The Newton Food Pantry TAP (Teen Ambassador Program) team is gearing up for their first Winter Gear Drive. Please support this initiative that will benefit NFP’s youth clients. See the flyer here for important details.
They’ll be collecting items January 4th-15th.
Temple Emanuel presents ELDER LAW 101 : Who will take care of my special needs adult child after I am gone? Elder law attorney Don Freedman, social worker Joan Katz, and care manager Audrey Zabin, will speak on the special case of the adult special needs child and how their elder parents can protect assets and plan for their adult child’s future. The public is invited to participate on zoom. Please email Tracy at Tracys120@yahoo.com for flyer and zoom link. There is no charge.
As parents age, the concern in managing funds and planning out estate plans that focus on disability benefits and balancing the needs and burdens of other adult children becomes crucial. This conversation can involve adults with diminished capacity as well as adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Even if the adult child is in his /her teens or twenties or thirties, it is helpful for middle aged parents to think about the long term future.
Underwritten by Benchmark.
January 19th, 6:15 pm
Via Zoom
Thanks to a generous donor, the Newton Rotary Club now has this magnificent gift basket to raffle off! Visit RotaryNewton.org to buy tickets. Hurry – tickets are only on sale for about a week!
The best of the best all placed together in a traditional Oval Metal Basket. Truly, a galore of delights reunited to make this Holiday Season simply spectacular! Such delicacies included in this gift are Hamilton House Classic Crackers, Alehouse Snack Co. Bacon Habanero Bites, Creative Snacks Hot Honey Crunch Mix, Bella Campagna Bistro Style Whole Mixed Olives, Alehouse Sweet & Spicy Honey Mustard Dip, IL Panettiere Classic Bread Sticks, but wait! Just when you think it’s over… indulge in decadent Guylian Milk Chocolate, Socado Tiramisu Milk Chocolate Truffles, Walkers Pure Butter Shortbread Cookies, Smooth Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate with Caramel Filling, Godiva Dark Chocolate Covered Pretzels and the exceptional warm essence of Ahmad English Tea and oh so much more!
The John M. Barry Boys & Girls Club of Newton provides elementary and middle school students with their Out-of-School-Time program…
… and they can’t continue to do this alone. They need your support!
The Boys & Girls Club complements the Newton public schools hybrid program by providing learning, online classroom assistance, homework help, and other programing for safe socialized interactions with other kids.
The Club remains a source of stability, consistency, engagement, and academic achievement. Click here to learn in less than 90 seconds what the Club has been doing this year.
To provide this program for kids comes at a high price. While they offer a sliding scale for tuition fees, they need your support to continue to support tuition discounts for those most-in-need. Many traditional means of support from grants to program fees and from government programs and membership income are no longer available.
Your $10,000 donation provides
Tuition assistance to those in greatest need to attend the Club’s Out-of-School-Time program
Your $5,000 donation provides
Tuition assistance for many to to attend the Club’s Out-of-School-Time program
Your $2,400 donation provides
Two months full tuition assistance for one school student
Your $1,200 donation provides
One month full tuition assistance for one school student
Your $300 donation provides
One week full tuition assistance for one school student
December 2020 Winter Vacation Programs – December 28th – December 31st
Give your kids something to look forward to – no screens attached! Sign up for one of the Y’s school vacation programs for an active week of socially distanced games, sports, crafts, swim, and more! Learn more and download a registration form at www.wsymca.org/childcare/school-vacation-programs.
Winter Programs: January 4th – February 14th Registration is open!
2020 was a challenging year that required families to break from their typical routines and adapt to new ways of doing things. Since July of 2020, the Y has been adapting as well. The Y remains committed to helping you and your family stay active, engaged, and above all, safe. Stay active as a family by signing up for swimming, sports, music, and fitness programs! Register today: https://www.wsymca.org/find-a-program
Create A Class – Put together the roster, and the Y will run the program!
Stay involved in your favorite activities AND keep within your bubble or cohort! The Y has introduced the option to form your own group of participants to create a class. Whether it’s your school cohort, a family bubble, or a neighbor group, the Y will work with you to set up a day and time for your group and the program of your choosing.
Most Y programs can be adapted to Create A Class. Everything from toddler tumbling to teen basketball, youth swim lessons to yoga, and everything in between! Classes can take place indoors, outdoors, or virtually.
West Suburban YMCA programs have been adapted to operate in accordance with all safety protocols and sector-specific guidelines outlined by the CDC, the state of Massachusetts, and local health authorities. If you have questions about a specific program or class, please visit the Y’s website for more information and registration.
Family Swim during December School Vacation Week
Have the pool to yourself with family swim! 30-minute reservation slots are available in the Y’s small pool. Family swim is limited to ONE family/household with a maximum of six family members. Additional family swim times available during winter vacation week! Make a reservation and learn more: https://www.wsymca.org/schedules-events/pool-schedule
YMCA Summer Camp Registration opens January 11th
In 2020, the West Suburban YMCA operated a safe, successful, and fun camp season for hundreds of children at YMCA Camp Pikati and YMCA Camp Chickami. Registration for day camp and overnight camp (YMCA Camp Frank A. Day) opens on January 11th. Day Camp deposit(s) are fully refundable until April 1, 2021, so families can maintain flexibility when making summer plans. Learn more at www.wsymca.org/camps.
