January/February 2009 Newsletter

 

Carlisle Senior HousingNewest NOAH Real Estate Project: Benfield Farms, Carlisle
NOAH will be building a 26-unit independent living, mixed-income, affordable senior community in Carlisle on 42 acres of land purchased by the Town for housing, recreation space, and conservation land/trails. In keeping with local dwellings, the project is designed to have the appearance of a traditional New England farm house and barn. Eighteen one-bedroom and eight two-bedroom apartments for residents aged 62 and older will be built. The development will include several communal areas, and will be built with universal design and 'green' principles. NOAH's team was selected by the Carlisle Housing Authority in a competitive process.    
NFMC LogoNOAH Receives Notice of Award from
Second Round of Congressional NFMC Funds
 

NOAH has received a 'Notice of Intent' from the national NFMC Program for 2009 for $187,200. NOAH received an award of $141,203 in the first round of funding. The NFMC program administrator is NeighborWorks America. NOAH instituted its new Foreclosure Prevention & Mitigation service in October of 2007 in response to overwhelming local and regional need. Since then, it has served over 500 families. Free weekly educational workshops are held at NOAH's East Boston office every Monday evening at 6:00 PM, except for holidays. If you have any questions about the program, please contact Carolina Trujillo at 617-418-8267 or ctrujillo@noahcdc.org

NOAH is committed to helping families, neighborhoods and communities in the face of the current foreclosure crisis. Our organization has just submitted an application to Boston's Department of Neighborhood Development to assist us in acquiring, rehabilitating and selling or renting abandoned, already foreclosed upon, properties in East Boston. A positive designation by the City would enable NOAH to access critical funding needed for this new program.    
 

Chelsea Creek PlanCBE to Receive Grant Awards from Three  Major Funders

NOAH's Community Building & Environment Department will be starting the New Year off with several recent grant awards. Jane's Trust, the Miller Foundation and an anonymous foundation are donating a total of $465,000 to NOAH and its partners for environmental work. In 1997 NOAH began its partnership in the Chelsea Creek Action Group, which was formed to work towards restoration of the Chelsea River and its environs, particularly the communities of Chelsea and East Boston. These are considered the third- and fifth-most environmentally overburdened communities in the state. The EPA has called the river the second-most polluted body of water in Massachusetts. NOAH and CCAG are also partnering with several other organizations to create the new Mystic River Watershed Collaborative. These include the Mystic River Watershed Association (MyRWA), Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), Alternatives for Communities and Environment (ACE), Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) and La Communidad. NOAH was selected, in part, because of its demonstrated success in promoting environmental justice and its ability to help low and moderate income people of diverse backgrounds "take a seat at the environmental table".   
20th Panelists20th Anniversary Event 
  
Some 200 attendees helped NOAH celebrate at its recent 20th Anniversary event at the Taj Boston. Donna Brazile, CNN weekly contributor and political commentator was the featured speaker. Rev. Liz Walker of WBZ-TV 4 moderated the panel discussion. Pictured (left to right) are the panelists: Brian Clarke of WHDH-TV; Peter Meade of Rasky Baerlin Strategic Communications; Paul Grogan, CEO of the Boston Foundation; Rosabeth Moss Kanter of the Harvard Business School; Donna Brazile; Liz Walker; Carol Fulp, John Hancock Financial Services VP; and Richard Taylor of the National Franchise Corp. Awards were given to Trinity Church in Copley Square and Bruce Marks, CEO of the Neighborhood Assistance Corp. of America (NACA). Donations for NOAH's Anniversary Event are still being accepted; if you would like to donate, you may do so on our web site at www.noahcdc.org.
NOAH Annual Report

 FY2008 Annual Report Available

The Fiscal Year 2008 Annual Report is available. It can be printed after accessing the document on NOAH's website by following the link below:
During the past fiscal year, NOAH served over 1,500 client families in its affordable housing programming areas, including Property Management, BHA and First-Time Homebuyers Education and Counseling, Rental Housing Counseling and Placement, Foreclosure Prevention and Mitigation, Loan Portfolio Management, and Real Estate Development. Of these, 85% earned less than 80% of the Area Median Income; with over 50% of clients earning less than 50% of the Area Median Income.
The Combined Statement of Activities for FY08 showed $2,530,400 in total operating revenues and $2,481,129 in total operating expenses for the NOAH corporate entities.
Events Calendar PagesUpcoming January & February Events
All events are held at NOAH at 143 Border Street in East Boston, unless indicated otherwise.
  
Bilingual Foreclosure Clinic 
Held every Monday evening excepting holidays:
  

Monday evenings, January 5, 12 & 26and February  2, 9 & 23 at 6:00 PM at NOAH. This is the initial counseling and education session for foreclosure prevention and mitigation counseling. Attendees should bring all recent mortgage related correspondence and paperwork. For more information, please contact Carlos Cespedes at (617) 418-8260.    

English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
The next semester of ESOL classes will begin on Tuesday, January 20 from 6:00 to 8:30 PM; and will continue through the second week of April. Level I classes will be held every Tuesday and Thursday evening. Level II classes will be held each Wednesday and Friday. The English Conversation Group will resume every Saturday morning from 9:00 to 11:00 AM. Please contact Manlio Mandez at 617-418-8242 for additional information.
Boston Collaborative for Food & Fitness Dinner
Free dinner and raffle! NOAH and the East Boston YMCA are holding the Boston Collaborative for Food and Fitness Community Dinner on Thursday,January 22 from 6:00 to 8:30 PM at the Maverick Landing House. Come hear about the assessments completed in East Boston around access to healthy foods and opportunities for activity and play; and help plan to make positive changes. Free childcare and translation services. To participate, please contact Diana Baldelomar at 617-418-8243 or dbaldelomar@noahcdc.org.
Chelsea Creek Action Group (CCAG) Meeting
The next CCAG meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 11 at 6:30 PM. CCAG meetings are typically held on the second Wednesday of each month. Newcomers are welcome. For more information, please call Brenda Cotto-Escalera at 617-418-8241.
Teen Environmental Job Fair
The Teen Environmental Job Fair is for youth throughout the metro area. It will be held on Thursday,February 19 from noon until 4:00 PM at the Maverick Landing Meeting House at 80 Border Street in East Boston. It is being sponsored by Maverick Landing Community Services in partnership with NOAH, E3C and TERI. Free. It is made possible by a grant from the Boston Youth Environmental Network. It will be followed by a Know What's Up concert. For more information, please call Diana Baldelomar at 617-418-8243.
 Know What's Up Concert
Immediately following the Teen Environmental Job Fair on February 19 will be the next Know What's Up Youth Concert from 4:00 to 7:00 PM, also at 80 Border Street. Free; sponsored by NOAH and Zumix. For more information about this event, or about the Know What's Up youth program, please call Diana Baldelomar at 617-418-8243.  
Thank you for your interest in NOAH! You can find out further information about NOAH events at our web site calendar at www.noahcdc.org.
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