DotWell's 2012 DFSI Marathon Team!
The Dorchester FAMILY School Initiative (DFSI) Boston Marathon Fundraiser has found two runners to represent us for the 2012 Boston Marathon. Gwendolyn Stewart and Christy Roush are were kind enough to participate in our fundraising efforts along with running the grueling 26.2 miles. If you want to donate to Team DotWell for this marathon fundraiser please click here: http://www.crowdrise.com/DotWell-DFSI/fundraiser/healthservicespartne
All money raised will help DFSI to support before-school and after-school programming, coordinate social and emotional services within schools and connect families with community program and services. For more information contact Tom Powers at tom.powers@dotwell.org with questions.
New Pool Membership Rates for the New Year!
In 2012 make a resolution to become healthy and what better way to do that than to become a member at the Dorchester House Multi-Service Center Pool. Pool users come in all ages and all shapes and sizes, so whether you want to join the waterbabies classes, have a teen interested in Lifeguard training or are an adult who wanted to conquer the water, this is the location for you.
Public Swim Time Fees:16 & under-$2.00/17–59-$6.00/60 & Up-$2.00
Membership Prices
Family of 4, 2 adults & 2 children (16 & under)
Annually $400
Note: all must be in same family for these additional family member prices
Each additional child: $80
Each additional adult:$160
Each additional senior: $60
Adult Membership:17 & up- $250
Youth Membership: 16 years of age & under-$120
Senior Membership: 60 years & up- $100
Semi-annual, 6 month Membership Prices Family of 4, 2 adults & 2 children (16 & under)-$250
Note: all must be in same family for these additional family member prices.
Each additional child:$40
Each additional adult: $80
Each additional senior: $30
Semi-Annual Adult Membership: 17 years & up -$130
Semi-Annual Youth Membership:16 years & under-$70
Semi-annual Senior Membership: 60 years & up -$60
**SWIM LESSON PRICES —- $60-MEMBER; $80-NON-MEMBER
For more information, please contact Nate Caverly, DH Pool Aquatic Coordinator -(617) 740-2235 or nate.caverly@dorchesterhouse.org
Fiscal Health Vital Signs
With support from Root Cause, Doreen Treacy, Director of DotWell’s Civic Health Institute continues to work on and expand Fiscal Health Vital Signs. Please check out the links below to see what Doreen has been up to with this innovative program!
Fiscal Health Vital Signs (FHVS) is a tool developed and used by DotWell to “diagnose” an individual’s fiscal health. This tool was assembled from extensive experience training, coaching, and developing effective financial interventions for low to moderate income households. Further, just as in the clinical setting where those with chronic disease are assisted in managing their condition, those with chronic fiscal health problems diagnosed by the FHVS tool receive a financial wellness plan and on-going coaching. Through the FHVS program, a fiscal health case manager evaluates a client, “prescribes” specific actions that will improve their fiscal health, and develops a “treatment plan” to help clients stay in track.
Click here to view the video from the May 5th Social Innovators Showcase in Cambridge to view Doreen’s work.
Click here to see the Fiscal Health Vital Signs Prospectus and click here to see the Power point.
Local Events!
DFSI COMMUNITY NIGHT- FREE DINNER, RAFFLE PRIZES AND MORE…
Providing safe spaces and enriching activities during the summer months is a key part of any healthy community. The Dorchester FAMILY School Initiative (DFSI) is helping to build this community for three elementary schools in Dorchester’s Codman Square neighborhood.
DFSI is holding the 8th annual DFSI Community Night Resource Fair on Wednesday, March 14 from 5:30pm -7:30PM at the Lee Complex in Codman Square, (155 Talbot Avenue, Dorchester, MA). Families will be able to meet numerous organizational representatives and learn about summer programs in and around Dorchester as well as scholarship or reduced-tuition options. The resource fair highlights many ways to make a safe, healthy, and engaging summer possible and affordable for Dorchester families.
Research shows how critical summer learning is in a child’s development: without learning opportunities over the summer, children can lose one to three months of learning. Lower-income students are disproportionately affected by this learning loss, which is a key factor in the achievement gap between higher- and lower-income students. The DFSI Community Night Resource Fair is a step in the right direction, encouraging families to make the most of their summer months and highlighting the many ways to make a fun and enriching summer possible.
