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Hi -
As always I hope this email finds you well. It is with gratitude and a broadly shared sense of big accomplishments that I want to let you know that COMPASS for kids is closing this year - after operating as a 501c3 since 1997. Through years of talented staff, dedicated and committed Board members, and amazing donors and volunteers, we have made big foot prints and big impressions in the areas in which we work.
The current funding environment for doing intensive workforce development training and job placement with parents in poverty is particularly challenging. Alhough the state administration is very committed to changing this over the long term, the funding is not currently available to support what we do best. We are, however, moving forward in ways that preserve what we have learned and accomplished - and that honor your support.
We are delighted to announce that, as of Monday October 26, 2015, Imajine That (
www.imajinethat.com
) will acquire COMPASS for kids Professional Development Programs for Early Childhood and School Age Educators, continuing and growing our more than two decades of excellence in making sure that young children are in learning and care environments that support their best possible growth and development.
Nancy Toso, COMPASS for kids' Director of Training and Program Development since 2007, will join the Imajine That team of committed child and family champions, continuing her stewardship of professional development that matters - working across Massachusetts and beyond. Both our
Open Registration Series and Contracted Onsite training will continue.
We are also delighted to announce that as of Monday October 26, 2015,
Lawrence Community Works will acquire our COMPASS Community Collaborative Lawrence program - which grew out of our COMPASS for homeless families efforts. The COMPASS Community Collaborative has been recognized across sectors as one of the top workforce development and job placement efforts for parents in poverty in Massachusetts and beyond. Leslie Kent, longstanding Program Director for COMPASS for homeless families and the COMPASS Community Collaborative programs will join the Lawrence CommunityWorks team.
Lawrence CommunityWorks (LCW)
is a nonprofit community development corporation that weaves together community planning, organizing, and asset-building efforts with high-quality affordable housing and commercial development to create vibrant neighborhoods and empowered residents.
LCW has a long history of investing deeply in the talents and aspirations of City residents, and has been implementing highly successful asset-building programs for adults and youth for over 15 years.
Recently, LCW has been increasing its workforce development capacity and practicing a model of "integrated services" that links financial coaching, asset building, and peer support with employment coaching and placement.
Jess Andors, Executive Director of LCW describes this acquisition as follows: "
Having partnered with COMPASS for several years, LCW has always found COMPASS to be kindred in their innovative spirit and asset- and cohort-based approach. We have also admired their commitment to low-income families, expertise in "soft skills" development, and strength in cultivating deep and sustained employer partnerships. We are thrilled at the prospect of adopting and absorbing these capacities and building on the amazing work and outcomes that COMPASS has achieved in Lawrence, in order to forge even stronger mutually beneficial connections between our local workforce and regional employers."
As the Executive Director of COMPASS for kids, I am grateful to so many of our peer organizations and funders for getting involved in making sure that programs survive and thrive - and that staff who want to continue are hired to do so. I am tremendously humbled by and grateful for all of your support and stewardship that has fed such tremendous outcomes. I look forward to all of us continuing to do great things!
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