11/2004

Peace Works! is one of two initiatives created by the Hope Dialogue Committee. The Hope Dialogue Committee was formed on November 4, 2004 by Catholic Social Services in response to the tide of violence that surged through the New Bedford community.

2/2005

Bristol County Sheriff’s Office hires a Peace Works! Coordinator.  The task of the coordinator shall be to develop and maintain partnerships with area residents and service providers also to build and strengthen the Peace Works! Coalition.

5/05
In May 2005 our group attended the Practitioners Institute at HCZ. Harlem Children’s Zone was founded in 1970; Harlem Children's Zone, Inc. is a pioneering, non-profit, community-based organization that works to enhance the quality of life for children and families in some of New York City's most devastated neighborhoods. The emphasis of The Children's Zone work is not just on education, social service and recreation, but on rebuilding the very fabric of community life. The Peace Works! Project is modeled after the HCZ.
6/05
Peace Works planned and implemented a Neighborhood Gardening Day to kick of the program aimed at building a sense of community among all the residents and merchants of the West End Neighborhood.  The day will began with an anti-violence message that kicked-off a safe and peaceful summer.  Children from the area were instructed and assisted with the designing of approximately 100 potted plants.  Youth Outreach Teams then delivered these plants to businesses and agencies in the neighborhood, along with literature about our mission.

8/05

In an effort to make the community aware of available resources, Peace Works! hosted a Neighborhood Block Party in the courtyard. Area residents from the targeted West End of the city were invited to come and enjoy lunch, entertainment and the opportunity to meet their neighbors and receive information on local resources.

9/05

A youth garden club at the Boys and Girls Club was created.  The agri-Culture Club is a group of youth from the Peace Works! targeted area that will take part in community projects such as gardens and civic leadership projects.

 

10/05

First Annual Harvest Festival-held at the Boys and Girls Club. Children of the neighborhood were directed in painting and then distributing “Peace Pumpkins” to the residents in the vicinity of the Peace Works Project area. Attendees also had their faces painted as well as played games and sampled some homemade nutritious snacks.

11/05

New England Grassroots Environmental Fund grants Peace Works! $1,500 for the start-up of the Youth Garden Club.

12/05

Wreath Project-community wreath project collaborations was done with Culture Club participants and Pregnant and Parenting Teens Girls. The wreaths were made with a purple peace ribbon in the center to send the message of peace at the holiday season to the area businesses and organizations.  This practice helped to create a Peace Works! presence as well as relationship building in the neighborhood.

 

Anti-Drug/Gang Motivational Speaker- Joseph Jennings spoke at an assembly held at Westside Jr. /Sr. High School and at the New Bedford Public School’s Pregnant and Parenting Teens Program.  The New Bedford Juvenile Drug Program and the JRC students attended as well.

 

University of Mass Nursing Outreach/PPT Partnership- Students were placed at the United Front Housing Developments, Bedford Towers and the Boys and Girls Club.

 

3/2006

The youth garden club, Culture Club will begin the design and creation of a `Peace Garden` outside the boys and Girls Club

4/06

Peace Works! kicks off the Maxfield City Garden.  Nationally recognized leader in urban agriculture, Katherine Brown, PhD is our guest. The city garden will be a collaborative effort between all the agencies in the Peace Works! Coalition. The garden will be a place where neighbors, children and families can come and learn how to interact with the environment as well as offer opportunities to craft and learn about nutrition and health.

5/06

The Peace Works! Coordinator and the city garden coordinator successfully complete three hours of professional development for use and implementation of the Junior Master Gardener Program.

 

 

7/06

New Directions Summer Youth Program- New Bedford students took part in a ‘work and learning program”. 

Nutrition in the Garden- The University of Massachusetts Amherst, UMass Extension taught nutrition on the garden.  Chef Jessica Williams cooked healthy foods on a BBQ pit in the garden.

 

Storytelling in the Garden-An ethnic experience relating books to the many cultures on the community.

8/06

West Side Collaborative- An intensive reading program implemented at West Side High School. This project is collaboration between Umass Dartmouth professors and students as well as Peace Works! The pilot program used the Changing Lives through Literature Anthology.

The 2nd Annual Neighborhood Block Party was hosted in an effort to make the community aware of available resources and Peace Works projects going on.

                                                                                                          
                                                                                                   
Arts & Crafts- Various fun projects related to the environment are offered in the Maxfield City Garden.

Plant’s of the Bible- The Maxfield City Garden Hosted Father Harrington in a workshop which explained the types of plants along the Nile River to the Sea of Galilee.

