Some key highlights of the year include
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3 OEP students achieved their HiSET credentials, and an additional 10 are currently testing in one or more of the five subject areas!
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Creating, organizing, and facilitating weekly Wellness Workshops and two Selfcare Workshops for youth and OEP participants that provided trauma-informed psychoeducation, self-care activities, psychotherapy techniques, mental health screenings, and access to mental health resources
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Running three career exploration/workforce development areas in Makeup artistry, Starbucks Job Readiness, and Boston Children's Hospital Food Services to 30 youth and young adults in the community
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Collaborating with the MA Department of Mental Health and other community partners to have a Back to School Resource Fair and Event
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Hosting several events, including a Makeup Artistry Showcase, a Starbucks Scavenger Hunt, and a Boston Children's Hospital Site Visit
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Providing individual therapeutic services and treatment to 24 OEP participants, 9 MPDC Staff, and several Summer Youth Employment Program and Afterschool Youth Employment Program participants for services and crisis support
Congratulations to the OEP Staff and Students on a successful and impressive year!
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Hibernian Hall Year in Review
& Upcoming Events
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· 20 events produced
· Over 2,800 attendees
· Over 47 artist collaborations
· 10 Roxbury business collaborations
The team is excited about what is to come in 2023!
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Coming soon to Hibernian Hall
August Wilson’s
Seven Guitars
Directed by Maurice Emmanuel Parent
in Partnership with Hibernian Hall
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8TH – SUNDAY, MARCH 5TH
Six friends gather to mourn and reminisce after the untimely death of blues guitarist Floyd “Schoolboy” Barton. As the characters recount Floyd’s last days, Seven Guitars spins a tale of what happens when dreams of stardom collide with harsh reality. With bawdy comedy and enchanting blues rhythms, Wilson’s Pulitzer-nominated script explores faith, oppression, love, and the music that binds us together.
Tickets are on sale NOW!
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The Dewitt Center had a delightful December! |
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In 2022, the Dewitt Center welcomed the Not on My Watch Mentoring (NOMW) Program. NOMW was developed and designed to provide mentorship, guidance, encouragement, confidence, education, and responsibility to at-risk youth. The program aims to assure youth that a community of caring people is there for them even when they think they're alone. NOMW meets Monday and Wednesday evenings at The Dewitt Center from 3 pm to 6 pm.
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Shout out to Cadets Idil Mohamed and Isabelle Charles! The two Civil Air Patrol cadets can now be addressed as "Cadet Airman" after being promoted to their first rank. Mohamed and Charles put much effort into memorizing the Cadet Oath and their studies to ace the test. The Cadets also showed how they could follow simple drills and ceremony directives to reach this goal. Although the other cadets are not far behind, Civil Air Patrol is pleased to see their female cadets leading the way!
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Roxbury Open Studio returned to the Dewitt Center for its Annual Holiday Pop-up Shop in December. What an excellent way to kick-start holiday shopping! Artists and vendors sold handmade jewelry, accessories, crafts, and art pieces. The Dewitt Center looks forward to seeing more pop-ups in the gym!
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MPDC brims with holiday cheer! |
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MPDC was a flutter with holiday activities in December, including a beautiful Staff Luncheon at Hibernian Hall organized by MPD's Administrative team. The lunch featured a gingerbread house-building contest (congratulations to Griffin and Patrice!), karaoke, delicious food, and energetic music. Everyone had a great time!
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'Twas the Season of Festivities for MPDC's Youth Workforce teens! From Thanksgiving until the New Year, the Youth Workforce Program celebrated the holiday season with gratitude and giving by volunteering and participating in several festive events, including
- MPDC's Friendsgiving, where youth enjoyed a fun evening with food and collaboration with MPDC's Community Support and Health & Wellness teams
- The Dewitt Center Holiday Party
- MPDC's After School Youth Employment Program's holiday gift-giving party
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WORC2's Santa's Workshop, where youth decorated cookies and gingerbread houses
- Women on the Rise Annual Holiday Party and Toy Giveaway
Thank you to the youth for their giving spirit and holiday cheer!
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The Dewitt Center commemorated the holiday season with a Holiday Party on December 14th, gathering MPDC Staff, residents, program partners, and members. Current program partners showcased their discipline and commitment to what it means to be a part of The Dewitt Center community. Awards were given for Outstanding Community Service, Devoted Dewitt Center Member, and Outstanding Community Member.
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Civic Engagement celebrates a successful 2022 and GOTV season |
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2022 was filled with various opportunities for Madison Park residents and staff to get civically involved in the local community. In MPDC's efforts to build leadership and civic engagement, volunteers knocked on doors in the neighborhood while partnering with other community organizations and youth. Along with door knocking, residents conducted phone banking from July to November until the election. In total, 1450 people were contacted and learned about The Votes Act, four different ballot initiatives, the reconstruction of Ruggles Street, and redistricting from the most recent Census data. Residents also had the chance to engage with local officials during events, including Donuts with Delegates, walking tours, and City Hall visits. In December, MPDC celebrated the fantastic civic engagement work within our community and our wonderful residents and volunteers who made it all possible.
