Breakthrough Greater Boston, the nonprofit organization dedicated to preparing under-resourced students to attend four-year colleges and to training the next generation of urban teachers, reports that it raised $215, 000 in its annual Springfest event on April 24th. 

According to a recent press release:

Springfest supports Breakthrough Greater Boston’s (BTGB) college access and teacher training programs, with this year’s event held at the Moakley Courthouse in Boston to celebrate the program’s site expansion to Dorchester. . Commencing this summer, the organization will bring its successful Students Teaching Students model to Boston, marking the first time BTGB will run multiple sites in the Greater Boston area. The program’s inauguration at TechBoston Academy in Dorchester will double the number of traditionally underserved middle and high school students and aspiring young teachers benefiting from its services.

“Springfest represents a fantastic opportunity for the Cambridge and Boston communities to come together and support equal access to quality education,” said Executive Director of Breakthrough Greater Boston, Elissa Spelman. “Over the past 20 years, Breakthrough has proudly served the Cambridge community, helping students bridge the achievement gap. We are thrilled to now bring our services to the Boston community to guide twice as many students in achieving their dream of graduating from a four-year college.”

The event, attended by 300 participants, provided a fun and inspiring evening for the BTGB community to support the organization’s goals and to help fund the intensive out-of-school time academic and teacher training programming. Held in the landmark Moakley Courthouse in Boston, guests were treated to a reception with live music, student and teacher testimonials, and remarks from the organization. The event also featured a live auction and raffle with donated contributions from more than a dozen local businesses and individuals.

For more information on Breakthrough Greater Boston, please visit www.breakthroughgreaterboston.org

About Breakthrough Greater Boston
Breakthrough Greater Boston (BTGB) transforms urban education for students and teachers in Boston and Cambridge. Through six years of intensive, out of school time programming, Breakthrough changes students’ academic trajectories and supports them along the path to four-year college. Simultaneously, Breakthrough builds careers in education through an unparalleled teacher training program for college-aged students that features competitive national recruitment, research-based training, and daily coaching from master teachers. Breakthrough’s unique Students Teaching Students model inspires college students to become the next generation of urban educators and students to become college graduates. Visit http://breakthroughgreaterboston.org to learn more.

–ANita M. Harris

New Cambridge Observer is a publication of the Harris Communications Group, an award-winning public relations and digital marketing firm located in Kendall Square, Cambridge.

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Phillips Brooks House Association (PBHA) and Breakthrough Greater Boston (BTGB) , both based  in Cambridge,  have together raised more than $50,000 for vital summer youth programs, according to a recent communique from BTGB.

Sponsored by The Boston Foundation, the Giving Common Challenge was a 36-hour online event running from 8:00 a.m. on October 10 through 8:00 p.m. on October 11, 2012. More than 500 Massachusetts nonprofits competed for donations and more than $100,000 in time-based and grand prizes based on both the number and amount of unique gifts were given out. Both PBHA and Breakthrough took home major prizes.

Cambridge’s PBHA won the “most unique donors” grand prize of $25,000, with 379 supporters contributing $17,102 to the organization. PBHA also won one of the $2,000 “happy hour” prizes, awarded to the first 10 nonprofits to receive 50 unique gifts between 6:00 and 8:00 p.m. on October 10. Combining the amount raised from donors with the two prizes, PBHA raised a total of $44,102.

Breakthrough Greater Boston, also based in Cambridge, finished in 9th place in unique donors, after rising as high as 4th. With its 137 gifts, as well as a $2,000 “lunch time” prize similar to PBHA’s “happy hour” prize, Breakthrough Greater Boston netted close to $15,000.

The funds raised by PBHA will support more than 80 community-service programs led by 1,600 college students in the areas of adult services; advocacy, organizing, housing, and health; after-school and in-school; mentoring; and summer.

PBHA executive director Maria Dominguez Gray noted, “The breadth and support of the individual donors, from former teen participants to volunteer alumni, was overwhelming. The additional funding we were able to raise through this important community effort is especially important in light of recent government cuts to high-impact services, including PBHA’s Harvard Square and St. James homeless shelters as well as the Summer Urban Program.” PBHA’s student president Carolyn Chou confirmed, “This money will allow us not only to continue providing quality services but imagine an exciting future for PBHA. The dedication and support of our donors is a testament to the work we do, and it will allow us to keep going despite a tough financial environment for nonprofits.”

The impact on Breakthrough Greater Boston’s out-of-school time and teacher training programming will be equally great,  according to  Breakthrough’s executive director, Elissa Spelman.

“As we continue to work on bridging the education gap in Greater Boston, we rely on the generosity of our supporters. Placing 9th in the Giving Common Challenge is not only an honor for our organization but a testament to the dedication of the broader Breakthrough community that made our success over the past 36 hours possible,” she said.  “Breakthrough Greater Boston is in the midst of an exciting expansion from Cambridge into Boston, so the awareness and visibility of our organization within Boston’s philanthropic community couldn’t come at a better time. We extend our sincerest gratitude to all who supported us.”

According to the BGTB communique: For more than a century PBHA programs have provided vital experiences for generations of leaders in service and activism while developing real, meaningful community partnerships. PBHA strives to create change on multiple levels in Boston and Cambridge. For 20 years BTGB  has been working to transform urban education for students and teachers.. Through six years of intensive, tuition-free, out of school time programming, Breakthrough changes students’ academic trajectories and supports them along the path to four-year college. Simultaneously, BTGB builds the next generation of teachers through competitive recruitment, research-based training, and coaching from master teachers.

–Posted by Anita M. Harris
New Cambridge Observer is a publication of the Harris Communications Group, an award-winning public relations and online marketing  firm based in Cambridge, MA.