LIFT

We were thrilled to have LIFT-Boston's partnership with the Circle of Promise, the City of Boston, and Mayor Thomas M. Menino featured in David Bornstein's "Fixes" column in The New York Times. Bornstein cited our clients' achievements over the last year and our goals to expand our stabilization services and to support families holistically in order to improve academic performance among Boston Public Schools' students. Read an excerpt from the article below, and read the whole article here.

LIFT-Boston, in partnership with the Local initiatives Support Corporation and the United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley, is launching a Financial Opportunity Center in its Roxbury Office. We are looking for a dynamic, talented leader to join our team and help to implement, oversee, and run our Financial Opportunity Center. S/he will directly manage all program delivery and client services and will directly oversee an AmeriCorps staff member and volunteers. The Program Manager will set ambitious goals for LIFT’s impact and will lead performance evaluation. The Program Manager will report to LIFT-Boston’s Executive Director.

Philadelphia Higher Education Network for Neighborhood Development (PHENND)

Civic House (University of Pennsylvania)

The Netter Center for Community Partnerships (University of Pennsylvania)

The Center for Social Justice and Multicultural Education (Temple University)

The Center for Social Policy and Community Development (Temple University)

The Agape Center (Messiah College)

Service and Social Justice Programs (St Joseph’s University)

Lindy Center for Civic Engagement (Drexel University)

University Ministry and Service (LaSalle University)

Community Learning Network (Temple University)

Civic Engagement Office (Bryn Mawr College)

Sophomore Service Learning Community (Villanova University)

Faith-Justice Institute (St. Joseph’s University)

Office of Admissions and Financial Aid (Delaware County Community College)

Center for Peace and Global Citizenship (Haverford College)

With the support of seed funding from the Goldhirsh Foundation, LIFT has kicked off the first stage of our West Coast growth plan with expansion to Los Angeles. To begin the expansion process, LIFT has brought on Michelle Rhone-Collins, a seasoned LA nonprofit leader with 25 years of experience in youth and community development, to serve as Executive Director of LIFT-LA. Michelle officially assumes her role in February and in the coming months, she will begin to build LIFT’s presence in the LA community in preparation for the launch of the first LIFT-LA site in 2013. LIFT is thrilled to be able to bring our services to individuals and families in Los Angeles.

With over 25 years working in the youth and community development fields Michelle Rhone-Collins has stood up for equity and access for disenfranchised individuals and communities. Most recently, Michelle was the Executive Director of The Children’s Nature Institute in Los Angeles, CA.  Under her leadership, The Children’s Nature Institute became a model for environmental advocacy, and justice and holistic community development as a lead partner in the Magnolia Place Community Initiative.

Michelle began her career working with homeless and runaway teens as part of the University Settlement House in NYC's Lower East Side. While there, she ran empowerment groups that taught participants community organizing tools to create both individual and systemic change. She has designed progressive youth leadership development, college preparation, and arts in education programs; directed a residential camp program for children from lower income urban communities; created a Hip Hop theater youth production that showed at the Bowery Ballroom, Central Park Bandshell, and Nuyorican Poets Cafe; developed service learning programs for immigrant youth; and organized a social justice and community service trip to the Punjab region of India.  As the Executive Director of a community center in Beacon, NY, Michelle led the charge to keep land from being developed so that it could be used for community purposes and worked to create a new model for gentrification by bridging relationships between new and established residents.

Michelle received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Duke University and Masters of Education in Psychological Counseling from Teacher's College/Columbia University with a focus on racism, racial identity, and mental health. She is also the proud mother of two beautiful children ages 8 and 11.

So you want to get make a real difference to combat poverty and expand opportunity? Join the movement! There are plenty of opportunities both locally and nationally to get involved with LIFT.

Frederick Mack had fallen on hard times after being forced to take time off from his job. When he was ready to return to the workforce, he discovered that the employment landscape had changed drastically. Despite having 35 years of experience in food service, including positions as a sous chef in DC's top restaurants, Mr. Mack could not land a job.

Carlos and Dorka Santana came to LIFT after hearing about its services through the City of Boston and the Circle of Promise, a community-wide initiative to provide critical supports and resources to parents of Boston Public Schools' students (where LIFT-Boston is a lead partner). Working with their LIFT advocate Carly at LIFT-Boston's center in Roxbury, Carlos and Dorka obtained emergency rental assistance and utilities shutoff protection to stay in their home while they searched for work. Dorka recently secured a job interview and enrolled in English classes to improve her communication skills, and the couple is working toward increasing their family’s economic stability.

"Working at LIFT has given me an unstoppable desire to continue to fight poverty and strive for ideals that I have come to value as a student advocate."