To reserve a dinner at this event please call DFSI Community Liaison Colin Hunt at 617-474-2598
BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS REGISTRATION SCHEDULE
The Boston Public Schools Registration cycle for the 2012 – 2013 school year.
Will your child be attending Kindergarten, Grades 6 or 9 in September 2012?
Registration is in January 2012!
Visit a Family Resource Center on these days, based on the first initial of the parent’s last name:
A – I January 3 – 6, 2012
J – Q January 9 - 13, 2012
R - Z January 17 - 20, 2012
Open to all January 23 – Feb. 3, 2012
*All other grades February 8 – March, 2012
West Zone Family Resource Center
515 Hyde Park Ave., Roslindale
(near Cummins Highway)
617-635-8040
Help available in English,
Cape Verdean Creole, Haitian Creole,
Portuguese, Spanish, and French
North Zone Family Resource Center
75 Malcolm X Blvd., Roxbury
Playspace Entrance to Madison Park HS
617-635-9010
Help available in English, Cantonese,
Cape Verdean Creole, English, Mandarin, Portuguese, and Spanish
East Zone Family Resource Center
1216 Dorchester Ave., Dorchester
(behind Burger King)
617-635-8015
Help available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, French, and
Haitian Creole
East Boston Satellite Center
312 Border St., East Boston
Umana Middle School Academy
617-635-9597
TUES, WED, THUR ONLY
Help in English and Spanish
HOURS
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday:8:30 am - 5:00 pm
Wednesday:8:30 am - 7:00 pm
The East Zone Family Resource Center
will also be open to serve all families on Saturdays:
January 21, 2012 and January 28, 2012 - 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
For more details, visit http://www.bostonpublicschools.org/register or call 617.635.9455.
Free Tax Clinics through DotWell!
As a member of the Boston Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Coalition, we offer FREE tax preparation for hard working Dorchester families. Taxpayers who earned less than $50,000 in the previous tax year can have their taxes prepared for free and claim important tax credits such as the EITC.
Please bring the following items to your tax site:
· Social Security Card (or Taxpayer ID Number-ITIN) for you, your children, and your spouse
· Proof of Health Insurance- bring your 1099HC or Health Insurance Card(s) for you and all family members
· All W-2 forms, All 1099 forms-1099G for unemployment and/or 1099R for pension payments
· All 1098T forms for tuition payments and receipts for books and materials
· Total childcare expenses last year and the name, address, Employer Identification Number (EIN) or Social Security Number for your child care provider(s)
· 1098E forms for student loan interest paid
· Total rent paid last year
· Any mail from the IRS
· A copy of last year’s tax return
· Your bank account and routing numbers to directly deposit your refund
· Total real estate paid last year (if applicable)
Availability:
January 21 through April 17
Location and Hours:
Codman Square Technology Center
450 Washington Street, Dorchester
Monday and Wednesdays 4:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
Saturdays 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Dorchester House Multi-Service Center
1353 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester
Monday and Wednesdays 4:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
Saturdays 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Additional services including credit counseling benefit screening and FAFSA assistance.
For more information, contact:
Shauntell Foster- Dorchester House Tax Site
617-822-8171
shauntell.foster@dotwell.org
Jason Andrade- Codman Tax Site
617-822-8120
jason.andrade@dotwell.org
In the News
Check out DotWell’s Codman Square Technology Center featured on boston.com for our healthy, fresh vending machine options!
Congratulations to the Joseph Lee Elementary School, one of DotWell’s Dorchester FAMILY School Initiative (DFSI) partner schools for their recent “School on the Move” Award from EdVestors. Please click here to see the press release!
Click here to see DotWell’s Shauntell Foster and two Skills for Life participants featured in a video made by the Massachusetts Financial Education Collaborative!
Check out DotWell, showcased on The Boston Foundation’s “My Neighborhood Boston” Web site!
The Arts and Multi-Media Collaborative is proud to display a video they created about the DotWell Teen Center on YouTube!
Click here to see the “What’s Up Works- Martin Luther King Jr. Day Special” video on YouTube, produced by the DotWell Film Crew!
_________________________________________________________
DotWell Performance Report
Check out our programmatic accomplishments in the past year presented in our 2010 DotWell Community Report. This report includes a sampling of program evaluation reports with a description of the program, the participant user profile, the program evaluation process, and any results we may have to date on that particular program.
