Community Collaboration In Allston Brighton
Allston Brighton CDC acts as an anchor organization in the neighborhood to help bring individuals, organizations, elected officials, and other leaders together to address community challenges. ABCDC works to nurture community power and organizational resources so that all residents, regardless of background, can live and thrive in Allston Brighton.
Key Pillars of ABCDC’s Community Collaboration Work
- Inclusivity: We encourage active participation from all people across the neighborhood so that people of all incomes, race/ethnicities, and gender identities can live and succeed.
- Resource Sharing: ABCDC acts as a fiscal sponsor for multiple organizations in the Allston Brighton neighborhood, including the Allston Brighton Health Collaborative. ABCDC also works to leverage participation from all sectors including residents, nonprofits, businesses, and local government.
- Long-Term Relationship Building: ABCDC has worked in the Allston Brighton neighborhood since 1980. We work to build longstanding relationships in the community and collaborate with newly former groups and organizations to grow community resources and power.
For more information, or to get involved in our work in the Allston Brighton community, email our Deputy Director, Rachel Regis, at [email protected].
Recent Examples Of Our Work
Allston Brighton Needs Assessment
In 2023, ABCDC was part of “Team AURA,” a multi-firm team selected by the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) to
complete a needs assessment of Allston Brighton along with Utile, Rivera consulting, and Archipelago Strategies Group. ABCDC’s staff and Community Ambassadors conducted grassroot outreach to over 1,200 residents to make sure everyone had a voice to shape their neighborhood.
Brighton Future Forward
ABCDC’s Brighton Future Forward (BFF) Program is dedicated to delivering innovative and comprehensive youth development
programming for young people residing at two Boston Housing Authority developments in Brighton: Commonwealth Development/Fidelis Way and Faneuil Gardens. Since 2020, the BFF program has focused on fostering academic success, social-emotional growth, leadership skills, and community engagement through a wide range of creative and educational activities.
Community Ambassador Program
Through the Community Ambassador model, we identify neighborhood residents to work on specific programs, acting as leaders who promote CDC activities and recruit other residents to participate. The Ambassadors go door to door to have one on one conversations with people who live in Allston Brighton. This outreach and education model is very effective as it relies on residents themselves to engage their fellow neighbors in shared community interests. ABCDC has utilized this program through the Healthy Community Champions, All Bright Homeownership, and People’s Planning Initiative campaigns.
Community Meetings
ABCDC works to bring neighbors together through community meetings. By meeting in-person with residents, we work to build trust and
education around community concerns. Topics of meetings can vary from upcoming development projects to candidate forums. Most recently, ABCDC held a community meeting at the Honan-Allston Library to discuss plans for the Hill Memorial Baptist Church site.