The National Association of Counties, U.S. Conference of Mayors, National Community Development Association and Council of State Community Development Agencies will host a webinar on National Community Development Week which will be held April 22-26, 2019. National Community Development (CD) Week is an annual opportunity to recognize and celebrate the successful impact of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnershi

By happenstance, I met the former co-owner of the local grocery store where I worked years ago in my home state of Maine while at a Boston Red Sox networking event. I thanked him for the opportunity he provided me and told him what I’m doing today. It’s not often you get a chance to thank people for creating opportunities for you who are so far up the ladder but it felt like a very rewarding day.

The Council praised Melissa and her initiative to expand educational and economic health in Quincy by engaging the city’s young people and building education and job-training pipelines that will lead to a better prepared workforce.

On December 5th, over 75 local leaders convened at Quincy College to discuss Opportunity Nation’s Shared Plan – to build the necessary education and job training pipelines that convert the potential of young adults today to the job market of today and tomorrow – and how it can be used as a tool in our community to increase effectiveness of programs and services already in place. Actions include but are not limited to: engaging employers as part of the solution; pairing college planning support for low-income students with asset development; boosting mentoring; and driving community collaboration to reconnect youth. Alicia LeClaire – panelist for the workshop and Director of Strategic Initiatives for the South Shore Workforce Investment Board – referred to the effort as “more paddles in the water moving in the same direction.”