Have you ever had an idea for how you could make improvements in our community? So have the applicants for the Revere CARES Mini-Grant program and, this time, these ideas are going to become a reality.
Every year, a group of Revere residents and institutional leaders meet to select the awardees of mini-grants offered to the community through the Revere CARES Coalition in collaboration with Revere on the Move, an initiative of the Healthy Community Initiatives Office at the City of Revere.
This year, over $15,000 dollars was awarded to individuals, organizations, and groups interested in funding to promote healthy eating and active living, prevent substance use disorders, improve mental well-being, and engage young people in positive activities.
The 2019 mini-grant recipients are:
Group Therapy Program for “Newcomers” at the Garfield Middle: Awarded $378.84 to North Suffolk Mental Health Association in partnership with Garfield Middle School to support the creation of a group therapy program in the spring of 2019. The group will be for students who identify as “newcomers†to the country and the Revere community. The group will focus on social skills, positive bonding activities, coping skills and confidence building activities.
Public Stair Restoration in Beachmont: Awarded $3,076 to the Beachmont Improvement Committee in support of the restoration effort of the public stairs connecting Endicott Avenue to Bellingham Avenue. Beachmont is a walking community, and residents use these stairs at various times of the day to walk from one side of the community to the other. The stairs need structural reinforcement and lighting.
Peer Leaders’ Blue Ocean Project: Awarded $1,300 to MGH Youth Zone for the creation of the Blue Ocean Project. The MGH Youth Zone Peer Leaders would like to begin an environmental clean-up project for the City of Revere. The project will empower youth to take the initiative and responsibility for protecting the world around them. The project is multi-faceted and will include, among other things, monthly clean-ups after school in downtown Revere and/or the beach; collaboration with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to assess, collect, and report beach trash; participation in Beautify Revere; a field trip with an environmental activist to Rumney Marsh; and, an interactive presentation by whale and ocean researcher, Dr. Iain Kerr, CEO of Ocean Alliance.
Juice Plus Tower Garden for Seniors: Awarded $1,395 to Prospect House to share with seniors the experience of growing healthy food indoors. Programming will include games to learn about herbs and produce, and incorporating the harvested items into recipes for residents.
Afterschool STEAM Club: Awarded $1,959 to the Beachmont Elementary School to pilot the creation of a new Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) Club. The after-school STEAM Club will give students who might not have science and engineering opportunities at home the chance to stretch their minds and enrich their experiences. The Club will collaborate with Northeastern University engineering students.
Field Trip for the Garfield Elementary: Awarded $840 to the Garfield Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization in support of their enrichment field trips.
Camping Trip to Mount Cardigan Lodge: Awarded $940 to the RHS Outdoors Club for a two-day camping trip to Mount Cardigan Lodge, in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The trip will provide students with an unforgettable experience of hiking and camping; setting up tents and camping equipment; practicing the environmental ethic leave-no-trace; engaging in hands-on learning with local floral; learning about basic first aid, as well as opportunities for team building.
Revere Youth Soccer: Awarded $1,000 to Revere Youth Soccer in support of their efforts to engage youth of all economic backgrounds.
Stress Less Week: Awarded $900 to the School Redesign Improvement Team and the Youth Health Leadership Council at Revere High School to organize a weeklong event to help students practice positive coping skills to reduce stress. Activities will include dancing, singing, painting a resilience mural, and a social media and flyer campaign for handling stress and promoting mental health awareness.
Educational Theater: Awarded $3,210 to the Seacoast High School for Deana’s Educational Theater to conduct performances and discussion that will address issues associated with relationship violence, bystander intervention, and cyberbullying. The project will also include professional development for teachers by the Improbable Players, a theater group lead by actors in recovery from Substance Use Disorders. The mission of the Revere CARES coalition is to strengthen the health of Revere by addressing priorities established by community members; utilizing an environmental approach; advocating for evidence-based, culturally competent strategies, programs and services; increasing connectedness among individuals and organizations, and supporting and empowering local youth. The Revere CARES Coalition is a program of the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Community Health Improvement.