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MPDC's Real Estate Department Year in Review |
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In addition to the development of new buildings, the Real Estate Department team was focused on creating wealth-building opportunities for families in our properties.
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In all our development projects, we held extensive community meetings to discuss and get feedback from community members and neighbors.
An example of MPDC's commitment to community input in 2022 is the engagement with Madison Park Village residents and neighbors to imagine a more climate-resilient Dewitt Center Plaza. Over five events, participants provided more than 200 suggestions for creating a resilient play, rest, and community space. MPDC looks forward to the collaborative redesign in the new year!
After dozens of meetings with community leaders and the public, MPDC's proposed development at 84 Warren Street received Article 80 and Zoning Board of Appeals approval. This approval means we are waiting for approval from the City and State for the funding needed to deliver 22 homes for sale, 43 homes for rent, and a new 7,500 SF space for the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts. During the community process, we made many changes, including reducing the building size, adding planters, and adding brick siding to the building. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this design!
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Shout outs for MPDC Youth! |
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Congratulations to former OYEP participants Sam, Raymondo, John, and Jenny for graduating from Boston Day and Evening Academy!
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Congratulations to current Opportunity Youth Employment Program participant Lynka Guadalupe for obtaining her Foodservice ServeSafe certificate! |
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MPDC Community Support Team's
Year in Review
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The return of Teen Night activities
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Domestic Violence & Human Trafficking Youth Conference
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Madison Park Village/Dewitt Center Block Party and Unity Day celebrations
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The return of National Night Out in Orchard Gardens
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Harvest Celebrations for Orchard Gardens and The Dewitt Center
The team also responded to 15 incidents of violence as members of the Roxbury Neighborhood Trauma Team from January to October. However, we are pleased to report that there were NO incidents of violence during November and December 2022.
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Meal Prep Classes wrap-up for the year |
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In MPDC's final Meal Prep and Participation class of 2022, attendees learned how to make lentil soup. Participants learned about the benefits of vitamins in food and worked one-on-one with a nutritionist to decrease unhealthy foods in their diets. After class, everyone went home with the ingredients for the recipe to share the same cooking and learning experience with their families.
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2022 Root Cause Analysis for Lower Roxbury |
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During the fall, MPDC conducted a Root Cause analysis with residents and community members, in our role as a community leader for the Roxbury in Motion initiative, in partnership with Boston Public Health Commission. The Root Cause Analysis was comprised of 52 individuals that live in the Lower Roxbury community. MPDC created four spaces with a combination of youth ages 14 to 18, seniors, and community partners that serve Lower Roxbury to discuss health disparities and their causes in their communities. The participants shared that diabetes, a lack of access to healthy foods, minimal outside physical activity participation, immigration challenges, depression, anxiety, and isolation impacted them the most. They identified that a lack of access to ESOL resources, minimal accessibility for those with language barriers, fear of violence, domestic abuse, and financial burdens cause these issues. MPDC looks forward to using the important insight gained during the Root Cause analysis to inform its work through Roxbury in Motion in the coming year.
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MPDC could not do this work
without YOU!
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All of the amazing work that MPDC was able to do in 2022, highlighted above, would not have been possible without the exceptional support provided by our funders, donors, and partners. We were delighted to finally bring our supporters and friends together for some exciting in-person events in 2022. The Friends of Hibernian Hall gathered at receptions before the Roxbury International Film Festival in June, ALIVE in December, and a brunch in August. Our friends at Barcomb, Tanguay & Associates hosted a gathering in downtown Boston in October. But our 2022 Sparks! Gala on November 17th was the highlight of the year. We hosted a sold-out crowd, exceeded our fundraising goal of $325,000, enjoyed inspiring performances by local artists, featured food and beverage from local BIPOC-owned businesses, and honored fantastic work being done by leaders in the community.
We would also like to extend a special thank you to our Community Investment Tax Credit (CITC) supporters. The CITC program allows community development organizations like MPDC to offer state tax credits to individuals, businesses, institutions, and nonprofits for qualifying donations of $1,000 or more, resulting in a 50% state tax rebate on the donation. MPDC is grateful for the Commonwealth's commitment to resident-driven community development, and we are proud to be able to offer this benefit to our donors.
We are honored to acknowledge all of our 2022 Funders!
