The Friendly Flyer

In this Issue

» Get to Know Our Friends
» Achiever's Corner
» Friend Raiser 2007
» Achievers Help to Set the Bar High!
» Boston Summers are Bitter-Sweet
» Red Sox Mentoring Day
» Community Calendar
» Mt. Washington Bank Partners with Friends of the Children
» Introducing Giveline as a Revolutionary Way to support Friends of the Children-Boston!

Friendly Flyer - Spring 2007

Dear Friends,

A respected colleague once said..."children do well if they can." This very simple concept has become the philosophy that guides Friends of the Children. It has become our rallying cry to introduce children into a World that prepares them to do well through mentorship, guidance, and compassion.

The fruits of this work are demonstrated by the 5 Achievers who were recognized by the City of Boston and the Mayor to be Kids of Character. They are confirmed by the excellent and improving report cards of Achievers. And they are verified by the wonderful stories of achievement that have taken place throughout this year.

I am proud to be a part of a dedicated staff that devote their time, energy and passion to this reality. That dedication is further enhanced by our core of nearly 150 determined, caring and compassionate volunteers; our Circe of Friends, Family Friends, and supporters, who provide that 'special' advocacy on a yearly, monthly, weekly, daily and hourly basis for all children. As community members we all share the moral responsibility for the well-being of children ..."children do well if they can." - I invite and welcome everyone as we join and continue to bond and build community together to face that awesome responsibility.

Sincerely,

Imari K. Paris Jeffries
Executive Director

Get to Know Our Friends

Noelia Cabrera

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Many outstanding individuals contribute to the success of our Achievers. Each of these people comes to us with their own history and unique talents and goals. Each newsletter, you will learn more about the people who make up the Friends team. This issue, get to know Noelia Cabrera who has been a Friend since September 2006.

What drew you to the Friend position at Friends of the Children-Boston?
I was drawn to the Friend position for a number of reasons. I had been a mentor in an internship I completed while in college and I really enjoyed working one-on-one with inner city youth. When I came across Friends of the Children-Boston I was intrigued by the long-term commitment that the organization made to each child and how each Friend devoted 4 hours a week to each Achiever. My thoughts were, what an effective way to ensure the success of a child.

What has prepared you for this position?
I strongly believe that my educational background and personal experience have prepared me for this position. I am a recent graduate of Emmanuel College and growing up my mom has always worked with children, and ever so often I accompanied her to work. I began to mimic her and developed the necessary skills to work with children. I’ve also grown up in similar communities, as my Achievers and this has been a very important asset to my relationship with them because I can identify with the struggles that most of them face.

What do you hope to accomplish as a Friend?
I hope that I can be a lending hand in the successful development of eight intelligent and beautiful young women of color, who in turn will also aid members in their communities. I strongly believe that with enough support and resources these girls can become any and everything they want to be regardless of the neighborhoods that they live in.

Did you have a mentor growing up?
I can’t say that I had one particular mentor growing up. However I did have two very loving, supportive and hard working parents who have always been there for me through thick and thin. There were also a few teachers along the way that pushed me a little harder and helped me see the potential that I had.

What was it like to meet your Achievers for the first time?
The first time I met my Achievers I was a bit nervous because I was replacing a previous Friend who had left the organization. My group of girls had already established a relationship with their previous Friend and I had to find a way to build a new bond with them. However, it didn’t take very long for the girls to warm up to me. We now share a very strong and loving relationship and each Achiever has her own special bond with me.

Other interesting facts about you...
My family is from the Dominican Republic and as a child I had the opportunity to live there. It was an amazing experience. I was also born on my father’s birthday and he named me after a song that he heard on the radio on the way to the hospital. I also love music and enjoy attending concerts and live shows.

Achiever's Corner

Name: Tanaya
Friend: Ms. Nikita
Grade: 3rd
Favorite Subject: My favorite subject is writing; because I like writing stories and poems.
Favorite sport: Soccor is my favorite sport. This year I played on my schools soccer team and we won every game, except two which ended in a tie. I really enjoyed when Ms. Nikita would come to my games and cheer me on. I sometimes felt like I would get this extra boost of energy hearing my name called out.
Summer plans: This summer I will be attending summer camp for the first time. I am so excited about learning and having fun.

Friend Raiser 2007

At 6:00PM on Thursday May 31st the guests and supporters began to arrive, walking down the steps into the courtyard of the Artists for Humanity EpiCenter to enjoy cocktails and mingle before the event. An abundance of delicious appetizers were available, from shrimp to chicken teriyaki donated by local caterers and coordinated by Chef George LeBonce. The rain held off for the night creating a refreshing indoor/ outdoor experience for the cocktail hour as the crowd grew larger and larger.

At 7:00PM the curtain was drawn and guests took their seats at tables decorated with vases hand painted by Achievers and Family Friends filled with Gerbera Daisies. Each guest was given a small pot with packets of wildflower seeds encouraging them to “come grow with us!”

Executive Director of Friends, Imari Paris Jeffries gave thanks for all the hard work and generosity that made the 2nd Annual Friend Raiser possible and introduced a video about the program highlighting our Achievers and their Friends and the uniqueness and importance of the Friends of the Children program. Next, one of our Achievers, Tanaya Hall, became the star of the night giving her perspective on being in the program and impressing the audience with her speech skills and stage presence.