Woman’s Program Fund, a special fund through the Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts granted Peace Works! $1,000 for the Maxfield City Garden.

9/06

The Re-Birth of New Bedford- Rappp’s youth Council member’s presented the “New Bedford Resurrected” program to the community in the Maxfield City Garden.

Family Literacy Project- Umass Dartmouth students assist children at the Boys and Girls club with reading and homework.  The program will benefit student’s reading below grade level.

 

10/06

2nd Peace Works! Fall Festival- This free gathering was held in the Maxfield city Garden. Fun was had by all. The day was a success with the help from the Umass Dartmouth America Reads students.

City Garden Coordinator attends New England Grassroots Environment Fund Strategic Thinking Retreat.

Lamppost Heroes Banner Project- Peace Works! receives a banner located in Custom House Square in New Bedford. The Banner was designed by Teens during a “summer of work and learning program” 

11/06

The structure of the Peace Works! project changed from a coalition of community service providers to a partnership between The Bristol County Sheriff’s Office, Boys and Girls Club and the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

Family Literacy Dinner at West Side High School- this dinner was organized for the students, parents, faculty of both and the Peace Works team. The dinner was to show all concerned with the pilot project the success of the literacy program in the Westside High School.

New England Grassroots Environment Fund grants Peace Works! $1,500 to continue with the development of the Maxfield City Garden in the west end of New Bedford.

12/06

The Family Literacy Program hosted a pizza dinner at the Boys and Girls Club for the parents of the students that benefit from the Umass Dartmouth tutors.

2nd Annual Winter Wreath Project- collaboration between the boys and Girls Club, Pregnant and Parenting Teens and Peace Works!  The girls at P & P Teen’s handmade 40 wreaths that were handed out to the community as a sign of peace and non-violence. The children at the Boys and Girls Club are in the agri-Culuture Club. The Culture Club is a youth garden club and so much more….

Peace Works! accepts an intern for a field experience from Lesley University. Sara will assist with all Peace Works! duties and responsibilities. Sarah’s program in a BS Human Services/Counseling.

2/2007

Informational luncheon for a Massachusetts Planning and Development Initiative to Collaborate with RAPPP’s youth program.  The purpose of this program is “Bringing Together the Wisdom of the Elderly and the Energy of the Youth”

Valentine’s Day Peace Project- Grapevine heart shaped wreaths are decorated by the girls at the Pregnant and Parenting Teens Program. The wreaths are then passed out to local businesses in the targeted neighborhood of the Peace Works! project.

Holy Family Holy Name School- Peace Works! begins to build a relationship with this           school.  Mrs. Lacroix’s class will begin planting seeds in the class room after spring break with the hopes of planting them in the Maxfield City Garden in May.  Peace Works donates the book “Seedfolks” the children of this class. The Peace Works staff visited and presented the students with information about the program and the garden. The were given pencils boxes with gloves and wildflower seeds in then as well as the book.

3/07

Peace Works! is awarded a $400.00 grant from Southcoast Hospital Group/RAPPP Program.  The purpose for the award is specifically for the summer season of Maxfield City Garden.

 

6th Annual Kids Fair at Dartmouth Mall-Peace Works! partnered with the Boys and Girls Club to have a table at the mall for the children of the community. Peace Works! provided activities for the day’s events. Some of the crafts that the children made were bracelets and key chains. The boys and Girls club promoted literacy by donating an age appropriate book to each child.

4/07

Home Depot donates 100 tulip plants to Peace Works! for the purpose of being planted in the Maxfield City Garden. 

 

5/07

The United Way “Youth Day of Caring” took place in the early part of May. Peace Works! sponsored youth from area schools for the day.  The youth helped to make paper pots to be used for the Spring Festival, they also helped construct birdhouses for the children of the Culture Club to paint. Dominoes pizza provided lunch for the day.

Spring Festival- To kick of the 2nd annual Maxfield City Garden season Co-Sponsored by PeaceWorks!, the Boys & Girls Club, and SCALE -Student Coalition for Action in Literacy Education.

6/07

Staff from Peace Works attended the “Understanding the Challenges and Meeting the Needs of adolescents in the Twenty-First Century” youth conference. Workshops such as Family Dynamics and the Neuropsychological Trauma of the brain were attended.  All activities are free and everyone from the community is welcome.

Staff from Peace Works! attended The New Bedford Schools, Pregnant and Parenting Teens Program: Recognition Ceremony.

Peace Works! receives a $100.00 dollar grant for the Charitable Giving Program at Bank Five. This will be used towards the purchase of a banner for community events.

