Press Releases & News
Breakthrough’s Expanding Impact: College Success Program Launch
by Breakthrough Greater Boston | September 1, 2022 | Featured
We are proud to announce the expansion of Breakthrough Greater Boston’s services to support our students through college. Beginning this fall (2022), Breakthrough will officially launch our College Success Program, which will extend support for our students from six to ten years, with programming from 7th grade through college. The Program will serve hundreds of students across Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville each year.
FAO Schwarz Fellowship Program announces recipients of 2022–2024 Fellowship Awards
by FAO Schwarz Fellowship Program | May 12, 2022 | Featured
The FAO Schwarz Family Foundation has announced the names of the seven recipients of the 2022 FAO Schwarz Fellowship in social impact. BTGB is thrilled to once again host two fellows.
Breakthrough Greater Boston Announces New Scholarship Opportunity
by BTGB | November 30, 2020 | Featured
Breakthrough Greater Boston announces a scholarship opportunity for student alumni who are currently attending a college. Funding for this scholarship is provided by Hologic, Inc., a leading medical technology and diagnostics company headquartered in Marlborough, MA.
An Update from Breakthrough on
COVID-19
by BTGB | March 13, 2020 | Featured
We are keeping all of you in our thoughts and have been communicating regularly with our students, families, teachers and school partners. We wanted to take a moment to update the broader Breakthrough community at this juncture.
An Open Letter From Nonprofit Executives Serving the Boston Public Schools
by Breakthrough Greater Boston | September 27, 2019 | Featured
We are the leaders of six nonprofit organizations serving the Boston Public Schools (BPS). We write to welcome you in this new role and express our excitement and eagerness to collaborate with you. We look forward to working with you and the district to drive measurable change for the students of the Boston Public Schools.
New York Life Foundation Awards $100,000 Grant to Breakthrough Greater Boston
by New York Life Foundation | June 21, 2018 | Featured
“The New York Life Foundation and the Afterschool Alliance today announced a two-year $100,000 grant award to Breakthrough Boston for its afterschool programming. In 2018, a total of $1.35 million in grants will be awarded to a total of 34 youth development organizations across the country to support middle school youth during the out-of-school time (OST) hours…”
Somerville Public Schools Partners With Breakthrough Greater Boston
by Somerville Public Schools | Sep 27, 2017 | Featured
“The Somerville Public Schools (SPS) and Breakthrough Greater Boston (BTGB) are entering a partnership this year that will offer SPS middle grades and high school students the opportunity to participate in six years of intensive, out-of-school time programming starting in the summer of 2018. BTGB focuses on a combination of academic programming, advocacy, and one-on-one mentoring…”
Responding to Violence and Terror
by BTGB | May 25, 2022 | Featured
Over the last two weeks, we have once again seen racism, hatred, and extreme violence take a devastating toll. A toll on communities that look very much like our own.
Breakthrough Greater Boston Awarded 10-Year Cummings Grant
by BTGB | October 20, 2020 | Featured
Breakthrough Greater Boston is one of 30 local nonprofits to share in $10 million in funding from Cummings Foundation. The Greater Boston-based organization will receive over $300,000 over 10 years.
Lenovo Selects Breakthrough for Gift Among 16 Organizations Worldwide
by Breakthrough Greater Boston | March 14, 2019 | Featured
Lenovo Foundation selected Breakthrough Greater Boston among 16 organizations worldwide to for a grant, ensuring that our students will have access to one-to-one computing for years to come.
Breakthrough Greater Boston Awarded Two FAO Schwarz Fellows for 2020-22
by FAO Schwarz Fellowship | November 4, 2019 | Featured
“Breakthrough Greater Boston is overjoyed to have been selected to host two FAO Schwarz Fellows,” said Elissa Spelman, Breakthrough’s Executive Director. “Having had a Fellow at our organization previously, we have seen the tremendous impact they can make!”
Breakthrough Greater Boston Celebrates Opening of New Somerville Campus
by Breakthrough | June 25, 2018 | Featured
“Breakthrough Greater Boston celebrated the opening of its new Somerville Campus with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, June 21st at its partner school, the Albert F. Argenziano…”
Breakthrough Voices Support for Immigrant Communities
by Breakthrough Greater Boston | March 2017 | Featured
“On Tuesday, the Trump administration announced that it will end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in six months if Congress doesn’t find a more permanent solution. DACA shields young undocumented immigrants, who arrived in the U.S. as children, from deportation. Under DACA 800,000 individuals have gained a new freedom and security to work toward achieving their dreams, including getting an education, going to college, and contributing to the country they call home.”
Breakthrough Greater Boston Awarded a $500,000 Catalyst Grant
by Breakthough | Aug 22, 2017 | Featured
“Breakthrough Greater Boston was awarded a $500,000 Catalyst Grant from the Wellington Management Foundation to propel significant organizational growth over the next four years. This substantial investment will support Breakthrough’s original Cambridge site, its growing Boston site, and its brand new Somerville site that will launch this school year. This is the largest grant received by Breakthrough Greater Boston in its 25-year history…”
Standing in Solidarity with AAPI Communities
by BTGB | March 18, 2021 | Featured
We are deeply saddened and enraged by the recent murders in Atlanta as well as a much broader pattern of hate and violence targeting Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. Racism, xenophobia, and sexism remain prevalent, only further fueled by hateful speech regarding COVID-19.
Breakthrough Greater Boston Awarded $100,000 Cummings Grant
by BTGB | May 28, 2020 | Featured
Breakthrough Greater Boston has received a four-year, $100,000 grant through Cummings Foundation’s $20 Million Grant program.
Responding to Racial Injustice
by BTGB | June 1, 2020 | Featured
We are writing to address the deep pain and frustration that many of us in our community are feeling. Once again, we are confronted with the very real impact that systemic racism has on Black people in this country.
Evolving COVID Response
& How You Can Help
by BTGB | March 27, 2020 | Featured
We at Breakthrough are thinking about all of you in our community as we grapple with the uncertainty of the current moment, and I wanted to give you an update on the latest from our team. Read on for our current COVID-19 response and how you can help.
Breakthrough Featured in Case Study by Harvard’s EdRedesign
by BTGB | March 2020 | Featured
EdRedesign, of Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, recently released a case study on Breakthrough’s newest campus in Somerville titled, ‘Breakthrough is the place I can be myself’: Connecting Somerville Youth to Out-of-School Opportunities.
This spring, the study was featured in “Usable Knowledge” on how summer and afterschool programming can boost student achievement and the teaching workforce.
Elissa Spelman Honored With Ten Outstanding Young Leaders Award
by Breakthrough Greater Boston | October 26, 2018 | Featured
Last night, the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and City Awake honored ten of the region’s emerging young leaders from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors who have demonstrated a commitment to improving the civic and business environment and the quality of life in Greater Boston. Breakthrough Greater Boston’s Executive Director, Elissa Spelman was one of those honored last night.
Breakthrough Greater Boston Awarded $2M Grant Through The Biogen Foundation’s STAR Initiative
by Breakthrough | June 19, 2018 | Featured
“Breakthrough Greater Boston was awarded a $2 million grant from the Biogen Foundation as part of its newly announced STAR Initiative. With this transformative investment, the Biogen Foundation becomes the lead investor in Breakthrough’s three-year, $9 million Growth Campaign. This is the largest grant received by Breakthrough Greater Boston in its 26-year history…”
Newsletters
Winter 2019 Newsletter
