Save Our Homes Walk:
THIS SUNDAY 5/19!!
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The 10th annual Save Our Homes Walk is THIS SUNDAY May 19th in Somerville! Registration begins at 1:00 pm and the walk starts at 2:00.
Please join us together with our partners at the Somerville Homeless Coalition, Community Action Agency of Somerville, and Cambridge-Somerville Legal Services for an afternoon 5k walk through Somerville's diverse and historic neighborhoods. If you can't make the walk, we hope you will consider donating to this important cause. We are half way from reaching our goal of $30,000 raised! More Info
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SCC Proposes
New Green Affordable Housing at Powder House School Site
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Would you like to 35-50 LEED-certified affordable apartments as well as a pre-school and greenspace built on the site of the former Powder House Community School in West Somerville? So would we! In fact, SCC recently submitted a proposal to the City to do just that.
By working with partners like Davis Square Architects and New Ecology, we envision a community-driven process that will turn the four years vacant school building site into a vibrant, sustainable community where both local businesses and families can thrive.
Read our proposal
View all submitted proposals
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SCC/Harvard/MIT Team Wins FHLB Greater Boston Affordable Housing Development Competition! 
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We are proud to announce that SCC's team of Harvard and MIT graduate students have won 1st place in the Federal Home Loan Banks' 13th Annual Greater Boston Affordable Housing Development Competition! These Harvard and MIT students worked closely with SCC development staff to create an innovative proposal for adaptive reuse of the Edgerly Education Center (soon to be vacant) in Somerville into 42 much needed green affordable homes (LEED platinum certified!) within reach of working families. Congrats team, let's make this happen!
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Thank you,
Rockland Trust!
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Big smiles as SCC CEO Danny LeBlanc receives a $2500 contribution to SCC's Annual Fund from Brian Slater, Vice President of Commercial Banking at Rockland Trust.
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SCC Membership
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SCC is an organization of relationships- people with a passion for social justice and for improving quality of life for everyone in Somerville. When we are members together in an organization, we access collective power and have a greater impact in our community. When we work together, we get more accomplished. Please consider becoming a member today, which you can do online or by contacting Julia at
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Ongoing Meetings
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Our many groups and committees meet regularly and are usually open to newcomers! Please click on the calendar image below to see the what's happening this month!
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JOIN US! Wed. 5/22:
Rally and Press Conference for Local Jobs
Along the Green Line
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Did you know that only 16.5% of Somerville residents work in Somerville? And that the City plans to generate 30,000 new jobs by 2030? With major projects like Assembly Square and the Green Line Extension on the near horizon, the time to take action to ensure that this massive investment in infrastructure is also an investment in the people of Somerville is NOW.
Please join us for a rally and press conference this Wednesday, May 22nd at the State Transportation Building.
After the press conference, we will testify at the MassDOT Board meeting for clear language in the construction contracts that supports local hiring. We will be asking for the following:
- A meeting between SCC's Jobs for Somerville Committee and Sec.Davey to discuss our concerns
- A signed agreement by MassDOT that outlines how they will encourage hiring of residents
- Working meetings facilitated by MassDOT between SCC and the general contractor once they are selected.
While the extension of the Green Line through Somerville represents an enormous opportunity to increase access to much needed transportation in our city, there is also a unique opportunity to provide new jobs for local residents who either need work or who are commuting long distances out of town (often at the expense of their families and wellbeing).
Can you join us on Wednesday? Click here for more information and to RSVP
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Congratulations to SCC's
Leadership Development Institute 2013 Graduates!
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On April 30th, 2013, eighteen new community leaders were born by way of SCC's Leadership Development Institute. By completing this 4 week course focusing on leadership skills, storytelling, relationship building and political process, these individuals received certificates of graduation as active leaders and change-makers in our communities.
This year's graduates brought an impressive diversity of knowledge and background to the table as mothers, construction workers, cooks, and high school students with roots in Nepal, El Salvador, Brazil, the Congo and more. Check out our full set of photos from this exciting day!
Some of what our graduates had to say about this year's LDI:
"I am so happy to be learning about the political organization of Somerville. This is the start of something great for me!"
"So glad for this amazing, life changing career path opportunity"
"I learned to become a better leader, and how I as a person can make a change"
Want to become a leader in the community? We are already thinking ahead to 2014! Email Rene Mardones rmardones@somervillecdc.org to get on an early list.
Options
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May Day March Draws Hundreds
Marching for Immigrants' Rights
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On May 1st, we were proud to join our community in this year's annual May Day celebration and march! A group of ten SCC members and staff joined with families from the East Somerville School at Foss Park, then marched down Broadway to Sullivan Station. Once in East Boston, we joined labor unions, community groups, and local politicians in calling for immigration reform and workers' rights.
Congress is currently debating an immigration reform bill that could provide legal status to millions of workers throughout the country. Meanwhile, here in Somerville, we are working to bring more jobs to the community and prevent employers from underpaying workers. Thanks to all the SCC members and supporters who came out to demand change!
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1st Graduating Class of SCC's
Financial Education Seminar 2013!
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On April 18, seventeen participants graduated from our first Financial Education Seminar of 2013. Over twenty hours of in-class instruction, we covered several topics related to financial health and success, such as goal-setting, budgeting, credit, saving, and much more, and our graduates are now better prepared and equipped to navigate their financial lives effectively. Several graduates from this class have already taken advantage of other services and opportunities offered at SCC, participating in one-on-one coaching, career counseling, Individual Development Accounts, foreclosure prevention assistance, and LDI. Congratulations to our graduates!
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SCC's Core Leaders Gather
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Early May marked the first gathering of an SCC core leadership body. From active veterans to new members, leaders from our core issue areas (local jobs, affordable housing, land use, and community planning) shared stories of success and struggle from their respective campaigns.
This was a moment for leaders at the heart of our organization to deepen bonds, find points of intersection, communicate challenges and opportunities around our unique issues, and strategize ways in which we can hold each other accountable and strengthen our collective work.
Interested in becoming an SCC Core Leader? Contact Mashael Majid mmajid@somervillecdc.org
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