What is Commitment?
A commitment is a promise to make available either by directly providing or funding one or more of the five fundamental resources for our state's youth - a caring adult or mentor, a safe place with structured activities during non-school hours, a healthy start, the opportunity to expand marketable skills, or the chance to serve the community. Commitments are meant to go beyond what an organization has already undertaken or planned and have quantifiable and measurable impact.
Ways To Make A Commitment
Corporations and service organizations have tremendous human resources - employees, customers, suppliers - who can make a difference by getting involved with programs for youth. Many employers offer release time for employees who engage in citizen service.
Corporations can also make in-kind donations of much-needed products and services to organizations that deliver one or all of the five fundamental resources, from school and construction materials to computer equipment and training.
Funding to coordinate programs that enable individuals and organizations to serve youth is always greatly appreciated.
Ways To Get Involved
Every individual can help to improve the lives of young people. You can start today by getting involved with a community-based program that focuses on one or more of the five fundamental resources. The Citizen Service Guide, published online yearly by the Massachusetts Service Alliance, lists more than 200 volunteer and service programs operating throughout the Commonwealth.
A Commitment Maker is a corporation, nonprofit organization, government agency, or foundation that directs time, resources, and/or in-kind support toward one or more of the five fundamental resources. Commitments are quantifiable and measurable, and extent above and beyond current programs.
A Community of Promise is a neighborhood, city ,town, or county that commits to increasing access to the five fundamental resources for local youth. These communities engage a diverse team to convene a local summit or similar event; set specific measurable goals to deliver the fundamental resources; secure local commitments to achieve these goals; establish a lead point of contact; and track local commitments in order to provide information to Massachusetts Promise.
A College or University of Promise creates a partnership between its faculty, staff, and students and the various sectors of the surrounding community to increase access to the five fundamental resources for youth. College and Universities of Promise develop and implement, or strengthen, coordinated initiatives that capitalize on their assets and the strengths of their community partners to ensure the lifetime success of local youth.
Massachusetts Communities Of Promise
| Agawam | Lynn |
| Barnstable | Malden |
| Beverly | Merrimack Valley |
| Brockton | Metrowest |
| Burlington | Pittsfield |
| Cambridge | Raynham |
| Everett | Springfield |
| Holyoke | Worcester |
Massachusetts Commitment Makers
|
A-B | C-D-E
| F-G-H-I-J | K-L-M-N
|
| O-P-Q-R-S | T-U-V-W-X-Y-Z
|
| American Red Cross of Massachusetts Bay | Big Brothers of Massachusetts Bay |
| American Saw Manufacturing | Big Sister Association of Greater Boston |
| Atlantis Charter School | BJ's Wholesale Club |
| Barnstable Prevention Team | Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts |
| Barnstable
Recreation & Human Services (Bridges Association, Inc.) |
Boston Cares |
| Barnstable Youth Commission | Boston RSVP |
| Berkshire Conservation Team | Boston Theological Institute |
| Beverly Delegation |
| Camp Fire Boys & Girls of Eastern Massachusetts | City Year |
| Carver Public School | Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures Volunteer Partnership |
| Center for Performing and Visual Arts in Natick | Cone Communications |
| ChildFirst, Inc. | Davis Foundation |
| Citizen Schools | Elderhostel |
| Federal Reserve Bank of Boston | Jewish Big Brother/Big Sister of Boston |
| FleetBoston | Jewish Community Relations Council |
| Food Bank of Western Massachusetts | Joint Action Community Service, Inc. |
| Generations Incorporated | Joint Committee on Education, Arts & the Humanities |
| Hope
Worldwide New England Hope for Kids |
Junior Achievement |
| Key Span Energy New England | MA Intergenerational Network |
| LeadBoston (National Conference on Christians & Jews) |
Mass Mentoring Partnership |
| Liberty Mutual Group | MA Mutual Life Insurance Company |
| Martha Eliot Health Center | McDermitt/O'Neil Associates |
| MA Association of RSVP Directors | Minuteman Science & Technology High School |
| MA Executive Office of Elder Affairs | Mt. Vernon Group |
| MA Executive Office of Environmental Affairs | NSTAR |
| MA Department of Environmental Management | Northeastern University |
| MA Governor's Office |
| Old Colony Y | RSVP Middlesex County |
| Old Colony Y Big Brother/Big Sister | RSVP North Shore |
| Parents United for Child Care | St. Mary's Women & Infants Center |
| Partners for a Healthier Community | Shaw Leadership Program of Boston College |
| Project Outreach | Shaw's Supermarkets |
| RSVP Cape Cod & Islands | Springfield Boys' Club/Carew Hills Girls' Club |
| RSVP Hampshire & Franklin Counties | Springfield School Volunteers |
| RSVP Mayflower | Stride Rite Corporation |
| RSVP Metrowest | Suffolk University |
| Ten Point Coalition | Verizon |
| Thomson Financial Services | Ware Public Schools |
| Timberland Company | Westport Community Schools |
| United Way of Central Massachusetts | Williamson & Melendez |
| United Way of Massachusetts Bay | YMCA of Greater Boston |
| United Way of Merrimack Valley | YMCA of Greater Springfield |
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