Recent Grant Recipients

Faith Youth Initiative (FYI) is sponsored through the Andover Newton Theological School (ANTS). ANTS is located at 210 Herrick Street, Newton Centre, MA 02459.

FYI is led by Executive Director, Alex Kern. FYI is a nine day summer event ministering to Christian youth, seminarians, churches, and urban Boston communities. The program allows teens to experience theological education, vocational discernment, leadership training, spiritual formation, Bible study, worship experiences, and urban service.

The grant from the Boston Baptist Social Union helped with the following:

• provide scholarships for low and middle income youth
• provide assistance to help cover the cost of public transportation, materials and food for the Boston urban mission immersion experience
• provide funding for honaria paid to American Baptist professors, pastors and other resource people engaged in the program.
• provide funding for food and housing at ANTS for FYI participants

The Boston Christian Counseling Center (BCCC) is led by Executive Director, Dr. Eleftheria A. Sidiropoulou.

The program of the BCCC serves the community of Boston and its surrounding suburbs focusing especially on those who are in need of our services but unable to afford the high cost of traditional therapy. It is a specialized ministry geared to help those who are in need of a safe place where they can find the help, encouragement, affirmation and healing both emotionally and spiritually.

The Bruce Wall Ministries (BWM) is led by Executive Director, Karin Wall.

BWM is a Christian organization whose mission is to promote the healthy development of children, youth and families in the city of Boston: spiritually, academically, socially and economically.

BWM accomplishes their mission in four areas.

1. Project 21 is an after school advancement program that provides tutoring, parent education, Christian values, culture and history.
2. New Horizons is a teen internship program providing Christian based career exploration and placement.
3. P.R.E.P. or Partnering Resources to Enable Productivity provides training in the use of computers at its Computer Technology Center. The center provides quality computer courses and access to technology for the community.
4. Boston Re-Entry Initiative provides mentoring, Bible study, prayer, and assistance on their discharge plan for inmates about to be released from the Suffolk House of Correction. It provides assistance with the inmate to find housing, employment, health insurance, counseling, parenting classes, anger management classes or spiritual counseling.

The Center for Career Development and Ministry (CCDM) is led by Executive Director, Rev. Dr. Stephen Ott.

CCDM is an ecumenical church-related organization that works with people faced with career decisions. The majority of its clients are clergy, church workers, missionary families and candidates for ordination.

The grant from the Boston Baptist Social Union will provide support for Direction Finder, a pilot program for American Baptist youth, geared toward identifying vocational skills and interests in the context of faith.

Eglise Bautiste d'Elim is a Baptist Church with a Haitian congregation.

The Boston Baptist Social Union grant contributes to the financial support of the operation of the church and the pastor. One of the largest expenses is the rent it pays to St. Peter's Episcopol Church where they have their services.

Primera Iglesia Bautista Hispana de Jamaica Plain is a Baptist Hispanic congregation. The pastor is Rev. Guillemo Cisterna. At the moment the church is only able to support him financially on a part-time basis.

Pastor Cisterna and his wife Elizabeth are working hard to train others for leadership and teaching roles in the church. The church meets on Tuesday evenings as well for Bible study and prayer. One of the maain thrusts of the church is to strengthen the family unit. The church is sensitive to reaching and serving those without a home.

Find more information on their website.

Grotonwood is a campground of The American Baptist Churches of Massachusetts. The Director of the campground is Bill Krueger.

The Boston Baptist Social Union grant was to provide quality camping experiences for Boston area youth in both summer and winter. Last year 293 children and youth enjoyed camp at Grotonwood through this program.

Find additional information online.

Project Manna is a ministry of Massachusetts Avenue Baptist Church. Rev. Beatrice Munroe-Scott serces as Soup Kitchen Operations Director and Food Pantry Coordinator.

The soup kitchen serves a three-course dinner each Monday and Friday evening in the church's Fellowship Hall. The meal is offered year-round to anyone in need. Approximately 90 - 100 homeless.low-income individuals enjoy this meal twice per week in a supportive, caring environment.

The Food Pantry is open one Saturday per month with the mission of providing nutritious food to increase the nutitional competency of low-income families and individuals. This program serves seniors and families with infants and children.

Starlight Ministries led by Executive Director, Robert Taylor is a program of Emanuel Gospel Center.

Starlight Ministries serves people in Boston and Cambridge who are homeless. Many of the people served have been on the streets for much more than a year, often for a decade or more. Although Starlight works with all individuals who are homeless for one week or 25 years, the focus has always been on serving the most vulnerable.

Starlight Ministries' RYSE (Reaching Youth on the StrEets) initiative was developed in response to the growing number of homeless youth.

Starlight Ministries activities and programs include...

• Van Outreach Teams of 5 - 10 volunteers and staff serve from 20 - 80 people every Wednesday evening at the Boston Common and Thursday evening in Harvard Square. They assess individual's needs and connect them to appropriate resources either by calling and asking the services to come on site or by transporting individuals to those resources.
• Adult Street Outreach For many individuals, additional connection with staff acts as a bridge from the streets to accessing additional help and resources. After initial contact, they continue to engage individuals and build relationships with them during the day.
• Opportunity Resource Center is located at the offices in the South End. It provides a safe, welcoming and supportive environment where people can meet during the day with Starlight staff. They provice clothing, showers, Mass Health sign up, free voice mail, case management, a 12-step group, special events, resource information, and coffee and snacks.
• Counseling / Case Management
Starlight staff work with the clients to assess personal history, including work, health, housing, family, and substance abuse. Together, staff and client develop and pursue individualized plans in the areas of basic resources, sobriety, employment preparation, counseling, court involvement, medical, family or financial problems.

The Way Up is the program of Friends of the Way, Inc. It is led by the brother and sister team of Rev. Gene Langevin and Rev. Patti Langevin.

The Way Up ministers to boys and girls ages 7 - 18 in the communities of South Boston, Quincy and Brockton. The work includes Christian evangelism, Christian counseling (individuals, groups and families), pastoral work and a street ministry in Quincy. The work of The Way Up takes place at South Baptist Church in South Boston, First Baptist Church of Wollaston in Quincy and four institutions in Brockton.

1. The Brockton Shelter Care Unit for boys who have been arrested and are waiting to go back to court. Their wait is typically 30 to 45 days.
2. The Brockton Assessment and Stabilization Unit for boys who have been adjudicated “delinquent” and are being held in preparation for transfer to another closed institution for further treatment. Their stay ranges from 30 to 45 days.
3. The Brocton Secure Treatment Unit for Boys houses boys who have violated their probation or are waiting to be transferred to another institution. The boys are often here for 60 days.
4. The Brockton Secure Treatment Unit for Girls houses girls who have violated their probation or are waiting to be transferred to another institution. The girls are often here for 60 days.

In addition to the youth in institutions The Way Up ministers to youth in the churches in South Boston and Quincy. Their ministry also extends beyond the church to those who do not attend church, but may be involved in sports and other activities. Another aspect of the ministry is with youth who are at risk for getting involved in harmful behaviors or destructive lifestyles (alcohol, drugs, sexual offenses, theft, violence, etc.). Other youth are referred to The Way Up by the police and the courts.