The BASE

We are excited to announce The BASE has been awarded a $1 million grant by the Atrius Health Equity Foundation to provide health education, health career pathways, and economic resources to our young people, while we support their leadership in the development and implementation of community health solutions. This award, to be paid over five years, is part of the Youth as Health Care Change Agents grant program, an exciting new initiative of AHEF that funds community organizations in Eastern Massachusetts. The BASE is now positioned to significantly expand our work in nutrition and health education, mental health, leadership development, and much more. As a result, our young people will be empowered to lead healthier lives and gain the knowledge and resources to be change agents in our communities. This is a long-term investment that we believe is going to drive intergenerational impact in Boston. Our work in health & wellness began during the COVID-19 pandemic, when we served as a food distribution center for families. In 2021-2022, we grew our footprint to include nutrition education, mental health, and medical care referrals – vital work that has continued in collaboration with Boston Community Pediatrics, our core partner in this new grant initiative. Today, we mark the beginning of a new phase of this effort. Over the next five years, The BASE will use this grant to empower our young people to be change agents in their communities and reverse the troubling disparities in preventable diseases and life expectancy. As we further develop their talents and knowledge, our cohorts of BASE youth will become skilled health educators, health navigators for their families and communities, future health professionals, and health equity advocates. We are grateful and proud to partner with the Atrius Health Equity Foundation and Boston Community Pediatrics and we know our young people and the Roxbury community are going to benefit tremendously. Stay tuned! #healthandwellness #communityhealth #youthleadership #changeagents

The BASE joins leaders and community members from across Boston and the Commonwealth in honoring the memory of Jack Connors. Jack’s legendary vision and leadership made him a central figure in Greater Boston, serving as a connector and advisor at the highest levels of business and government. Yet, it was through his philanthropy and commitment to helping others that he made the biggest impact, with strategic and innovative investments to improve the lives of countless young people and residents. Jack Connors’ legacy as a visionary, compassionate leader is cemented in Boston history. On this difficult day, we send our heartfelt condolences from our BASE family to his family and loved ones. https://lnkd.in/euHumTWx

BASE PARTNER SPOTLIGHT: Boston Community Pediatrics Established in 2020, Boston Community Pediatrics is the first nonprofit pediatric private practice of its kind in MA.  Through their unique model, BCP uses an asset-based, relationship-centered approach to provide quality health care to youth and families, regardless of income or insurance status. The BASE is proud to partner with BCP and we have been excited to see our student-athletes benefit from their expertise in pediatric and adolescent health and wellness. Our partnership began in 2021, as The BASE was expanding our Health & Wellness initiative and saw such strong alignment between our mission and values. BCP Founder, Robyn Riseberg, and members of her team lead educational workshops at The BASE, bringing health and wellness information with a sports/athletics lens to our members, including: - How to fuel your body before & after exercise for optimal performance - Making nutritious smoothies using healthy, natural ingredients - Cooking & preparing a range of produce at home (for BASE families) - Mental health and breaking the stigma around getting support They also helped us lead a Girls Wellness Summit, leading discussions on mental health, body image, peer relations, and related topics with a group of 25 BASE young women. And, last fall, BCP held their own Back to School event with Pedro Martinez at The BASE. Riseberg praised the partnership and the benefits for local youth: "Bringing BCP's comprehensive, integrated approach to pediatric healthcare into the community beyond the walls of our pediatric practice on Albany Street is critical to our impact. Having a partner like The BASE not only ensures that we can serve more young people, it also helps build a culture of proactivity and relationship-building with teens around their health, mental health, and self-care. BCP is so proud to collaborate with The BASE in this way”, said Riseberg. Our work with BCP continues to expand, including, most recently, a collaboration within our Career Development program, which led to the hiring of BASE alumna Alona Lynch as an intern this summer.  Alona played softball with the BASE throughout high school and went on to attend UMass Amherst on a BASE scholarship, where she is Biology major, pre-med track, with the goal of becoming a doctor.  Completing her sophomore year, Alona sought to secure an internship this summer and get some hands-on experience. “It was very competitive trying to get an internship, I applied for at least 10 internships on my own and had no luck. I reached out to The BASE and they let me know about the opportunity at BCP. I got connected with the BASE Career Development Manager, Alex, and he helped me with my resume and some interview prep. When I applied and interviewed at BCP, I felt prepared”, said Lynch. We thank BCP for their partnership and look forward to continued work together!

