February 2021
"Saving homes and families" - in The Boston Globe

The Boston Globe recently featured our collaboration with the City of Malden and nonprofit partners to help 350+ families avoid eviction. We're proud to be part of this new partnership that's protecting households by connecting them with crucial rental assistance funds.
 
"All that outreach, and all those carefully cultivated relationships, made a difference. The city's programs have helped about 350 households pay their rent, compared with 82 Malden residents who accessed the state's overwhelmed rental aid program during the second half of 2020, according to Pratt. The blitz in December enabled 133 households to clear their rent debt for all of last year, funding an average of $4,630 in back payments."

Free tax preparation for Cambridge residents 

Did you know that Just-A-Start offers free tax preparation services? We're offering virtual tax prep appointments to help income-qualified taxpayers file their returns accurately and securely during the pandemic.
 
This tax season may be especially complicated for households that have been affected by loss of income, unemployment benefits, stimulus payments, and gig economy work. We're here for you if you need free, trustworthy assistance in filing your returns and maximizing all of the refunds and credits you may be entitled to.

 
Junardy Jean-Charles joins the Board

We recently welcomed Junardy Jean-Charles onto the Just-A-Start Board of Directors! Junardy brings deep experience in workforce development to the Board, and she currently serves as the Program Development Administrator for the Job Connector by MIT. We're excited to have her community knowledge as a resource to strengthen the impact of our job training and education programs. Welcome, Junardy!

Help keep your neighbors safe and secure 

Did you know that 1/3 of Cambridge households have experienced a loss of income since March 2020?
 
Just-A-Start's Safe & Secure Fund supports families as they pay critical bills, fill their pantries with groceries, and ensure that they have a stable place to call home throughout this pandemic. This year we've committed to distributing at least $50,000 through the fund to households in need, and we can't do it without you. Will you give to help support your neighbors?