7/07

Chef Jessica from UMASS Extension hosts “Nutrition in the Garden” Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad was prepared on our outdoor barbeque pit, built by the children of the Culture Club from the Boys and Girls Club. Many different grilled veggies were sampled by the 2 dozen children in attendance.

The city’s summer youth job program aided in a collaborative effort between Treatment on Demand and Blue Mountain Center for Living Arts. Anna D’Epiro Trafton and her husband Mark volunteered and supervised the youth. Anna holds a LICSW and is also a local peace activist. Peace Works! is the proud recipient of a 4 x 8 shed built by the youth with the supervision of Mark Trafton and a supervision form Treatment on Demand.

8/07

Peace held our 3rd Annual Block Party/Cookout for the west end neighbors. Some of the resource tables that came out to support Peace Works! and the community were The Girls Scouts, SMILES Mentoring, Kool Smiles Dental, Safe Zones, WIC, and many others.
With a $1000 grant from Walmart we were able to provide bags filled with school supplies for the neighborhood children.

 

9/07

Maxfield City Garden Committee Meeting- Ideas on how we would like to grow and in which direction were discussed. There will be a “Dream Garden” plan, Mary S. Rapoza, CLD will design the plan. 

City Garden Shed Dedication- A local community activist, Mark Trafton and his wife Ana lead some summer youth in shed project for Peace Works and the Maxfield City Garden.  All labor, tools and instruction were donated for the project. The youth were from the summer youth program working with Treatment on Demand.

Smart Girls is a program for girls ages 10-15 at the Boys and Girls Club.  The Peace Works! project assistant will oversee UMASS Dartmouth students mentor girls in the SMART Girls Program.

10/07

Due to inclement weather the Peace Works! Harvest Festival was cancelled.  100 pumpkins were brought into the Boys and Girls Club one at a time by the children.  The club members/neighborhood children were invited to paint a pumpkin to bring home or donate to a community member. 

11/07

As a sign of peace and gratitude the students at the Boys and Girls Club helped in putting ribbons and tagging Indian Corn for the community.

12/07

After meeting and discussing possible topics Rebecca Arruda from the Women’s Center did training for the Smart Girls Club.  The differences between healthy and non-healthy relationships were covered and discussed.

Worked with Pregnant and Parenting Teens/New Bedford Public Schools on a holiday project. Teens moms and expectant moms painted glass ornamental balls for the BCSO employees.

Peace Works! 3rd Annual Holiday Wreath Project was a success with the help of members of the Boys and Girls Club, UMASS Dartmouth students and the Pregnant and Parenting Teens Program.  Wreaths were delivered to area stakeholders and residents of the Peace Works! targeted area.

Peace Works! Project Assistant met with a city employee and a representative of the HOPE Collaborative to brainstorm ideas on how to get the Peace Works! Partnership involved in aiding in the “Adopt A Square” Program for the city of New Bedford.

Peace Works! department members meets the new Director of the Urban Initiative Department at UMASS Dartmouth.

As part of the Westside Collaborative members of Peace Works! visit “The Network”. The Network is an alternative high school in Middleboro.

1/2008

Maxfield City Garden committee holds the first meeting of 2008.  Many local environmentalists join us as we embark upon the growing season. 

Rotary Club takes interest in the Maxfield City Garden Project and awards Peace Works! with a grant for $1200.  This will be put to use in a kitchen vegetable/herb backyard model garden in the Maxfield City Garden.  The experience will reward local children from the target area an education and awareness of urban gardening.

2/08

The “Pet Project” gets underway with the SMART Girls Club at the Boys and Girls Club. Girls brainstormed community projects they would like to get involved in. After deciding on animal shelters they went to work. They have made toys for the homeless pets and collected cans as well as created flyers using the computer lab at the club.  The girls then decorated boxes to hold the items that will be donated to the cause.

The city of New Bedford Cemetery Dept. assists Peace Works! in “Planting Seeds of Hope”. Bob Rebello of Pine Grove Cemetery/City of New Bedford takes an interest in the Maxfield City Garden Project.  Peace Works! received an abundance of seeds from America the Beautiful Fund/Operation Green Plant. The plants and flowers the greenhouse will produce will be transported and planted by local community agencies, volunteers, schools and youth groups in the MCG in May.

 

 

3/08

The Woman’s Fund of Southeastern MA proposes for an all girl collaboration with the Boys and Girls Club of New Bedford, The YWCA and the YMCA.  Peace Works! project assistant attends brainstorming meeting.