At the end of the evening, guests prepared to bid on their favorite auction items while enjoying deserts and refreshments. Robert Lewis Jr. proved a lively and persuasive auctioneer announcing that an anonymous donor was going to match all funds raised during the night dollar for dollar. Hands waved all over the room trying to win one of the fantastic auction items like a trip for two to see Oprah in Chicago and a Canyon Ranch spa getaway. The spirit of giving didn’t end with the final auction item, however, many guests expressed their belief in our program and the limitless potential of the children we serve as donation cards flooded in. At the end of the evening over $175,000 was raised for Friends of the Children thanks to all your support! This money will go a long way towards providing our Achievers with the tools they need to succeed and providing more children with the caring consistent relationship of a Friend.

It was an inspiring and fun night for the Friends community. We greatly appreciate all who were involved and can’t wait to celebrate with you again next year!

A special thanks to all of our sponsors!!

Mellon
General Catalyst Partners
Baystate Financial Services
Mt. Washington Bank
Canyon Ranch
GreenLight Fund
Newport Storm Brewing Co.

Have some good ideas for next year’s event? For more information on how you can help out with the 3rd Annual Friend Raiser as a committee member or a sponsor, or if you just have some ideas you would like to share for next years event, please contact Allison Narloch at Allison@friendsboston.org or call (617) 983-3682.

» Check out the new Friends of the Children video that was featured at this years Friend Raiser.

Achievers Help to Set the Bar High!

“Intelligence plus character-that is the goal of true education.” –Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Friend’s staff recently had the opportunity to honor Achievers for their exemplary show of respect, responsibility, relationships, resilience and citizenship at the Boston Campaign for Proficiency’s Kids of Character Celebration. On June 12th Rivaldo Soares, Jalanae St. Fort, Jorgiana Martin, Alonzo Seay, and Idrese Soares were among the 110 youth to be awarded during the ceremony at the Lilla G. Frederick Pilot Middle School in Dorchester.

We were joined by Achievers’ families for a festive dinner before Reverend Dr. Gregory Groover, of the Charles Street AME Church opened the ceremony. His energy and enthusiasm were contagious as he praised both the youth and their families for supporting positive character development. Mayor Thomas Menino and Superintendent Michael Contompasis each addressed the honorees and granted the awards to each recipient as excited parents took photos. Basketball Hall of Famer Nevil Shed then gave an inspiring key-note speech about the importance of character and challenged youth to turn negative energy into positive action and determination into achievement. The evening was truly a celebration and a testament to the character and strength of Boston’s youth. It was an honor to be surrounded by so many youth who exemplify the character we work so hard to support.

Boston Summers are Bitter-Sweet

For many children, summer is a time for fun in the sun with family and friends.   However, for many of our youth, the summer months mean a chaotic time of little structure and opportunity for growth.  Boston’s recent surge of violence reminds us of the vital need to keep youth off the streets by creating safe, constructive, and nurturing opportunities for our Achievers.  As a result, Friends has worked hard to enroll our Achievers in quality summer programming.  We have partnered with BELL (Building Educated Leaders for Life) Summer to provide our Achievers with the academic reinforcement they need and the quality activities they deserve.  Friends has made a commitment to keep kids safe and encourage their growth through summer camps and we invite people to support our campaign to ensure that all Achievers have a safe place to go.

We are asking you, as part of the Friends community, to help support our Achievers by making a contribution to our summer camp fund.  You can help provide the intellectual stimulation and character-building opportunities that our youth need to thrive.  As we at Friends continue to grow, we know that the opportunities and experiences we provide today will be the leadership and character in the communities of tomorrow.

Make a contribution now!

Make a donation via credit card online on the Friends website, send a check to: Friends of the Children, Summer Camp Fund, 555 Amory Street, Boston, MA 02130 or call Allison at (617)-983-3682 for more information.

Red Sox Mentoring Day

The Mass Mentoring Partnership provided Friends of the Children with 16 tickets to the Red Sox game on May 29th. This was a special night to recognize the mentoring matches around the Boston area. For most of the Achievers, it was their first time to Fenway Park making it an unforgettable night.

Community Calendar

Each week, we scour the Boston area to find activities and events for our Achievers. Anyone can participate in these activities, and most of them are free or low cost!

» Click to access our calendars
» Sign up for our weekly Community Calendar Update

Mt. Washington Bank Partners with Friends of the Children

Through this new arrangement with Mt. Washington Bank, Friends supporters can receive quality banking services while also benefiting our Achievers.

Open a Convenient Checking account and mention this promotion and Mt. Washington Bank will provide you with a FREE GIFT and donate $10.00 to Friends of the Children! In addition, they will continue to donate $10 for every year your account remains open.

For more information click here.

Introducing Giveline as a Revolutionary Way to support Friends of the Children-Boston!

Giveline.com is an online store created for the community-minded shopper, offering more than a million bestselling products including books, movies, music, electronics, housewares, gifts and more. Every purchase generates a substantial donation to Friends of the Children-Boston - an amazing average of 16% of store sales, sometimes as high as 33%. Giveline has great products, great service, and great prices - the only difference between Giveline and other major online retailers is that every purchase earns money for our organization. Check it out today, and if you decide to buy, remember that Friends of the Children-Boston will earn significant funds in support of our mission!

Thank you for your support. Please check your email for future updates!

Sincerely,
Allison Narloch
Development and Marketing
Friends of the Children - Boston

email: allison@friendsboston.org
phone: 617.983.3682
web: http://www.friendsofthechildrenboston.org

Copyright © Friends of the Children - Boston 2007