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Our president Geeta Pradhan and board member Michael Monestime were among five community leaders honored by the Cambridge NAACP for their social justice work at the annual MLK Brunch on February 15.
Photo of HONK! parade passing through Porter Square in October 2019 The LA Times recently ran an article called “Wealth and struggle in a liberal bubble that Elizabeth Warren calls home.” The article captured the strengths and weaknesses of our city, which is experiencing stresses similar to San Francisco and other innovation cities. These complex issues of income inequality, housing and homelessness, and traffic gridlock are taxing urban innovation centers to the breaking point. We need national, regional, and local solutions. And Cambridge isn’t sitting on its laurels waiting for the bubble to burst, nor is it losing its soul. Cambridge is a responsive, compassionate city, fiercely protective of its shared values of kindness, diversity, inclusion, and creativity. Yes, our economy is booming, and with that comes unintended consequences. Our rapidly rising real estate values and a shortage of low- and middle-income housing mean more than half of our residents struggle to find affordable homes. One in seven residents lives in poverty. One-third of our public school students of color are unprepared to pursue the jobs our city offers. One out of 10 Black and Latinx households has no internet yet every major tech company has a presence in
The Cambridge Community Foundation has named Michal Rubin, a development executive with 15 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, as vice president of development. Rubin will play a key role in helping the Foundation address the social challenges Cambridge faces by strengthening partnerships with donors and nonprofit partners and advancing the organization’s strategic direction in the new decade.
Photo courtesy of Cambridge School Volunteers. Could one of your New Year’s resolutions be to more actively participate in the community? In a big world with many challenges, taking local action is a way each of us can make a difference — by impacting one family, one nonprofit, one cause, or one community. If you live, work, or spend time in Cambridge, consider giving back to the community in 2020. Here are some ideas to get you started: 1. Gift a little of your time. Consider using some of your free time to do something positive getting better connected with our community (and have fun). Do you have MLK Day off from work? Invite family or friends to join you at the MLK Day of Service (Monday, Jan. 20 in Central Square) to make valentines for seniors, create fleece blankets and scarves for community members experiencing homelessness, and more. There are also numerous year-round volunteering opportunities. Those who care about addressing the climate crisis, can join the Charles River Conservancy for clean-ups of public parks and recreational areas. People interested in supporting the next generation can make meaningful connections with youth through Cambridge School Volunteers. You can find
A feature story from our 2019 annual report.
A feature story from our 2019 annual report.
A feature story from our 2019 annual report.
Photo courtesy of De Novo Center for Justice and Healing. Amid the current immigration crisis in our country, the stories of the people in our own community who are deeply affected by tightening immigration policies demonstrate the urgency of this issue. “Tania”, a teenage mother, suffered abuse and neglect at home and threats of gang violence in her native country. She escaped Central America, but only because of legal support from De Novo, can she now safely rebuild her life here in the U.S. “Paul”, who fled the Khmer Rouge genocide as a child, has raised his children in Massachusetts. Now at risk of deportation, Paul has gotten the help he needs from Greater Boston Legal Services to stay in the home he’s built with his family. Tania, Paul, and so many others in our community rely on free or low-cost legal services to be able to safely stay in the country. The United Legal Defense Fund for Immigrants is the local giving platform to help these vulnerable community members receive the legal services they need to lead safe lives in refuge. The critical role of the United Legal Defense Fund for Immigrants In March 2018, the Cambridge
Q&A with Geeta Pradhan, President Can you tell us a little about your background and what brought you to CCF? GP: My career in Boston spanned 30 years, with work ranging from community development to affordable housing to sustainability to philanthropy. When I got this phenomenal opportunity to go to the Cambridge Community Foundation, I was very intrigued. But honestly, my first reaction was, ‘Why would I go to Cambridge?’ The city has a reputation of wealth and prosperity, and I’d spent my whole life working on issues around equity and poverty in Boston. But then I started looking at the data. I was stunned that 18 percent of Cambridge children live in poverty. This is a small enough city, with world-class intellectual capital…why can’t we wrap our arms around it and solve the problems of the community? If we really put our minds to it, we can find solutions. What do you think makes Cambridge special? GP: What makes Cambridge special is that you can really sense the values of the city. Walking in Central Square, you see cultures from all around the world represented in the people, the restaurants and stores, and the languages spoken. That is
The foundation of and for all of Cambridge, we harness the power of collective action to ensure a vibrant, just, and equitable city for everyone.
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