East Boston Community Council Inc

NEIGHBORHOOD BASED ORGANIZATION THAT PROMOTES THE ADVANCEMENT OF IMMIGRANTS OF ALL AGES THROUGH EDUCATION, SERVICES, ADVOCACY, COMMUNITY ORGANIZING, AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT.

THE YOUTH PROGRAM PROVIDES SERVICES TO APPROXIMATELY 200 STUDENTS ATTENDING THE EAST BOSTON HIGH SCHOOL. THOSE PROGRAM SERVICES INCLUDE SCHOOL ESL INSTRUCTION, STUDY SKILLS ESL, HOMEWORK HELP TIME, OPEN ACCESS COMPUTER LAB SESSIONS, HEALTHY LIFESTYLE WORKSHOPS, MOVIE NIGHT, OTHER FIELD TRIPS, AND THE ASPIRING PROGRAMS. ALL PROGRAMS ARE GEARED TOWARDS KEEPING STUDENTS ENROLLED IN HIGH SCHOOL AND GRADUATING ON TIME.

PARENT ORGANIZING PROGRAM WAS DEVELOPED TO MENTOR PARENTS AND EXPAND THEIR LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL. THE PROGRAM ENCOURAGES PARTICIPATION BY PARENTS IN THE IDENTIFICATION OF EDUCATIONAL NEEDS, PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING, AND OTHER PUBLIC EDUCATION OFFERINGS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THEIR CHILDREN. NUESTRA VOZ CUENTA (OUR VOICE COUNTS) ENCOURAGES THE RESIDENTS OF EAST BOSTON TO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN THE VOTING PROCESS. THE ORGANIZATION CONTINUES TO STRENGTHEN EXISTING PARTNERSHIPS AND DEVELOP NEW ORGANIZATIONAL PARTNERS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS. IN 2017 NVC REGISTERED 1,100 VOTERS IN THE PREPARATION FOR THE GUBERNATORIAL AND MIDTERM ELECTIONS AND ENGAGED THIS GROUP TO RECRUIT MORE VOLUNTEERS TO REGISTER MORE VOTERS IN THE EAST BOSTON COMMUNITY.

THE YOUTH PROGRAM CONTINUES IN A RECOVERY PATH AS WE NEEDED TO RESCALE THIS SERVICE FROM APPROXIMATELY 112 STUDENTS TO 60, NOT ONLY ATTENDING EAST BOSTON HIGH BUT FROM THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE. THOSE PROGRAM SERVICES INCLUDE SCHOOL ESL INSTRUCTION, STUDY SKILLS ESL, HOMEWORK HELP TIME, OPEN ACCESS COMPUTER LAB SESSION, HEALTH LIFESTYLES WORKSHOPS, MOVIE NIGHT AND OTHER FIELD TRIPS, AND THE ASPRING PROGRAMS. ALL PROGRAMS ARE GEARED TO KEEP STUDENTS ENROLLED IN HIGH SCHOOL AND GRADUATE ON TIME. THE PROGRAM HAS SHOWN SUCCESS IN MEETING THOSE PROGRAMMATIC GOALS IN 2022 DESPITE CONSTRAINTS PLACED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

OUR VOICE COUNTS (OVC) PROVIDES AND ENCOURAGES THE RESIDENTS OF EAST BOSTON TO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN THE VOTING PROCESS. HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF RESTRICTIONS IN DISTANCING, NO CONGREGATING, AND OTHER SAFETY MEASURES FOR STAFF, THESE SERVICES CONTINUED TO BE LIMITED IN 2022. WE HAVE CONTINUED BUILDING A GREATER CAPACITY FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT WORK FOR THE FUTURE. THE ORGANIZATION CONTINUES TO STRENGTHEN EXISTING PARTNERSHIPS AND DEVELOP NEW ORGANIZATIONAL PARTNERS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS AND EDUCATE PEOPLE THAT HAVE RECENTLY BECOME AMERICAN CITIZENS. UTILIZING THE USE OF BROADCASTED MESSAGES THROUGH RADIO STATIONS, THE DISTRIBUTION OF POSTCARDS IN LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES, AND THE OPERATION OF PHONE BANK SESSIONS, THE ORGANIZATION ASSISTED VOLUNTEERS TO REMIND REGISTERED VOTERS TO VOTE ON ELECTION DAY.

