Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative continues to make great strides

Some may remember Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative (DSNI) as Foundation Beyond Belief’s first Compassionate Impact Grant beneficiary. Today, DSNI remains an innovative organization focused on raising the quality of life and lifting families out of poverty in the Roxbury and North Dorchester neighborhoods of Boston. They started 30 years ago as a grassroots collaborative, and eventually built an evidence-based urban renewal model so effective that it has drawn federal programmatic support, is studied in urban planning graduate programs, and serves as a model for similar projects around the U.S.

Since Foundation Beyond Belief last reported on DSNI, they have undergone a change in leadership. Their new Executive Director, Juan Leyton, joined DSNI this month and was chosen after an exhaustive search. His experience in community organizing, advocacy and leadership development make him a great match for DSNI’s mission.

Of course, this has not slowed down DSNI’s programs. Among some of their recent accomplishments, DSNI initiated the Fair Chance for Family Success Initiative, an initiative focused on empowering individual families to develop strong community relationships while setting financial goals and receiving education and training to strengthen their economic security. The program uses staff from within the community. Foundation Beyond Belief’s Compassionate Impact Grant has enabled continued growth and expansion into this year. So far, over a hundred families have been helped through this program.

Foundation Beyond Belief wishes Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative continued success with their efforts. Follow DSNI and their work through their website and Facebook.