BOSTON - Thursday, July 14, 2016 -   Today Mayor Martin J. Walsh, Boston Housing Authority Administrator Bill McGonagle, and Boston Police Commissioner William Evans cut the ribbon to re-open the Franklin Field Teen and Family Resource Center. In collaboration with the Boston Housing Authority, Boston Police Department, and North American Family Institute/Youthlink program, the renovation of this center was made possible.
 
“The re-opening of the Franklin Field Teen and Family Resource Center will provide families with valuable resources, and I thank all of our partners for their dedicated work in ensuring this center re-opened,” said Mayor Walsh.
 
The Franklin Field Teen and Family Resource Center (formerly known as the teen/youth center) was revamped a number of years ago through an ongoing collaboration between BHA, BPD and NAFI/Youthlink.  Due to some drainage issues, the center had to be closed 2 years ago and is now ready to be reopened.
 
“We look forward to seeing the positivity that the new center brings to the families at Franklin Field,” said BHA Administrator Bill McGonagle. “It is important to us that the center helps the people of the community, especially the youth, flourish from the support and programs that it provides.
 
The drainage issues have been solved and the center has been completely updated with new paint, a spacious kitchen, a computer lab, and new furniture with the help of private partnerships/donations and volunteer help through Bob’s Furniture, Norfolk Hardware, and Home Depot.  BPD Officer Tom Griffiths, who has served as the community services officer for that district, also volunteered extensive personal time to rehabbing the center as did some BHA staff. 

The center is now ready to be used by the residents of Franklin Field. Activities at the center include afterschool homework help and programming, a culinary arts/cooking class program, activities with Big Brother/Big Sister Association, and Youth/Police Initiative dialogues.
 
Prior to losing funding for youth services and violence prevention in 2001, the space was utilized as a youth center by the BHA through its Youth on the Rise Program. To foster greater communication, The Youth Police Initiative (YPI) was established by NAFI’s Youth Link to offer young adults opportunities to sustain relationships with adults and police officers and reduce violence and gang involvement.
 
It’s important that the BHA and partners provide positive places for youth and families to learn and grow. Youth/Police dialogues are crucial to overcoming misunderstanding and creating a culture of discussion and cooperation. The Boston Police are true partners in the activities at this Center and in this community.
 
This Youth Center would not have been possible without the support and donations of Mayor Martin J. Walsh, Boston Housing Authority Administrator William McGonagle, Boston Police Commissioner William Evans and Officer Thomas Griffiths, Boston Police District 3 Commander Captain Hosein, North American Family Institute/Youthlink program, Bob’s Furniture, Norfolk Hardware, and Home Depot.
 
About NAFI/Youth Link:
 
Youth Link is the division within NAFI that focuses on prevention and early intervention programming for youth. Youth Link programming offers a system of skills and strategies that are combined to build lasting trust and positive relationships between youth and the community of adults in their lives. NAFI works with each community to adapt the Youth Link model so it will maximize their strengths and resources and repair relationships. Youth Link services engage youth and communities in positive social change to reduce violence and gang involvement by creating sustainable positive relationships among teens and adults, replacing animosity and distrust with mutual respect and understanding. Youth Link offers group loyalty and shared values that can provide a genuine alternative to gang recruitment.
 
About Rosie’s Place:
 
Rosie’s Place, a women’s shelter in Boston’s South End, recently opened a satellite office at the Franklin Field public housing development and provides advocacy, outreach, family law and career counseling to residents at the site. 
 
About Boston Authority (BHA):
 
Boston Housing Authority (BHA) provides affordable housing to more than 58,000 residents in and around the City of Boston. Residents are assisted through a combination of public housing and federal and state voucher subsidy programs that provide a wide variety of housing opportunities. As the largest public housing authority in New England, the BHA houses close to 9 percent of the city’s residents.
 
Our mission is to provide stable, quality affordable housing for low and moderate income persons; to deliver these services with integrity and mutual accountability; and to create living environments which serve as catalysts for the transformation from dependency to economic self-sufficiency.