UWMBMV News

Funding Futures: Federal grant fuels $1M savings effort for low-income families

Meghan Keaney — Thu, 01 Dec 2005 00:00:00 -0600

BOSTON – United Way of Massachusetts Bay (UWMB), in partnership with MIDAS , is today unveiling a new $1 million public-private partnership that will bring a powerful savings tool to Boston-area low-income families. “Funding Futures” will provide 500 low-income families with an incentive to save, helping them to meet their financial goals and achieve self-sufficiency.The new partnership is being announced as a Massachusetts legislative conference committee considers a provision that could make Individual Development Accounts (IDA) more accessible to low-income families. read more »

New study reveals characteristics of successful after-school programs

Meghan Keaney — Wed, 16 Nov 2005 00:00:00 -0600

BOSTON – Parents want after-school programs to help put their children on the path to success – in school and beyond. But new research being released today by United Way of Massachusetts Bay reveals simply walking through the doors of an after-school program isn’t enough. The Massachusetts After-School Research Study finds that the staff’s ability to engage youth and their families is a key barometer for whether the after-school program will result in positive outcomes for youth. read more »

N. E. Patriots and United Way teamed up for neighborhood development

Meghan Keaney — Tue, 18 Oct 2005 00:00:00 -0500

The Patriots players worked alongside staff from UWMB-affiliate agency ESAC, the City of Boston Department of Neighborhood Development and teenage volunteers from YouthBuild Boston to improve the conditions of a 125-year old Mattapan house owned by Barbara Jones. The players and volunteers worked to make the home more handicap-accessible for Mrs. Jones, who has been living with Multiple Sclerosis for 26 years.

Projects that took place on October 18 included:

* Building a handicap ramp over Mrs. Jones’s front stairs
* Repairing the chain-link fence that surrounds the property read more »

United Way, Schott Foundation issue "Making it Work"

Meghan Keaney — Mon, 17 Oct 2005 00:00:00 -0500

BOSTON – United Way of Massachusetts Bay and the Schott Foundation for Public Education today release a report with recommendations to help ensure that children receive quality education and care both before they enter school and after the school bell rings. “Making it Work” is a blueprint for creating a professional development system for the Massachusetts ’ workforce serving children and their families outside of the traditional classroom. read more »

Family reading effort to expand in South Shore communities

Meghan Keaney — Thu, 13 Oct 2005 00:00:00 -0500

QUINCY -- United Way of Massachusetts Bay (UWMB), South Shore Day Care Services (SSDCS) and educational publisher Houghton Mifflin Company today are launching an effort to encourage and inspire parents to read at home with their preschool children. The partnership will expand the successful Project RISE (Reading Is So Exciting) in Quincy , Randolph and Weymouth and will be kicked off by a series of free community events. read more »

1,200 Boston-area employees swapped day in office for day of service

Meghan Keaney — Thu, 29 Sep 2005 00:00:00 -0500

BOSTON – When more than 1,200 corporate workers from 49 Boston-area companies arrived ready for “work” on Thursday, September 29, they crossed the thresholds of programs offering child care, after-school activities, job training and affordable housing instead of walking through the doors of their companies. read more »

United Way calls for greater investment in “human capital”

Meghan Keaney — Fri, 23 Sep 2005 00:00:00 -0500

“Nationally, United Way is challenging officials to match the billions that will be spent rebuilding the Gulf Coast region’s physical infrastructure with similar investments in human capital,” Little said. “Imagine the social progress that we would see in our community if we created the same movement and dedicated even greater resources to ensure social and economic opportunity is accessible to all.” read more »

U.S. Labor Department's Women's Bureau & United Way of Mass. Bay Presented Free Financial Literacy Conference for Women and Girl

Meghan Keaney — Wed, 29 Jun 2005 00:00:00 -0500

BOSTON – The Women’s Bureau of the U.S. Department of Labor and United Way of Massachusetts Bay joined forces to present a free financial literacy conference for women and girls in Boston on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2005. The two agencies sponsored Mothers, Daughters & Money, a conference which aimed to increase the knowledge and confidence that women of all ages bring to the tasks of basic money management, investing, saving, retirement planning, debt elimination, and other related topics. read more »

United Way releases plan to invest $32 million in 64 communities

Meghan Keaney — Wed, 29 Jun 2005 00:00:00 -0500

BOSTON - United Way of Massachusetts Bay (UWMB) is announcing plans to invest $32 million to empower communities and families to surround kids with the essential ingredients for healthy development. The research-backed cornerstones of UWMB's fiscal year 2006 allocations are: creating opportunities that lead to family self-sufficiency, securing safe, affordable housing, providing children with environments that enable learning and fostering positive connections between young people and adults. read more »

Mayor Menino, Senator Kennedy headline launch of United Way Math, Science, Technology after-school effort

Meghan Keaney — Thu, 02 Jun 2005 00:00:00 -0500

BOSTON -- Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino, U.S. Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Cambridge Mayor Michael A. Sullivan, and the top executives at Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research and EPIX Pharmaceuticals joined United Way of Massachusetts Bay today as it announced the launch of its Math, Science & Technology after-school effort in Boston, Quincy and Lynn. Renowned MIT professor, scientist and inventor Dr. Robert S. Langer also addressed United Way’s “Dream in Science, Phase II” event, which drew 200 professionals from the life science and supporting industries. read more »