Peace Works! attended a preliminary  meeting with RAPPP.  The Search Institutes Global Healthy Community, Healthy Youth Initiative will kick off in May.

MA Service Alliance awards RAPPP a youth service grant for the purpose of moving the Maxfield City Garden to into a completion phase. RAPPP will work on the project with their youth group in April.

4/08

Faxon Animal Rescue League veterinarian, Tracy Carreiro visited the Boys and Girls Club as part of our “pet project”.  The girls from the SMART Girls club attended a discussion on all sorts of topics having to do with the animal shelter and their operation.  The girls presented Tracy with hand-made cat toys and supplies they collected through the project.  We will be traveling to Fall River for a field trip in May to visit the shelter.

 

5/08

United Way Day of Caring-Youth and one chaperon from New Bedford High school cleaned up the playground at the Boys and Girls Club. They also assisted the Peace Works! project assistant in helping to get the MCG ready for the Peace Garden Celebration. 

Peace Garden Celebration in Maxfield City Garden.  The neighbors, children from the Boys and Girls Club and community agencies were treated to hot dogs, music, book give away, popcorn and soda.  The celebration was in honor of RAPPP completing their community project in the MCG.

 

 

Building a strong community for youth. RAPPP’s kickoff luncheon was the launch of a new RAPPP initiative, The Greater New Bedford Healthy Communities, Healthy Your Initiative. This new program aims to create a stronger community by focusing on building broader developmental assets for adolescents.  Peace Works! program coordinator attended

 

 

Summer 08

UMASS Amherst Family Nutrition Program provided Nutrition Education/Nutrition in the garden on Wednesdays.  Chef Jessica Williams educated every age group on nutrition education.  Wonderful healthy recipes were cooked and each children tried different food items.

 

 

6/07

Peace Works! project Assistant coordinated and implanted Fun Foods and Culture Club for the Boys and Girls club for the summer.

Supervised community agencies with summer programming in the MCG. Mayor’s Youth council, Second Chance Juvenile Drug Court participants, Trial Youth Court of New Bedford, Achieve Program and Tabor Academy participated in the opportunities on hand  in the MCG.

 

7/08

Garden Organizer hired through a grant awarded to the Boys & Girls Club from the Community Development Building Grants Dept/City of New Bedford. Peace Works! collaborates with the B & G C on job description and supervising employee.

Meeting at the Woman’s Fund of SEMA for new Girls Collaborative.  New program is funded for $30,000.  Major accomplishment for all involved, this is the largest award the WF has funded to a particular program.   Program will benefit 30 or more girls from all over the city of New Bedford. A part-time coordinator will be hired.

Attended a meeting in Fall River with the Healthy Cities Department of city hall.  Fall River is looking to create community gardening opportunities in Fall River next spring.  Bernie Sullivan stated the BCSO will help with resources as this project gets underway.

Welcome Dr. Bonner from Greater New Bedford Women Supporting Education.  A reception was held at Buttonwood Park Zoo. Over 300 woman were present to meet and greet Dr. Bonner, Superintendant of New Bedford Public Schools.

8/08

Interview with Marcy Christianson Depina for a cable show to be filmed in the Maxfield City Garden.  Ms. Depina feels the garden adds a peaceful and serene quality to the neighborhood. Ms. Depina is from the west end.

Meeting with the Girls Scouts of Eastern MA-discussed many possibilities of programming to begin in the west end for girls. 

10/08

Peace Works! & Boys and Girls Club host Block Party/Walk-a-Thon.  The day started with an early morning walk-a-thon in an effort to raise money through the family participation of club members.  The day went on to offer a performance by Ben Gilbarg of Third Eye, raffles, face painting and smores in the Maxfield City Garden.

Peace Works! Assistant Coordinator attended a community garden meeting in Fall River.  The theme of the meeting was understand soil and how to test soil and read the results.   St. Lukes’ Church is located in the Niagara Neighborhood in the southern part of Fall River.

 

 

11/08

Holiday Community Service Project 08.  This year Peace Works! teamed up with PAACA’s youth court program.  Nina Sousa and participants from the youth court Program volunteered some community service hours painting holiday ornaments for Peace Works!  The Pregnant and Parenting Teens Program/New Bedford Public Schools-also completed 50 wooden ornaments and 100 glass ball ornaments.  The Culture Club at the Boys and Girls Club completed 30 wooden ornaments. These ornaments will be given out to the community this holiday season.  The youth provide a service that enhances their sense of community by donating their time creating the ornaments and then delivering them.

