee strategic fundraising efforts from annual fund and corporate giving to major gifts and planned giving. She is skilled in donor relations, stewardship and prospect research for which she is a member of the fundraising and donor relations professional associations.

Denise has studied the Causes of Regional Variations in the U.S Poverty Rate and, after starting her professional career in the Asset Management and Financial Services industry, she worked in international development managing private sector partnerships and corporate citizenship initiatives for the United Nations, including the UN Global Compact. For over 7 years, she educated and advised companies, investors, stock exchanges and regulators on sustainability reporting and also raised funds from high-net-worth-individuals such as business and investor executives and entrepreneurs for the UN’s main Private Sector initiative. After returning to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, which she considers home, Denise began raising private funding from individual and institutional donors for human and social services agencies and commissions. Denise has a life-long commitment to sustainable development, including poverty eradication.
CTI Announces New Deputy Division Director of Residential Programs
Community Teamwork is pleased to announce that Sean Wilson has joined the organization as the, new Deputy Division Director of Residential Programs within the Housing and Homeless Services Division. In this role, Sean will oversee all of the Emergency Assistance Shelters and Programs. Sean will provide direction and guidance by facilitating on-site supervision and building upon community and state partnerships. 

Emergency Housing Assistance provides emergency shelter and supportive services to families who are experiencing housing instability due to loss of housing or fleeing domestic violence. This program assists with finding permanent housing options. CTI provides a variety of housing programming and supportive services across 72 cities and towns within Massachusetts. These programs vary from homelessness prevention and homeless shelters to administering subsidized housing to more than 3,600 tenants.

Sean expressed, “I am excited and grateful to take on this new role at Community Teamwork. I hope to contribute to the agency’s mission and integrate myself into the Lowell community. I am looking forward to the work ahead and am pleased to have a positive and passionate team surrounding me.”
TD Charitable Foundation Approves Contribution to CTI’s Entrepreneurship Center 
The TD Charitable Foundation provided Community Teamwork with a $10,000.00 contribution to the Entrepreneurship Center which supports small businesses.
TD Bank believes that organizations such as Community Teamwork and the Entrepreneurship Center play a significant role in sustaining vibrant and thriving communities. TD Bank through its charitable giving arm, the TD Charitable Foundation, carries a legacy of supporting not‐for‐profit institutions and their important work throughout our region. Since its inception in 2002, the foundation has contributed over $295 million in grant funding to not‐for‐profit organizations in the communities where we work, live, and do business.

The Grant is to be used in support of approximately 25 businesses. The focus will be on the E-Center’s strategic goal of supporting disadvantaged, minority-/women-owned businesses, with a specific target on Gateway Cities, and providing entrepreneurs training and access to financial software, namely QuickBooks.

The Entrepreneurship Center at CTI was founded to provide entrepreneurs from ethnically and economically diverse groups with the education, tools and access to SBA micro loan products necessary to launch, expand and sustain small business.
VITA IS COMING…..VITA IS COMING!!!

Can you believe it is nearly tax season?
Keep your eyes open for Community Teamwork’s Financial Education Center information on how to schedule an appointment for Free Tax Assistance through our VITA - Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program. VITA provides free tax prep to anyone qualifying for the Earned Income Tax Assistance Credit (EITC).

We are waiting for confirmation from the IRS on when the site will be officially open AND Eric Rosario and Jackyie Gonzalez, our VITA experts are ready to help.
Fair Housing Program

Community Teamwork Introduces its new Fair Housing Program. Everyone is entitled to housing without discrimination. Discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, family status, disability, and source of income are all prohibited.


The Fair Housing Program offers free Fair Housing trainings (virtually or in-person). Fair Housing is housing without discrimination. Tenant and advocate trainings focus on rights, self-advocacy, and enforcement. Trainings for housing providers (landlords & property management) focus on rights and best practices.


CONTACT THE COMMUNITY TEAMWORK FAIR HOUSING PROGRAM

Contact us at (978) 654-5736 or fairhousing@commteam.org OR



Accepting New Applications for Fuel Assistance 2022-2023
Electric and Gas prices have recently skyrocketed. Individuals and Families at most income levels are struggling to keep up with inflation and soaring food and energy prices. Fortunately, help with fuel costs is available to more families than may be realized.

Please see details below and/or visit our website to see if you or your loved ones qualify.


Calling all Housing Provider Partners
Community Teamwork is looking for 2 and 3 bedroom units in Lowell, Lawrence and surrounding towns.

Units must be deleaded. We can offer longer term leases. This is a special program and provides some extra benefits to the owners.

Please email your responses to Avi Glaser acf2022@commteam.org

This newsletter is sponsored by our Premier Partner, Enterprise Bank, who continues to support Community Teamwork's mission each and every day.

We appreciate all of our Sponsors whose continued generosity allows us to fulfill our mission.
There are ALWAYS Ways to Help
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.