Financial Assistance is always available for Y Memberships and Programs
The West Suburban YMCA is a non-profit charitable organization whose mission is to never turn anyone away due to an inability to pay. Please contact the Membership Department at 617-244-6050 ext. 3653 for financial assistance with membership or program participation.
Two new affordable housing proposals will be submitted for review at the CPC’s January 12th meeting. The Community Preservation Committee (CPC) will hold this meeting as a virtual meeting. To view and participate download the “Zoom Cloud Meetings” app in any app store or at www.zoom.us. At the meeting time, click on “Join a Meeting” and enter Meeting ID: 87085165533.
You can also access the meeting at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87085165533pwd=ODcrQjUzTGVtMW43blhQTXV5dnhtZz09 or one tap mobile: +13017158592,,87085165533#
Proposal #1: Coleman House Senior Housing Preservation Project
Coleman House Senior Housing Preservation Proposal – Owner 2Life Communities requests $4,214,622 in Community Housing preservation funds to rehabilitate and restore the ca. 1980s Coleman House buildings which currently provide housing and supportive services to 146 very low and extremely low income senior households (at or below 50% AMI) in Newton. 2Life Communities, will be completing a full restoration of the existing building, including mechanical systems, as well as rehabilitating all of its existing housing units. Units will also be reconfigured to to meet 2Life’s adaptable design standards and accessibility requirements and existing program spaces will be redesigned to serve as a village center for residents. The project includes a commitment to sustainability and the renovations are designed to meet Enterprise Green Communities standards.
The pre-proposal was reviewed by the CPC at their December 8th meeting and 2Life was invited to submit a full application at that time. The public hearing in January is expected to be a joint meeting with the Planning and Development Board, which will be discussing the potential use of HOME and CDBG funding in this project.
Proposal #2: Covid-19 Emergency Housing Assistance Program Additional Funding
Covid-19 Emergency Housing Relief Program – The City of Newton requests $1,200,000 in Community Housing support funds to extend the City’s existing Covid-19 Emergency Housing Relief Program through June 2021. The program has provided housing assistance to over 200 income eligible Newton households that have been negatively impacted by the Covid-19 crisis since July 2020. As the crisis has continued, however, it became increasingly clear that three months of assistance was not enough to address the ongoing need and the program has been extended twice since its implementation to address these concerns. The remaining program funds are anticipated to be expended in February, at a time when many households will still be in critical need of housing assistance. To address this ongoing need, the City is requesting additional funding to extend the program for an additional four months.
Next CPC Application Deadline
The deadline for new applications and discussion items to be added to the February 9th meeting is January 22nd. Information on the virtual meeting will be sent out with the agenda before the meeting.
More Information Online
In addition to CPC agendas, meeting packets & minutes, the website includes proposal & project instructions, major documents for current proposals & funded projects, and regularly updated financial and other reports on Newton’s current, future, and past CPA projects and spending.
For help or with questions, contact Lara Kritzer at lkritzer@newtonma.gov or 617.796.1144. The Massachusetts Community Preservation Act (CPA) provides local
and state funds for affordable housing, historic resources, open space
and recreation.
January 12th, 7:00 pm
To learn more about the CPA and Newton’s program, go to www.newtonma.gov/cpa.
It may come as no surprise that increased time online in the age of COVID-19 has increased concerns about cyberbullying. Sometimes kids feel powerful by putting another person down, and it’s even easier to do now when our children aren’t face to face. CAP’s strategies help keep children SAFE, STRONG, and FREE from bullying and cyberbullying by practicing with children how to say “No” or “Stop” to stand up for themselves or for their friends. You can help them, too, by starting a conversation.
Read More for information from CAP about how bullying and cyberbullying can negatively impact children and to get resources to recognize signs, prevent the bullying, and help all the children involved.
NSHS FORJ will host a book discussion on Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You with middle and high school students, parents and teachers. Knowledge is power, and knowledge of racism and how it works will benefit everyone living in this country. This highly engaging book has been praised as essential reading by many authors and media sources.
Join the group in reading Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds. Read or listen to Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi as they connect you to the history of racism from 1415 to today. You’ll walk away more educated so that you can powerfully practice antiracism in your daily life.
Zoom – RSVP here to receive the Zoom link for the event.
January 13th, 7:00 pm
Harvard Student Agencies is offering a four day online Pre-Med Level I course for high school students. The classes will be through the Zoom® video conferencing software and taught by qualified student instructors.
Pre-Med Academy Level I will cover modules on genetics, complex immunology, and viral diseases. The program explores case studies on various diseases, poses medical ethical questions, and offers an opportunity to dissect scientific papers. It will also include an overview for the MCAT process for any student who might be interested in a medical career.
Please register here. If you have any questions, please contact Natsuka Hayashida at natsusora0727@gmail.com
Pre-Med Level I Program
January 9th – 10th and 16th – 17th, 12:00 – 4:00 pm
The Resilience Project is an innovative school- and community-based initiative designed to promote the mental health and well-being of adolescents. It provides support to students, parents, educators, counselors and communities through collaboration with school personnel, customized educational programming and improved access to treatment resources.
Join the next event in the Building Resilience Series: Coping and Distress Tolerance Techniques and Strategies. Register here: Resilience
December 17th, 10:00 – 11:00amd
Via zoom