 

Peace Works! brings color to downtown businesses-Standard Times
December 24, 2008 6:00 AM
NEW BEDFORD — More than 200 hand-painted glass and wooden ornaments were recently delivered to West End businesses and residents compliments of Peace Works!, an organization dedicated to spreading peace and nonviolence among city youth.
"We let the kids be creative and the ornaments came out pretty detailed with angels and snowflakes. some of the kids wrote Peace Work! on their ornaments. It is just another way of getting our message out," said project assistant Colleen Millett.
Ornaments were delivered to businesses along Rockdale Avenue and Kempton Street, as well as to the New Bedford Housing Authority.
The ornaments were made by 150 young people ages 8-18 who are involved with one of four programs affiliated with Peace Works!
Those include the Pregnant and Parenting Teens Program, the Youth Corp. of New Bedford, the Exclusive Girls' Collaborative Program, and a garden group called Culture Club.
Peace Works!, which partners with the Boys and Girls Club of New Bedford and the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, is sponsored by the Bristol County Sheriff's Office.

1/2009

UMASS Amherst Nutrition Program-Ongoing grant funded program that works throughout the year once per month providing healthy, nutritious and educational lessons to the members of the Culture Club at the Boys & Girls Club.

 

Mtg with Derek Christianson from Brix Bouty Farm in Dartmouth.  Future plans for community garden workshops Apr-June in MCG.

On-going grant writing throughout winter months for Spring/Summer 09 garden/community season.

2/09

PAACA requested a letter of support for New Bedford Youth Court Community Service Program from Peace Works! The purpose of the letter was to assist agency is securing funding. The grant will be to expand the community service efforts in the community through youth court respondents.

Art works of New Bedford also requested a strong letter of support while looking for funding. Art works is hoping to collaborate with Peace Works! in the Summer 09 season.

3/09

Alternative Spring Break with UMASS Dartmouth students. First MCG cleanup for the Spring Season.  UMASS Dartmouth students forego their traditional spring break to stay in the community and lend a hand. The ACE program chose to work with Peace Works!

 

4/09

 Earth Day downtown New Bedford. Worked with Culture Club and Culture Park and other youth from the Boys and Girls Club on a performance for the Emergence, Earth Day Parade.

Community foundation of Southeastern MA-Women’s Fund Philanthropy Initiative awards Peace Works! $1000.00 for summer programming including snacks and supplies.

Peace Works! project assistant attends “How to Create a Therapeutic Garden Activity Program”  Purpose of the one day intensive workshop is to learn how to achieve goals and improve wellness and quality of life for children and adults we serve.

 

Communty Garden Workshop #1 with Derek Christianson.  Important First Steps:  New Garden Design & Soil Testing. The goal of these workshops is to bring families and youth in to the Maxfield City Garden to begin a true community agriculture program for residents.

                     
The Street Smart Program at the Boys & Girls
Club focuses on gang awareness and prevention.

 

Boys & Girls Club of Greater New Bedford and PeaceWorks!
April 29, 2009

For Immediate Release

The community is invited to the Maxfield City Garden located at 22 Maxfield Street for a workshop about Safe Fertilizer Use on Wednesday, May 13 from 4 to 5 p.m. in the garden. The workshop is free and sponsored PeaceWorks! and the Boys & Girls Club of Greater New Bedford.  The workshop will be conducted by Derek Christenson of Brix Bounty Farm and host of “Roots Down New Bedford.”

The Maxfield City Garden has been an ongoing project to get youth and the neighbors in the surrounding area involved with community gardening.  Each year progress has been made in cultivating a once vacant and overgrown abandoned lot into a productive green space.  “This year we are building raised beds which will be filled with compost and certified organic soil in the garden in the hopes that youth groups and city residents will adopt a plot to grow vegetables,” says Colleen Millett, Peace Works project assistant. The garden offers access to water, garden tools, a shed, and free seeds for vegetables, flower and herbs.  The raised beds are 8 feet by 4 feet and are 12 inches deep.

 “Derek has offered his expertise in gardening for our garden as a way to provide assistance and guidance to those new to gardening or those who wish to further their knowledge,” Colleen explains.  The first in a series of workshops covered soil testing and garden design.  This May workshop will explore the safe use of fertilizers including compost, fish, and natural materials.  On June 3 a third workshop will explore non-toxic methods for insect control. In addition to the public workshops Derek is also working with members of the Boys & Girls Club’s agri-Culture Club in the garden.