Boston Age Strong Commission
Boston Cultural Council
Boston Children's Hospital
Boston Department of Youth Engagement & Employment
Boston Mayor's Office of Human Services - Boston Youth Development Fund
Boston Mayor's Office of Workforce Development
Boston Public Health Commission
Boston State Community Trust
Dana Farber Cancer Institute
Democracy HUBS
Gardiner Howland Shaw Foundation
John Hancock MLK Scholars
Kuehn Charitable Foundation
Liberty Mutual Foundation
Mass Convention Center Authority
MassDevelopment
Mass Cultural Council
Massachusetts Department of Public Health Gun Violence Prevention Initiative
Massachusetts General Hospital
NeighborWorks America
Paul and Edith Babson Foundation
People's United Community Foundation (now M&T Charitable Foundation)
Roy A. Hunt Foundation
The Boston Foundation
The Boston Foundation- Harold Peabody Memorial Fund
United Way Massachusetts Bay/Merrimack Valley
Thanks to our CITC-level donors
3Point Foundation
Akiki Auto
Awaken Christian Church
Bank of America
BlueHub Capital
Boston Children's Hospital
Campaign for Catholic Schools
Cohn Reznick
Cs2CNE
Marion Cunningham
Dana Farber Cancer Institute
Dellbrook | JKS
DHK Architects
Dorfman Capital
DREAM Collaborative
Eastern Bank Foundation
Nicholas Elton
EVkids
Alison Gottlieb
Susan Haas
Hunneman
ICON Architecture
Kaplan Construction
Klein-Hornig LLP
M&T Bank
Marsh McLennan
Marsh, Moriarty, Ontell & Golder
McPhail Associates
MHIC
Lisa Morishanti
Peter Munkenbeck
NEI General Contracting
Northeastern University
Origin Property Group
Osiris Family Institute
Peabody Properties
Jeanne Pinado
POAH
RBC
Redstone Equity
Resonant Energy
Edward Rich
Ivelise Rivera
Brian Sandiford
Esther Schlorholtz
Silicon Valley Bank
Nancy Sponpinato
Stull and Lee
The Higgins Group Charitable Fund
The Life Initiative
Alicia Toney
Trinity Financial
Tropical Foods
United Housing Management
VIVA Consulting
Jerry Wheelock
Winn Residential
Pamela Yomoah
Many thanks to all our individual supporters and Friends of Hibernian Hall!
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Thank you to MDC's December 2022 Newsletter Contributors |
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Allison Anderson
Arianna Guiseppone, LMHC
Daria Davis-Fleming
Carlos Tavares
Erica Davis
Haris Lefteri
Intiya Ambrogi-Isaza
Kelly Lydon
Leslie Reid
Leslie Stafford
Lyndon Vincent
Meghan Higgins
Sandra Sierra
Tahara Samuel
Yhinny Matos
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My Superhero Essay Day @ Hibernian Hall |
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WHEN: Saturday, January 14th, from 11 am to 1 pm
WHERE: Hibernian Hall
(184 Dudley Street, Roxbury, MA 02119)
COST: FREE
Hibernian Hall & Butterfly Foxx Productions invite all families and youth ages 6-11 to join us for a brunch of storytelling, puppets, and books!
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Roxbury Roots II: You Don't Know My Story |
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WHEN: Saturday, January 14th, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
WHERE: Hibernian Hall
(184 Dudley Street, Roxbury, MA 02119)
COST: Pay - What - You - Can
Join Hibernian Hall for a night of gathering and live storytelling around the campfire. Allow the night to take you through a great range of human experiences filled with laughter, tears, and truth. Each story is unique, and each voice is authentic, and we will go through each journey together.
Stick around for food, refreshments, and lots of prizes!
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Moving the Dream Forward:
Wayland METCO MLK Day Luncheon
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WHEN: Monday, January 16th, from 1:30 pm
WHERE: Hibernian Hall
(184 Dudley Street, Roxbury, MA 02119)
COST: $30
Celebrate the MLK Holiday with the Wayland METCO Program and Wayland Boston Parent Organization as they reflect on the Wayland METCO Community and how to move it forward!
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MPDC x IMSO
Food Pantry @ The Dewitt Center
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WHERE: The Dewitt Center
(122 Dewitt Drive, Roxbury, MA 02120)
WHEN: Every 1st & 3rd Saturday of each month from 11 am to 1 pm
(January 21st)
The Dewitt Center and the Islamic Multi-Service Organization (IMSO) host monthly food pantries. Canned goods, fruit, pasta, spaghetti, and more will be available for pickup! Supplies are limited. Masks and social distancing are required.
For more information, please contact IMSO at
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Actors' Shakespeare Project presents
August Wilson's Seven Guitars at Hibernian Hall
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WHEN: Wednesday, February 8th to Sunday, March 5th
WHERE: Hibernian Hall
(184 Dudley Street, Roxbury, MA 02119)
COST: Varies
Coming soon to Hibernian Hall
August Wilson’s
Seven Guitars
Directed by Maurice Emmanuel Parent
in Partnership with Hibernian Hall
Six friends gather to mourn and reminisce after the untimely death of blues guitarist Floyd “Schoolboy” Barton. As the characters recount Floyd’s last days, Seven Guitars spins a tale of what happens when dreams of stardom collide with harsh reality. With bawdy comedy and enchanting blues rhythms, Wilson’s Pulitzer-nominated script explores faith, oppression, love, and the music that binds us together.
Tickets are on sale now!
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Meaningful Occasions presents
The Nubain Square Youth Ball
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WHEN: Saturday, February 25th, from 6 pm to 9:30 pm
WHERE: 2301 Washington Street,
Roxbury, MA 02119
COST: $15 - 30
Meaningful Occasions’ Nubian Square Youth Ball will be a night to remember for the youth of the Boston community. Meaningful Occasions invites youth 14 – 18 to embark on a formal evening adventure that includes live music, fun photos, and much more!
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