This week we announced three new members to our Board of Directors: Felipe Colon, Jacqueline A. Schuman, Ed.D., and Michael Volo. We are also excited to announce longtime board member Keith Carroll has taken on the role of Board Chair! Keith has been part of The BASE since our earliest days and we are deeply grateful for his commitment and leadership. These distinguished new members join a powerful and diverse Board of Directors, made up of leaders from a cross-section of fields and backgrounds: John Cook, Mindy d'Arbeloff, Paul Francisco (He, Him, His), Kate Guedj, Alan Khazei, Cheryl Kiser, Danny Levy, Nimit Patel, and Wendell Taylor. By committing their time, energy, and resources to The BASE, our board members play a vital role in our work to create access and opportunity for urban young people, and they exemplify our culture grounded in love, success, and belief in our student-athletes. On behalf of BASE President & CEO, Steph Lewis and our entire BASE Community, thank you all for your service!

One more! The BASE is pleased to announce the addition of Boston Police Department Superintendent Felipe Colon to our Board of Directors. Thank you and welcome to the BASE Family, Superintendent Colon!

We are pleased to announce the addition of Jacqueline A. Schuman, Ed.D. 🟦to our Board of Directors! Thank you and welcome to The BASE Family, Dr. Schuman!

We are pleased to announce the addition of Michael Volo to our Board of Directors! Thank you and welcome to the BASE Family, Mike! The BASE is governed by an esteemed board with leaders from their respective fields, each of whom is committed to our mission of creating access & opportunity for urban young people. (Keep an eye out for the announcement of additional members this week)

BASE Partnership Spotlight: City Realty Group Founded in 2004, City Realty Group is a leading real estate agency in Greater Boston and a strong community presence through their City Kids charity. Co-founder and Managing Partner Steve Whalen has been a friend and supporter of The BASE since our earliest days. Like many of our key partners, City Realty goes beyond financial support to create access and opportunity for our young people and has established an internship program specifically for BASE Alumni. “We love having this connection and bringing BASE alumni onto our team. And this isn’t about charity. These kids are talented, they are team-oriented, and they have a real fire and drive to succeed", said Whalen. Already, four members of the City Realty staff team are BASE alumni. And, as our Career Development program progresses, we are engaging with more of our alumni to make sure they are aware of the many opportunities available through our partnerships.  Please reach out to BASE Career Development Manager Alex Richardson to learn more. We are proud to call City Realty Group one of our close partners and look forward to seeing more of our BASE alumni pursue careers in real estate through this outstanding opportunity! Pictured below, City Realty team members & BASE alumni, left to right: Sales Agent, Sammy Cintra (BASE class of 2019); Sales Team Manager, Cristian Lorenzo (class of 2017); and Sales Agent, Orlando Martinez (class of 2021). Not pictured: Senior Property Manager, Dave Fisher (class of 2017).

Once again, our annual BASE celebration and fundraiser ALL IN! was a huge success. We had a great time celebrating our student-athletes, with our sports on display and hundreds of BASE Friends & Family in attendance. The evening was highlighted by an exciting speaking program, featuring our student-athletes and alumni and inspirational remarks from BASE President & CEO, Steph Lewis. Huge thanks to our event co-chairs: John J Boyle III, Jim Geraghty, Keith Carroll (BASE Board Chair), as well as guest speaker/moderator and BASE board member, Paul Francisco (He, Him, His). Thank you to everyone who attended and a very special THANKS to our sponsors! The funds raised will go directly to supporting our programs and developing the next generation of Urban Talent - the young people who will lead our city and Commonwealth in the years ahead. For more information about how you can support our work, please contact our Director of Development, Cassidy Golwick Priester. Thanks again to everyone who attended and supported ALL IN! 2024 - We are 1-2-3 BASE 4-5-6 FAMILY!!!

Our esteemed event Co-Chairs and Board of Directors cordially invite you to join us as we celebrate our young people and come together to help them achieve their dreams at our annual ALL IN! event on Thursday, May 9th at the Reggie Lewis Center! This is our biggest event of the year and we’re calling on all BASE supporters to be ALL IN! Sponsorship opportunities are available. Contact Cassidy Golwick Priester at cpriester@thebase.org to learn more, or purchase tickets here: https://bit.ly/ALLIN2024.