5 Organizations That Help Low-Income Black Communities in Greater Boston
The biggest question going around right now is how can we help the black community? We have come to realize that there are racial disparities not only in our educational institutions, but also public safety and generational economic mobility. In part, these disparities are due to the high poverty rates in the black community. According to PovertyUSA, black Americans have the second highest poverty rate (20.8%) behind Native Americans (25.4%). In data, poverty has been shown to be correlated with higher neighborhood crime (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2014; Imran et. al, 2018; Mehlum et. al. 2005; Bjerk, 2010), impaired education (DeNavas-Walt and Proctor, 2015; Isaacs, 2012; National Center on Education Statistics, 2019; National Center on Education Statistics, 2020; National Institute of Health, 2012), and greater health problems (Williams et. al, 2010; Brooks-Gunn and Duncan, 1997; Wagstaff, 2002; American Academy of Pediatrics, 2016). It’s difficult to do well in school, when your parents do not have the means to send you to institutions with good education. Similarly, it is difficult to go to the hospital without the means to pay for the bills. Lack of education is a barrier to qualifying for higher-paying jobs, which may divert people to find illegitimate sources of income. Providing individuals in low-income minority communities with pathways to jobs and education is a crucial step to mitigate some of the racial disparities that we see today.
In Massachusetts, there are a few organizations that tackle the issue of poverty and the rift in education. The following organizations help low-income, minority communities by filling in the gaps that need to be addressed. Investing in these organizations is the same as investing in someone’s life. These are not one-time charity handouts, but skills that will follow families forever. Build someone up today.
1. Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services
The MLK Jr. Family Services organization provides a breadth of resources for youth and families. Through their Family Skill Building (FSB) Program, they teach parents how to improve money management skills and to create smart financial decisions. The Night Spot Program that they offer provides advocacy for court-involved youth. They also use early prevention methods with youth ages 13–22 that encourage them to have a drug-free future. Another great aspect is their Clemente Progam. It offers tuition free college courses to students who “belong to a household with income of no higher than 150% of the federal poverty level”. With so many educational opportunities, they are a great organization to support.
2. More Than Words
More than Words is a nonprofit that empowers youth ages 16 to 24 to learn business skills and gain work experience. According to their website, these youth are usually “court-involved, homeless, in foster care, or out of school”. They learn professional skills in retail, technology, and business management. Through the CORE Social Enterprise Program, they learn life skills like how to find housing and how to handle interviews. Finally, the Career Services Program helps them explore college options, while getting individualized counsel on job searches and career opportunities.
3. Economic Mobility Pathways (EMPath)
EMPath uses breakthrough brain science and data to aid low-income individuals to achieve economic independence. Their Family Bridge Program is a free program for South Boston families. They help foster goal-setting initiatives for families inter-generationally. Another service EMPath provides is the Mobility Mentoring Center. Specialists work with families on financial literacy and higher education to move them towards financial freedom.
4. Generations Inc.
Generations Incorporated provides effective literacy programs to children in Greater Boston and Revere. Primarily, they have a classroom literacy program that has volunteer tutors help students in class levels from kindergarten to 3rd grade. Reading coaches are an option for a one-on-one intensive tutoring with specific student. They also have a Summer Readiness Program which caters to students who may be falling behind in literacy achievements. They are often looking for volunteer to help with reading. These are list of some of the public schools that they work with:
- Martin Luther King Jr. K-8
- Charles H. Taylor Elementary School
- William Blackstone Elementary
- Beachmont Veterans Memorial School
- Staff Sargent James J. Hill Elementary School
5. School on Wheels
School on Wheels commits to providing one-on-one tutoring for children (Kindergarten-12) at one of its 18 tutoring sites. You may opt to become a tutor if you want to. They will give free training and resources. They also provide school supplies like backpacks and books to boost academic confidence in the classrooms. In their Bridge Program, they mentor homeless teens to remain active in high school while guiding them to college or vocational training. As of June 2019, their Bridge Program has a graduation rate of 100%. Many of their students now attend college in the Massachusetts area.
