Allston Brighton Community Development Corporation

Working together, building community

All Bright Community Center

Attention Residents: Drop-in hours at the All Bright Community Center are every Wednesday from 1-3pm. If you would like to make an appointment with a staff member or RSVP to any activities, please contact Rachel Regis at 617-787-3874 X216/ [email protected] or Troy Rothman at 617-787-3874 x 201/ [email protected]

Since opening in 2017, our All Bright Community Center has been a go-to resource for tenants of our properties. Located on the ground floor of 1287 Commonwealth Avenue, our staff is able to provide case management and complementary programming to residents in our portfolio right at their doorstep.

We’ve offered yoga sessions, ESOL classes, computer hours, coffee socials, mobile food pantries, holiday parties, movie nights, and more since the All Bright Community Center has been open. In addition to providing sought after services to tenants, we help build a sense of community among neighbors.

We’re always looking to bring different types of programming to the Community Center that residents of our housing would enjoy and have requested. Contact us and let us know what you’d like to bring to the Community Center.

Currently, our ongoing partners include:

  • Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD)
  • Cooking Matters
  • Tech Goes Home
  • Harvard EdPortal

Check out our monthly resident newsletter for Community Center Updates!

Resident Profiles

ABCDC resident, Amanda, moved into her apartment on Glenville Ave. with her mother in 1999. Both her mother and her provide support to her 96-year-old grandmother who lives in the neighborhood.

As a long-time Allston resident, she has plenty of experience working with the Resident Services department. “The Resident Services staff is very helpful to me and my neighbors.” Amanda remarked that the staff is very welcoming and gives people the confidence to ask for help. “A lot of my neighbors only speak Spanish and struggle with technology. Some people are embarrassed to ask for help. They always help no matter what.” Amanda stated that if she talks to any neighbors with problems with their rent, she always tells them to call Resident Services.

Amanda remarked that the Resident Services staff is willing to help with any issues that come up. When she lost her ID during the pandemic, she struggled to figure out how to get a new one. The Resident Services staff helped navigate her through the RMV website and she was able to get a replacement ID quickly.

Amanda has a strong connection to Allston Brighton and she always gives back to those around her. She will always lend a hand to her elderly neighbors and will even help carry groceries from the monthly mobile food pantry to folks with mobility issues. She has also been a longtime volunteer at our All Bright Community Center and has helped decorate for events and fold our monthly newsletter.  ABCDC is fortune to have Amanda as such an engaged member of our community and we are glad to provide support to her and her neighbors!

Amanda

Sayed has lived with his family at our Hano Homes property for the past three years. Like many residents in our community, the pandemic deeply affected his family and he struggled to understand how to access the support he needed.

“I applied for RAFT (Rental Assistance for Families In Transition) at the beginning of the pandemic because I was struggling to pay rent. My application was denied because of an error, and I was confused about what to do next.” After meeting with our Resident Services Manager, Sayed was able to apply again and his application was approved. This funding was pivotal in helping his family get back on track with their rent.

Along with accessing rent relief, Sayed and his family have also participated in activities in the All Bright Community Center including our Toy Drive where his two children received toys during the holiday season. Sayed also graduated from a Tech Goes Home class led by Resident Services staff where he learned more about how he could utilize technology. At the end of the class, he received a free Chromebook.

When asked about his experience with our staff, Sayed remarked that “the Resident Services staff is excellent! They are always available to help me, and they are patient and understanding of my concerns.”

Sayed

While Aysha and her family only moved into their apartment in Allston 8-months ago, ABCDC’s Resident Services program has already made an impact. “Resident Services has been a huge help for my family!” Aysha remarked that no matter what issues she encounters, the Resident Services staff of ABCDC is always available and willing to help.

Currently, Aysha is enrolled in an ESOL class at our All Bright Community Center. Her son was also enrolled in our All Bright Afterschool program which offers homework help and other enrichment activities for school-aged children who live in our properties.

Along with case management support, Aysha is looking forward to enrolling in a computer class at the Community Center to learn more about technology and how she can use it in her daily life.

Aysha


©Allston Brighton CDC | 18R Shepard Street, Suite 100 | Brighton, MA 02135 | p: 617.787.3874 | f: 617.787.0425