Urban Family Outreach

Urban Family Outreach  Squad is a group of concerned residents and community members who agree to volunteer their time and efforts to engage communities of color, minorities, immigrants, and youth , get them involved in the changes that are effecting their community and ensure their voices are being heard through policies that drive these changes.  We have a goal to engage families who are not typically involved by identifying and overcoming the barriers preventing their involvement.   We are dedicated to maintaining the trust of community members, identifying and addressing health/racial disparities, and enforcing accountability.

 

Community Corridor Planning 

Along with our Community Corridor Planning coalition partners, Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership (STEP), Somerville Community Corporation (SCC), and the Somerville Community Health Agenda (SCHA), Groundwork Somerville”s Urban Family Outreach Squad is making it possible for residents to participate in the land use planning process around the proposed Green Line Extension to Somerville and Medford. We have a pivotal opportunity to impact land use planning decisions that will reduce harmful environmental impacts and ensure equity in land use planning decisions. As the city officially leads the land use planning process, our collaboration focuses on engaging community residents to establish priorities that reflect community values.  Our goal is to engage the community with a focus on youth, immigrants, and low-income residents in making recommendations.  We approach these goals following Guiding Principles derived from a community driven process.

Urban Family Outreach Squad leadership team members:

• Justice
• Victory
• Rolare
• Spenser

You can join us as we take efforts to sustain our diverse community.  Email your name and contact info to Ronald@GroundworkSomerville.org  

MOST RECENT ACTIVITIES

4/28/12 North St. Park Dodgeball tournament – dozens of families came to join us as we brought positive energy to North St. Park and sent the message to the community that this is their park.  The winners got tickets to go to Skyzone, the indoor trampoline park.

UPCOMING EVENTS + NEWS

• 5/15/12 Urban Family Outreach meet click here for details
• 4/15/12 Urban Family Outreach meet click here for details
• 3/21/12 Urban Family Outreach Squad meet click here for details
• Feb. 29th (Leap Day)  Urban Family Outreach will be apart of our annual CCP Community- Wide Assembly.  See what accomplishments we’ve made throughout 2011 and give input on what we should do to move our work forward for 2012!  Urban Family Outreach along with our Jobs for Somerville, and Affordable Housing working groups will be there.  Join in on the conversation about access to safe and accomodating Green Space, Transportation, Diversity, Local Jobs, and Affordable Housing. Click here to read more…
• Febuary 28th – The MBTA is a lifeline for many members within communities of color and devastating effect on those who depend on the bus and train to do everyday activities such as go to work and food shop for their families.  Urban Family Outreach is cohosting a rally outside of the Somerville High School on Feb. 28th when the MBTA plans to hold a public hearing.  WE NEED YOU to COME to the rally at 5pm to send the message to the MBTA that this is our lifeline and we can’t have service cuts and fare increases!!!
• Feb. Community Meeting Success!!  Thank you to Everyone who attended and showed support in preventing the MBTA proposed fare increases and service cuts.  There was 80 of us last night at the Mystic Activity Center and let’s bring even more to people to the public meeting on that the MBTA will have on February 28th.  Click Here for details
• Dec. Community Meeting Success!!  Thank you for everyone who attended and let their voice be heard. Check out the article written by Somerville News <Click here>
• 1/13/12  Urban Family Outreach Meeting- Clarendon Hill community members – 6pm to 7:30 location: 268 Rear Powderhouse Blvd. 17c