Community Service
PBHA Meets Fundraising Goal for 2026 Summer Urban Program After Annual Auction
The Phillips Brooks House Association raised more than $150,000 at its 23rd annual auction Friday night, meeting its goal for the Summer Urban Program, which operates five-week day camps for roughly 700 low-income children in Boston and Cambridge.
As Allston-Brighton Food Pantry Closure Persists, Demand Surges at Local Aid Programs
The Allston Brighton Food Pantry — one of the largest food pantries in the neighborhood — was forced to temporarily shut its doors in February. But as the planned two-week closure dragged on for nearly a month, other service providers have seen mounting demand.
Allston Brighton Health Collaborative Taps Chelsea Nonprofit Leader as New Executive Director
Priyanka Rangadass, a Chelsea nonprofit leader, began serving Monday as the executive director of the Allston Brighton Health Collaborative, taking over after the coalition’s longtime head stepped down last year.
Homeless Families in Cambridge Temporary Shelter Report Worsening Conditions
Residents and shelter workers at the Cambridge Registry of Deeds building center said the new five-day stay limit was going unenforced but fostered a sense of instability as residents struggled to make concrete plans for the future.
As Cambridge Emergency Shelter Struggles to Meet Needs, Chelsea Nonprofit Provides Resources to Families
La Colaborativa, an immigrant social service organization in Chelsea, opened a walk-in day services center on Tuesday for families staying in the state-run emergency homeless shelter in Cambridge, which has struggled to transition its residents into permanent housing.
An Emergency Shelter in Cambridge Was Meant To Be Transitory. Families Have Stayed for Weeks.
A temporary homeless shelter at the Cambridge Registry of Deeds building was only meant to house families for five to ten days. But a shortage of permanent shelter options means that most families have remained there since December.
Harvard Students Developing App to Connect Boston’s Unhoused People with Essential Resources
Local undergraduates are developing an app to connect Greater Boston’s unhoused population to essential resources, with hopes to launch it in the coming weeks.
Harvard’s Small Claims Advisory Service Expands to Claremont Colleges and Columbia
Harvard’s Small Claims Advisory Service, a legal aid program run by undergraduate volunteers, expanded its organization to Columbia University and the five Claremont Colleges this semester.
Undergraduates Begin Training and Fundraising for Boston Marathon in April
A handful of undergraduates are in training to run Boston Marathon in April, with five running on behalf of Harvard College Marathon Challenge to raise money for PBHA.
Student Group for Deaf Awareness Begins Recruiting New Members
The Deaf Awareness Coalition, a student group dedicated to raising awareness about Deaf culture, accessibility, and American Sign Language, has started recruiting members for its fall class of volunteers.
‘An Exceptional Job’: Allston Residents and Harvard Students Commend the Ed Portal
Amid longstanding tensions between Harvard and Boston's Allston-Brighton neighborhood, there is one University-run initiative that has been welcomed with open arms: the Harvard Ed Portal.
Group of Harvard Students to Develop Resources for African Refugees in Lowell
Beginning in June, a group of 10 Harvard undergraduates will work with the African Community Center of Lowell to support immigrants and refugees from African nations acclimate to life in Lowell, Mass.
Anti-Violence and Disability Justice Advocate Mia Mingus Awarded PBHA ‘Call of Service’ Award
Mia Mingus, an anti-violence and disability justice advocate, received the Phillips Brooks House Association’s Robert Coles “Call of Service” Award on Friday.
Cambridge Community Center Food Distribution
Food distribution takes place outside of the Cambridge Community Center. The Cambridge Community Center created its Food & Supply Pantry in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
New Zealand PM Ardern Draws Largest Virtual Crowd in JFK Jr. Forum History
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda K. L. Ardern shared her vision for leadership before a record-breaking audience of thousands at a virtual John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum on Tuesday — the largest since the event series moved online in March.
Students Advocate for Prison Education at Radcliffe Institute Panel
Students discussed prison education and its potential for combating social ills at a panel hosted by the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study Tuesday afternoon.
Harvard Graduate Forms COVID-19 Task Force on Domestic Violence to Combat Dangers of Staying at Home
As surveys find increasing rates of domestic violence during the COVID-19 epidemic, Harvard graduate Ashrithaa “Ashri” S. Anurudran ’19 has formed a task force focused on addressing the issue.
Harvard Senior and Family 'Feed the Frontlines,' Delivering Meals to New York City Hospital Workers
With restaurants struggling across the nation and healthcare workers working around the clock, Isabella M. Di Pietro ’20 and her family were inspired to start an organization that provides a way to support those frontline healthcare workers — while keeping the family restaurant business afloat.
Kevin Ballen
Kevin L. Ballen '22 is one of the founders of the Service Starts with Summer Program. The program, administered by the Phillips Brooks House Association, gives each participant a $1,500 stipend for completing 100 hours of work on a self-directed service project in their hometown.
Bacow Discusses University-City Partnerships in Phoenix
University President Lawrence S. Bacow traveled to Phoenix, Ariz. last Wednesday, meeting with Phoenix Mayor Katharine W. Gallego ’04 and other city officials to discuss the importance of partnerships between universities and cities. The trip is the latest in a series of stops Bacow has made across the country.
At "Beloved Streets" Event, Panel Discusses Race and Transformative Justice
Harvard affiliates and community leaders gathered Thursday evening for an event called “Beloved Streets: Race & Justice in America,” which marked the culmination of a winter-term course at Harvard Graduate School of Education of the same name.
Harvard Student Group Gives $10,000 in Sustainability Grants
An undergraduate consulting organization has granted $10,000 to 13 Harvard affiliates and groups to achieve sustainability initiatives this year.
Students, Staff Aim to Make Public Service Opportunities More Accessible
Phillips Brooks House staff members and College students from a variety of campus public service organizations are working to create a new public service initiative.
PBHA Hosts Poverty Teach-In
Panelists tackled the issue from many angles including youth poverty, education, housing, immigration, and even the effects of the recent legalization of cannabis.
Students Travel to Puerto Rico on PBHA Spring Break Service Trip
PBHA’s Puerto Rico program was one of four service trips run by the organization from March 11 to 18 and was the latest effort on behalf of Harvard students to support people affected by the storm.
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