THE COMMUNITY LEGAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (CLEAP) PROVIDES GENERAL SERVICES SUCH AS CONSULTING, ADVANCED PAROLE, TRANSLATION, PREPARATION OF LETTER TO USCIS AND NOTARY SERVICES. THE ORGANIZATION SETS A FISCAL YEAR GOAL OF PROVIDING ACCESS FOR SERVICES TO 3,000 INDIVIDUALS. SERVICES WERE PROVIDED TO 2,792 BY THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR. THOSE SERVICES INCLUDED ASSISTING INDIVIDUALS WITH OBTAINING TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS (TPS) AND IMMIGRATION STATUS (OTHER THAN TPS), AND ALLOWING THE RENEWAL OF THEIR WORK PERMITS. IN ADDITON, THE ORGANIZATION ASSISTS IN THE COMPLETION OF I-130 FAMILY PETITIONS WHICH ENABLED THE REUNIFICATION OF FAMILIES BY BRINGING MEMBERS STILL IN THEIR HOMELANDS TO THE U.S. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO ASSISTS IN COMPLETING THE N-400 AND N-600 APPLICATIONS TO INITIATE THE NATURALIZATION PROCESS.

THE COMMUNITY LEGAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (CLEAP) PROVIDES GENERAL SERVICES SUCH AS CONSULTING, ADVANCED PAROLE, TRANSLATION, PREPARATION OF LETTER TO USCIS AND NOTARY SERVICES. THE ORGANIZATION SET A FISCAL YEAR GOAL OF PROVIDING ACCESS FOR SERVICES TO 2,000 INDIVIDUALS. SERVICES WERE PROVIDED TO MORE THAN 3,422 BY THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR. THOSE SERVICES INCLUDED INDIVIDUALS OBTAINING TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS (TPS), IMMIGRATION STATUS (OTHER THAN TPS), ALLOWING THE RENEWAL OF THEIR WORK PERMITS, ASSISTANCE IN COMPLETION OF I-130 FAMILY PETITIONS WHICH ENABLED THE REUNIFY OF FAMILIES BY BRINGING MEMBERS STILL IN THEIR HOMELANDS TO THE U.S., AND ASSISTANCE IN COMPLETING THE N-400 AND N-600 APPLICATIONS TO INITIATE THE NATURALIZATION PROCESS.

THE ADULT EDUCATION AND LATINA ESL PROGRAM PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE ARRAY OF EDUCATIONAL AND OTHER FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES. BASED ON ORGANIZATION CENSUS, 693 ADULTS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN BOTH THE LATINA ESL AND ADULT ESL PROGRAMS. WITHIN THE LATINA ESL PROGRAM AN ADVANCED LEVEL III WAS CREATED TO INCREASE ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION. THE ORGANIZATION CONTINUES TO SERVE AND SUPPORT PREGNANT AND PARENTING WOMEN WITH NOT ONLY THE ENGLISH CLASSES BUT ALSO BY PROVIDING FREE CHILDCARE TO THESE WOMEN WHILE THEY PARTICIPATE IN ESL INSTRUCTION. THESE PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO HELP THE LATINA MOTHERS NAVIGATE THEIR WAY THROUGH THE US EDUCATIONAL AND HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS AS THEY INTEGRATE INTO AMERICAN SOCIETY.

THE ADULT EDUCATION AND LATINA ESL PROGRAM PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE ARRAY OF EDUCATIONAL AND OTHER FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES. BASED ON ORGANIZATION CENSUS, 353 ADULTS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN BOTH THE LATINA ESL AND ADULT ESL PROGRAMS. WITHIN THE LATINA ESL PROGRAM AN ADVANCED LEVEL III WAS CREATED TO INCREASE ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION. THE ORGANIZATION CONTINUES TO SERVE AND SUPPORT PREGNANT AND PARENTING WOMEN WITH NOT ONLY THE ENGLISH CLASSES BUT ALSO BY PROVIDING FREE CHILDCARE TO THESE WOMEN WHILE THEY PARTICIPATE IN ESL INSTRUCTION. THESE PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO HELP THE LATINA MOTHERS NAVIGATE THEIR WAY THROUGH THE US EDUCATIONAL AND HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS AS THEY INTEGRATE INTO AMERICAN SOCIETY.