In the event of rain the workshops are held in the Boys & Girls Club using the entrance at 166 Jenney Street.  Anyone interested in adopting a plot in the Maxfield Garden should contact Colleen through the Boys & Girls Club at (508) 992-8011.  Funding for the garden has been supported by a number of grants including; Island Foundation, New Bedford Community Development, Southcoast/RAPPP, New England Grassroots Environmental Fund, Rotary Club of Greater New Bedford, and the Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts-Women’s Fund Philanthropy Initiative.

 

2nd Annual “Hear My Voice” Event @ Buttonwood Park. Honors National Child Abuse Month. Peace Works! provided an opportunity to teach guests about seed planting. The children were exposed to planting activities and were able to bring home a potted sunflower plant in a bio degradable pot.

 

 

        

Volunteer David Millett helped out with hundreds of pots. We also had volunteers from NBHS.

5/09

Peace Works! Coordinator and assistant build raised beds for the Maxfield Street City Garden. Earth Care Farms will deliver certified organic compost for beds. Beds will then we planted with the assistance of an organic farmer for Culture Club members and community members.

United Way Day of Caring~ 2009 is the 3rd year Peace Works! has worked with this event.  Students from Charter Global Learning Academy helped fill beds with the compost and did a community clean up of the entire block associated with the garden and the Boys & Girls Club.

                            

 

Community Garden Workshop #2 community garden @ Boys & Girls Club- The topic for this community workshop was safe fertilizer use.

 

F.A.S.T…FORWARD TO RECLAIMING FUTURES
Families, Adolescents, Strengthening, Together- This was a collaboration with the Juvenile Drug Court. Colleen Millett and Kevin Crabtree attended committee meetings for the purpose of planning the FAST event held at the Boys and Girls Club.

  

Boston Medical Center Health New Plan provided some sunshine. Myrna Condon representing Inside Out/Self Defense classes. Myrna is a volunteer at the Boys & Girls Club.

 

Work Inc. of New Bedford will adopt a plot in the Maxfield City Garden. Work Inc. provides rehabilitation services to their clients through community based programming.

Home of Hope Garden-This is a new project Peace Works! will lend some expertise to. Home of Hope Women Outreach Center is a place where woman can go in crisis. There is a cement ally way in the back of the building. Peace Works! was called upon to creatively envision a garden in an otherwise dreary space.  Mary Rapoza, Bev Russo, Colleen Millett and Maria Alves (program coordinator) will head this project.

 

6/09

The Girls Exclusive in collaboration with Peace Works! will dedicated a Peace Pole at the Maxfield City Garden in New Bedford to express their commitment in promoting peace in the community. Guest speakers were Sheriff Tom Hodgson who spoke of community and Dr. Kathy Gayoski presented The Peace Pole Ceremony to the participants of New Bedford. She spoke of the history of violence and what every child can do to continue promoting peace.
“When you plant a Peace Pole in your community, you are linking with people all over the world who have planted their Poles in the same spirit of peace. Every Peace Pole proclaims the prayer May Peace Prevail on Earth in the languages of the community and often several other languages
as well”.

 

Kathy Furze Spencer a volunteer gardener from Dighton, MA donated space in her greenhouse to grow herbs, flowers and vegetable from seed in organic soil. Kathy delivered dozens of trays of beautiful plants to The Boys & Girls Club of Greater New Bedford. The plants new home is the conference room at the club until they are ready to be planted.  From Ms. Spencer’s donation Peace Works! was able to donate plants to Church of the Holy Spirit, Bristol Community College and Father DaFario Housing Development in Fall River for community gardening projects that have begun sprouting up!

 

Peace Works! will provide a workshop for South Bay Mental Health’s Therapeutic Afterschool Program. Colleen Millett was called upon to bring a gardening workshop to this afterschool program in Fall River, MA. A “Where do pizza come from” workshop is planned.  Through gardening children will foster an experience associated with responsibility not only in their community but also within themselves. 

Our Sister’s School offer’s the MCG seedlings that the girls started as part of their science curriculum.

Communtiy Garden Workshop #3- In our last of a series of three community workshop’s for the public and the children of the Boys and Girls Club (mostly Culture Club members), Derek Christianson of Brix Bounty Farm in Dartmouth spoke of Safe Fertilizer Use: Compost Fish & Natural Materials.

July 09

New Directions Summer Work Program provided Peace Works! with 2 summer employees to help with the community garden project @ the club. The girls also assisted with programming on days where staff was short in the club. Felicia & Tina assisted with programs such as FUN Foods, Culture Club & Art.

Peace Works! shares space with Juvenile Drug Court @ 108 Court Street, New Bedford MA.

