PBHA’s MHSP serves families from Roxbury’s Mission Main and Alice Taylor housing developments, both predominately African American and Latino communities. Founded at the request of community members, MHSP provides crucial services for families who struggle to find affordable, innovative childcare. Community is a focus of MHSP–many families return year after year, and the staff lives in Mission. MHSP values both academics and working with advocacy and organizing groups in Mission Hill. MHSP focuses on violence prevention by having campers interact with youth from the South End’s Villa Victoria housing developments, a historically rival neighborhood, thus giving youth the chance to forge friendships which aim to prevent future acts of violence. For more information, please contact Kristly Luk (kristyluk@gmail.com) or Ann Cheng (ann.m.cheng@gmail.com)
formerly Project Umoja
The purpose of PBHA’s Mission Mentor is to foster one-on-one relationships between Mission Hill youth and area university students and graduates in order to broaden children’s access and exposure to the resources in Boston and beyond. Through encouragement and friendship, Mission Mentor strives to increase the confidence and optimism with which youth approach their own education and future. For more information, please contact Theo Skeadas (skeadas@fas).
PBHA’s Mission Hill After-School Program (MHASP) was created in 1983 at the request of residents of the Mission Main and Alice Taylor housing developments in Roxbury. Serving 60 children (ages 5-14) divided into four age groups, MHASP volunteers strive to provide individual attention within a classroom setting, with both homework assistance and by working with the children on a creative curriculum designed by program Coordinators. Additionally, optional bi-weekly field trips to museums, cultural events, and recreational facilities enhance counselor-student relationships. Counselors work with the same 1 or 2 children for the entire semester to provide the most consistent and rewarding relationship. The time commitment is 3.5 hours a week during one afternoon Monday through Thursday. For more information or for an application, please contact Amanda Guardado at mission.hill.after.school@gmail.com.
