Summer 2011 Newsletter

72 New Affordable
Apartments for Rent!

We currently have a number of new affordable units for rent outside of Boston through our management company, Corcoran Management. At Cutler Heights in Holliston, 30 units are in the leasing process. NOAH partnered with JNJUHL Associates and the Holliston Housing Development Corporation on this Town-supported building. The Cutler Heights Ribbon Cutting was held on June 2nd (pictured). For more information about this new development in the center of Holliston, visit www.CutlerHeights.com. The Stevens Corner development in North Andover recently held its Housing Lottery at the Town Library. There are 42 affordable units available in this attractive structure rehabilitated from a former nursing home facility. To find out more specifics or rental information, please click here.

NOAH Honors Mayor Menino &

Local Activists at Trinity Treasures 

On the first full day of summer, NOAH honored such memorable figures as Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, Dr. Edith DeAngelis, Grace Flynn, Ginny St. Cyr, Evelyn Morash, Judge Ferrino, Mary Cahalane; as well as contemporary figures Rick Dimino, Fran Riley, and Joey Cuzzi, all of whom have helped make Trinity House the social and cultural landmark it is today. NOAH saluted the unique role that East Boston citizen-leaders have had in empowering East Boston residents via terrific Trinity House programs throughout the years. NOAH's youth programming helps to ensure that the legacy of civic values embedded in the history of Trinity House is passed along to the next generation; and proceeds from the event went to the NOAH youth programs.

Despite torrential rain, a good time was had by all. Tree presentations were made to the East Boston neighborhood associations. Attendees had their choice of refreshments from Vietnamese, Italian and Hispanic cuisines. We wish to thank our many sponsors for this event, including Citizens Bank, The Beal Companies, Suffolk Downs, East Boston Savings Bank, Fran Riley, BNY Mellon Bank, NeighborWorks America, Sovereign Bank, MassPort, Boston Housing Authority, Trinity Church, East Boston Health Center, East Boston YMCA, Michael Lake, Peter Ciampi, VIVA Consulting, MHIC, Judge Joseph Ferrino, the Bay State Chapter Freedoms Foundation and The Narrow Gate Architects.

NOAH Finalizing Strategic Planning Process

VIVA Consulting is working with NOAH Board, staff and stakeholders on NOAH's three- to five-year Strategic Planning process, thanks in great part to LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation) and NeighborWorks America.

Consultants Judy Weber and Laurie Gould reported that NOAH has a very good reputation; and that we are doing the right things, and doing them well. We are said to be a great partner, a great listener, 'in-touch', and good at building consensus and constituencies. They noted that our current staff is well-liked, 'the suburban communities that you are active in love you', and our community work in East Boston is also highly regarded. In the suburbs, it was said that NOAH is filling a real need that no one else is filling; and East Boston stakeholders want us to continue doing our local initiatives and quality-of-life-related work. When asked why these stakeholders and funders keep supporting us, they all reported that it was because of the high quality of our proposals, across all departments. The consultants said they had never heard this compliment before and they noted its importance. At this stage of the strategic planning process, there are four focus groups meeting to review the various organizational departments and service lines, working to develop a three- to five-year strategic plan detailing NOAH's various goals and objectives. The future warns us to continue to be difficult financially. Due to the depressed economic climate, the length of time it takes to fund real estate development projects is growing and it is becoming increasingly competitive, while there is an overall decrease in support for community building and foreclosure mitigation work.

Year's Chelsea River Revel Festivities!

On July 23rd, NOAH's Community Building and Environment crew organized a day of festivities celebrating the beautiful public open spaces along East Boston's Chelsea Creek. At the American Legion Park, fourteen teams competed in a youth-organized basketball tournament, while ten soccer teams -- including two from NOAH's youth soccer program -- vied for the coveted City Yards Community Soccer Trophy. Spectators enjoyed a live concert and food from local vendors, while children explored the park on two wheels with free bike rentals provided by Boston Bikes. Meanwhile, across the street at the Condor Street Urban Wild, dozens of residents experienced the beauties of the Chelsea Creek by water, paddling in canoes and kayaks up and down the river. Children and families enjoyed kite making, face painting, and the hula-hooping performers from the "Vegetable Circus." Many thanks to all our hard-working volunteers who made this fun event possible on a hot, sunny day! Later in the year a boat cruise is planned as another of the River Revel events; please be on the watch for further details.

Children's Summer
Programs In Full Swing 

NOAH's O'Donnell Schoolyard and Summer Soccer programs are going strong! The Schoolyard program operates five days a week, with an average of 60 or more children attending daily. Special visits from the Boston Fire Department, the Boston Police Department, and the Museum of Science complement the regular programming of arts and crafts, recreational activities, games, environmental education, and more. Free breakfast and lunch are served each day. There are an additional 60 children attending each session of the Children and Youth Community Soccer program; children can attend two to three times weekly. Coaches teach the 'soccer basics' and manage team practices and games. NOAH is still actively fundraising for these two children's programs. If you would like to make a donation, please contact Linda Miller-Foster at linda@noahcdc.org or 617-418-8246. (Pictured:The Boston Police Department K-9 Unit gives a presentation to the children at the O'Donnell Schoolyard last week.)

NOAH wishes to thank its most recent funders. We received awards for our foreclosure mitigation activities from NFMC Round Five and EHLP (Emergency Homeowner Loan Program) funding, both via NeighborWorks America; as well as a grant from the Alfred E. Chase Foundation. We also received grants for our children's programming from the City of Boston's 'Boston Rocks!' and from the East Boston Foundation. Additionally, we received funds from English for New Bostonians, Citizens Bank, Boston Private Bank, the Mass. Division of Banks, Sailors Snug Harbor, Bushrod & Campbell, the Charles Farnsworth Trust and more. In Fiscal Year 2011 overall, NOAH was able to raise $1.5+ million in donations, grants and additional social service-related awards. Many, many thanks to all our generous program funders!
 

NOAH Hires Two New Staff

NOAH has hired two new staff members, Claudia Gongora (pictured left) and Doribel Tercero-Parker (right). Claudia has been volunteering at NOAH in the foreclosure prevention area while studying at the Boston University Law School's graduate LLM program in Banking and Financial Law. Now that she has graduated, she is working full-time at NOAH. She will be counseling and marketing to subprime mortgage loan recipients, providing education and assistance in bankruptcy counseling, credit counseling, tax counseling, rental housing assistance counseling and 'know your rights' counseling. Consumers she serves will be those who are in receipt of a petition to foreclose or further along in the foreclosure process, and include those who have already experienced a recent foreclosure. She can be reached at 617-418-8261.

Doribel comes to us from the East Boston Health Center and will serve as NOAH's new Renew Boston Neighborhood Network Coordinator. She will be overseeing energy conservation programming and providing free energy efficiency counseling, educating

Boston residents about this no-cost program to help conserve energy and lower their utility bills. She can be reached at 617-418-8249. Both Claudia and Doribel are trilingual. Next time you visit our offices, please stop by and say "welcome"!

NOAH Has a New Blog

Now NOAH has a new Blog! Click here to visit the page. We hope that you will check it out periodically. We will be posting information and commentary concerning events, NOAH programming and service lines, and issues related to affordable housing, the environment and climate change, and more. As always, we welcome your suggestions - please click here to contact Linda Miller-Foster with any of your ideas. And don't forget to go to our Facebook page through the link below, and hit the "Like" button - thanks!

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