 

Peace Works! joins the Boys & Girls Club of Greater New Bedford in the Cape Verdean Parade. 

New England Grassroots Environment Fund is pleased to grant $1000 to the Boys & Girls Club Garden on behalf of Peace Works! All fund will go to build 4/5 sustainable beds filled with certified organic compost.

Kevin Crabtree, Peace Works!, Project Coordinator retires leaving Peace Works! as a department with 1 part-time employee.

 

Public Safety Day~ KOOL SMILES

 

BizKidz @ the Boys & Girls Club is a peer to peer project with the objective of channeling the entrepreneurial energy of kids towards positive and productive endeavors that can eventually become a source of income. The general outline for the project was 6 weekly meetings for the summer campers ages 8-11 & 10-13.

UMASS Amherst Family Nutrition Program-A chef once a week visited the summer campers  and exposed the children to healthy fruits and vegetables. Some activities/lessons were; Fats, breakfast ideas, energy drinks & fruit pizza.

  Nutrition in the Garden

 

Dove Self Esteem Workshops w/ Johanna Merz Corcoran for ages 9-11 for girls attending summer day camp @ Boys & Girls Club of Greater New Bedford. The main topic of the workshop was how the things like commercials, magazine ads, and music videos make us feel about ourselves when they portray girls who are very skinny, or not ethnically diverse. We viewed two videos; one about what goes into creating a billboard ad, and how the model is computerized and does not look close to how she started. The other video introduced us to two models that show us how much the camera lies.

 

PACCA, Peace Works! & B& GC Service Learning Program in the MCG. Non-Violence Communication & Conflict Resolution discussion, guest speaker and peace murals.

 

 

October 09

Peace Works! donates a pine tree for a high school student Elijah Alvarez who was a club member and passed away after complications due to surgery. The event was the First Annual Elijah Play Day. Peace Works! was also available to provide environmental activities after the walk.  David Lechan from Pony Express provided pony rides for all the children in attendance. A fun time was had by all.

Elijah’s Tree

Culture Club youth garden club begins October 2009. A few things about Culture Club
Friends, peace, gardening, healthy foods, community guest speakers, snacks, field trips, fun projects, cooking, environment, social justice discussions, non-violent communication, conflict resolution & setting intentions for positive outcomes through being mindful.

Peace Works! is working with 2 UMASS Dartmouth Connections student interns. A training period was held in September to make sure the girls were ready to work with the children in the programs for the Fall. The programs the interns will be responsible for is Culture Club & SMART Girls.

Peace Works! is providing an opportunity for a Human Services student from Bristol Community College. Peace Works is acting as a connector for Kristy and exposing her to many opportunities available in the human service field in the city of New Bedford. Kristy is working with the YWCA, YWkids, and Boys & Girls Club & Girls Exclusive. Kristy was also able to sit in on a Second Chance Court Graduation and observe the juvenile program

December 09

Volunteer Artist Janine Ouellette Sullivan donated her time to painting inspirational holiday messages on 9 windows @ the Boys & Girls Club. Wow was the reaction!!

 

  

January 2010

Art & Social Justice Movie. While collaborating with Our Sister’s School, Boys & Girls Club, YWKids, Keith Middle School~G.R.E.A.T. Girls program & SMILES mentoring Colleen Millett from Peace Works! was able to provide the answer to “What does Social Justice” mean to young girls on our community.
                                                                    

 

Triple Play, a national program utilized by the Boys & Girls Club will offer opportunity for children at the club to be able to incorporate components of the program while attending after school.  What is Triple Play~demonstrates how eating right, keeping fit and forming positive relationships add up to a healthy lifestyle for Club members. The program has 3 components, mind, body & Soul. Peace Works! will be working with UMASS Dartmouth students on programming and activities to incorporate Triple Play into the daily after school program.

February 10

Red Dress Fashion Show-Colleen Millett, Peace Works! Project Assistant will be a model in the Red Dress Fashion Show representing Peace Works! and working with youth in the community. Mya Johnson from The Boys & Girls Club will be walking with Colleen. Mya has been a member of the youth garden club for the last 3 years. The event is to raise women’s awareness of the risks of heart disease.

March 10

New Collaboration with New Bedford High School. The Youth Leadership/UMASS Dartmouth inquired about a Spring Community Service Project utilizing The Boys & Girls Club MCG Community Garden @ the Boys & Girls Club.  Lynn Laberge is looking for a civic engagement opportunity for her students that will lend  support to a sustainable environmental effort in the community.

