FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contacts: Megan Whitney, Communications Manager, JVS Boston (mwhitney@jvs-boston.org)

Michael Ricci, Vice President of Public Affairs, Old Colony YMCA (mricci@oldcolonyymca.org)

Paula McLaughlin, House of Possibilities (p.mclaughlin@houseofpossibilities.org)

BOSTON, December 20, 2024—JVS Boston (Jewish Vocational Service) is honored to announce that Liberty Mutual Insurance awarded a planning grant of $300,000 to the Brockton Career & Community Initiative (BCCI) as part of its inaugural Impact Driven Collaboration (IDC) grant program. This two-part grant program will fund 16 collaborative projects in phase one. The inaugural group includes 60+ nonprofit partners developing projects aimed at tackling some of the biggest challenges facing our society.

BCCI is a collaboration between JVS Boston, House of Possibilities (HOPe) and Old Colony YMCA (OCY). As one of the 16 strategic partnerships receiving a phase-one planning grant, BCCI aims to offer a continuum of services that young people with disabilities can use to access resources in Brockton that will help them build a career and enjoy a fulfilling life.

BCCI will focus on serving young adults, ages 18-30, in Greater Brockton across the disability spectrum. Some young adults with more significant disabilities will still be high school students (can attend until 22), other young adults will be recent high school graduates in the Greater Brockton area with or without a diploma, and still others will be nearing their third decade while unemployed or underemployed. BCCI will also serve employers by connecting them to skilled employees with disabilities who can help their business thrive.

JVS will lead the collaborative partnership on design of the overall project with input from our BCCI partners while providing workforce training and job placement services HOPe programs will foster community integration, skill development, and personal growth through meaningful engagement and social interaction, while OCY will provide a variety of healthy living and employment opportunities for BCCI clients. The team will also collaborate with high schools, employer partners, and related disability organizations that provide long-term support and family engagement services.

Prior to receiving funding from Liberty Mutual, all three organizations have been actively supporting young people with disabilities in Brockton. In 2023, JVS Boston expanded its Transitions to Work program that provides employer-based internships and career coaching to students at Brockton High School. HOPe has been offering community-based day supports, along with college- and career-focused autism coaching for young adults with disabilities in Brockton, while OCY has an immense array of health, wellness, and personal development services that supports Brockton residents with disabilities from early childhood through adulthood. The BCCI will amplify the impact of JVS, HOPe, and OCY’s services and increase accessibility to these vital career and life development supports by developing a collaborative opportunity center right in downtown Brockton.

The IDC grant program continues Liberty Mutual Foundation’s efforts of bringing together community members, fostering collaboration, and leveraging the unique expertise of the nonprofit community to make an impact

Kira Khazatsky, President and CEO of JVS Boston, said, “Brockton is an incredibly diverse, vibrant community, and we feel honored to work alongside House of Possibilities and Old Colony YMCA in service of this community. We are so grateful to Liberty Mutual for providing the resources we need to develop robust services that will connect more young people with disabilities to growing careers and fulfilling lives in Greater Brockton.”

Equipped with this generous funding from Liberty Mutual, BCCI will be able to offer a continuum of services that connect young people with disabilities to the work-based learning experiences and sustainable career opportunities that they need to develop thriving lives in their local communities.

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About Liberty Mutual Foundation

To learn more about Liberty Mutual Foundation, visit: https://www.libertymutualgroup.com/about-lm/giving-back/liberty-mutual-foundation

About JVS Boston

JVS Boston (Jewish Vocational Service) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonsectarian organization founded in 1938. JVS serves more than 16,000 individuals annually and is one of the largest community-based providers of adult education and workforce development services in New England. JVS’s mission is to empower individuals from diverse communities to find employment and build careers, while partnering with employers to hire, develop, and retain productive workforces. In support of this mission, JVS provides a wide range of adult education, vocational training, job readiness, career counseling, and job placement services, as well as related supportive services. For more information about JVS Boston and its commitment to workforce development, please visit www.jvs-boston.org

About House of Possibilities

Since 2009, House of Possibilities has been dedicated to improving and enhancing the lives of the individuals and families we serve. HOPe, one of the most innovative community-focused nonprofits serving people with intellectual disabilities and autism in Massachusetts, aims to enhance the lives of those they serve by offering opportunities for personal growth, social interaction, and community involvement throughout their lives. For more information, please visit https://www.houseofpossibilities.org

About Old Colony YMCA

Old Colony YMCA is a charitable, non-profit Association committed to the development of strong spirit, mind, and body, guided by Judeo-Christian principles, to enrich the quality of life for everyone in our communities. OCY’s mission is to strengthen the Greater Brockton community by promoting healthy living, youth development, and social responsibility. OCY is the largest childcare provider and one of the largest human services providers in southeastern Massachusetts, providing an array of workforce training and employment opportunities serving 31 communities in Southeastern Mass. For more information, please visit https://www.oldcolonyymca.org