January 11
 SouthCoast Serves is a University of Massachusetts Dartmouth facilitated collaborative that fosters service and volunteerism to meet the needs of our community by leveraging resources, expertise and capacity. Southcoast Serves Partner spent Martin Luther Kind Day sorting clothes, cleaning toys and packaging up books for children in need in the Greater New Bedford community. www.south-coast-serces.org
Thank you for spending time with us today.
As near as I can tell; we processed enough stuff to help a thousand more children.
I’d go on and on about what an amazing day it was – but then you already know - because you helped to make it that way! 

Jim Stevens

Gift to Give

http://giftstogive.smugmug.com/Volunteer/New-Bedford-Mill-and-Volunteer/11190242_iD9aP#1172172656_WpCvq

Colleen Millett Peace Works! Facilitator & her daughter Courtney

March 11
PEACEBYPIECE Summit was held @ Kuss Middle school in Fall River. Sheriff Thomas Hodgeson spoke on the importance of community and how this can deter violence. The summit focuses on promoting peace in the community, violence in the community, diversity bullying and more. The Sheriff’s Office was available for IRIS Scanning as a community resource.
Sister 2 Sister Conference. Linda Pacheco, Director of Education for BCSO held a workshop on bullying. Linda’s workshop was attended by 2 groups of girls and enjoyed by all. This bullying workshop really opened the eyes to the girls of the effects that school bullying can have on each other. The girls also to part in a panel discussion of prominent women from the community. Marci Pina-Christian, Human Relations Commission discussed discrimination in the workplace for the girls. Teen Mom, Kendra Pereira talked about the difficulties of raising a child while trying to stay in school. Jullian Washburn, A senior from UMASS Dartmouth’s Womens’ Studies program was on hand to discuss going to college and the importance of an education in the field of Women’s Studies and also about life on campus. Councilor Jane Gonsalves came out on a Saturday to talk to the girls about being a woman in politics. Ashley Bendiksen, former Miss New Bedford discussed body image.  Girls from New Bedford were treated to a full day of workshops , lunch and a tour of the UMASS Dartmouth campus.
Words Can Work-Peace Works Project Facilitator attended Words Can Work Bullying: True Stories and Education Forum on Bullying at the Massachusetts State House in Boston. There was an audience discussion with clinical and policy experts moderated by WCW creator Jeanne Blake. Attending this forum helps with ongoing development of Bullying programming at The Boys & Girls Club of Greater New Bedford.

April 11
An Aromatherapy workshop for Juvenile Second Chance Court for female participants on relaxation was informative and gave the girls some alternatives to for stress reduction. The workshop consisted on how to relax in stressful situations when these girls may otherwise consider using drugs or alcohol. This workshop also touched upon body image and media influence.  

May 11
Project Facilitator for Peace Works received a certification after attending a 4 hour training on Bullying & Harassment. M.G.L. Ch. 71 Sec.370. Linda Pacheco of BCSO provided the training which was hosted by The Greater Fall River Child Protection Council and held at Stanley Street Treatment Center.
United Way Day of Caring-Volunteers worked hard in to assist organizations with a variety of projects such as landscaping, helping with special events, cleaning and organizing. The group of kids that Peace Works!/Boys & Girls Club hosted worked cleaning the grounds of the club and the garden had its first spring clean up. The day of caring shows the students how important it is to volunteer and how much work can be done in just one day all over the area.

September 11
10th Anniversary 9/11 National Day of Service & Remembrance-Southcoast Serves is a UMASS facilitated collaborative that fosters service and volunteerism to meet the needs of our community by leveraging resources, expertise and capacity to maximize impact. As members of the community UMASS Dartmouth and the Center for Civic Engagement understand the importance of being engaged in the community and the importance of giving back. As such we will be honoring the victims and survivors of 9/11 through service activities on 9/11.

http://www.south-coast-serves.org/
       

Courtney Kurzweil, Americorps *Vista UMASS Dartmouth/Volunteers sharing harvest work

 

 

October 11
Colleen Millett/Peace Works Project Facilitator was invited to bring her personal story to life for the girls of Our Sister’s School. The purpose of the OSS Speakers Bureau is to expand the horizon for the students and to illustrate how they can set goals an achieve them. Personal stories help the girls believe in themselves and will inspire their belief that through hard work, many personal career and educational experiences will open up for them beyond OSS doors and in their futures.

 

http://www.oursistersschool.org/

 

On Going Programming @ The Boys & Girls Club of Greater New Bedford

• SMART Girls Program
• Bullying Program
• Healthy Habits Program