Boston Neighborhood Fellows Program (BNF) - The Philanthropic Initiative

2012 Boston Neighborhood Fellows

On Wednesday, April 11, 2012, TPI and Mayor Thomas M. Menino presented six Bostonians with the 2012 BNF Award.

This year, the selection committee, working with a group of anonymous spotters, chosethe following people as the 2012 Boston Neighborhood Fellows:

Sayed A. Mohamed-Nour, Nubian United Benevolent International Association (NUBIA), Inc.

Sayed A. Mohamed-Nour is a master gardener who knows how to grow both plants and people. Since his arrival in Boston, Sayed has tirelessly tilled its urban soil, helping countless members of his own and other communities grow their own food. If he had his way, our city and our people would be in constant bloom: growing, nourishing ourselves and each other.

Jim Greene and Shirley Edwards, The Eighth Pole at Suffolk Downs

Jim Greene and Shirley Edwards are the heart and soul of the Eighth Pole at Suffolk Downs, a unique organization that provides backstretch workers with the support and services they need in a way that respects their rights and protects their dignity. They are a constant and beloved presence at the track who have helped hundreds on the path of health and recovery. They have earned “the complete trust that opens doors to care,” as one of their volunteers said.

Jumaane Kendrick, Boston Public Health Commission

A true “wild child” not long ago in his days at Dorchester High, Jumaane Kendrick has grown into a man described as “an exemplar of forgiveness” who has comforted victims of violence and kept others from taking that path. For the young people and adults he serves, Jumaane is an example of true and profound transformation, a life dedicated to the good.

Audrey Porter, My Life My Choice

Audrey Porter tells her story of successfully exiting the commercial sex industry to reach adolescent girls in danger of exploitation. As Associate Director of My Life, My Choice, Audrey has mentored many in their efforts to escape; reached hundreds in her prevention workshops and counseling; and helped change the systems that enable exploitation of children.

Beatriz Rivera, Beantown Society, The City School, Kilombo Novo, Southern Jamaica Plain Health Center

Beatriz Rivera channels her passion for social justice into action to stop violence and build healthy community. Her clear voice calls others to take a better path; her creative and resourceful organizing and action show us the way to get there.

TPI designed the Boston Neighborhood Fellows (BNF) Program in 1990 for an anonymous donor interested in recognizing the quiet leaders of the community - individuals with initiative, creativity, vision, and leadership who make the City of Boston and surrounding areas a better place to live and work.

The Boston Neighborhood Fellows Program celebrates the builders of the community; the social entrepreneurs who often go unrecognized, but who make a vital contribution to our quality of life.

The individuals chosen as Boston Neighborhood Fellows work for government, community organizations, or are outstanding volunteers. Diverse in race, class, occupation, and age, their one common characteristic is that they fulfill a conception of leadership articulated by John Gardner: they will be people who have become less "a servant to what is," and more "a shaper of what might be."

Each year, individuals are nominated by an anonymous group of "spotters" and five winners are chosen to receive a $30,000 "no strings attached" award distributed over three years.

Through this initiative, the donor achieves the dual goals of recognizing the power of "unsung heroes" to make a difference while reminding others that hope and possibility exist, even in difficult times.

Nominations
Nominations to the Boston Neighborhood Fellows Program are made by a group of "spotters", individuals representing diverse parts of the Boston community. They serve for a two-year period. During that time the spotters agree to identify individuals who, by virtue of their leadership and service in Boston neighborhoods, qualify for this award. The spotters serve on a voluntary basis.

There is a tendency in all award programs for the selection to gravitate towards individuals who are more visible and less likely to need the recognition and support the program offers. Using "spotters" and keeping them focused on the goal of identifying "unsung heroes" helps TPI mitigate against this tendency.

Eligibility
Nominees must be engaged in some form of community service. They may work for a government agency or a community organization, or they can be doing volunteer work. Some of the Boston Neighborhood Fellows may be hard working community activists engaged in improving Boston neighborhoods. Others may be the dedicated cop on the beat, the inspiring teacher or youth worker, or people with special talents who enhance community life.

They represent the best practitioners of their form of community service, those who perform their jobs with creativity and initiative, contributing to the community in ways that go beyond the scope of their specific job description.

Their working lives represent extraordinary stories of courage, struggle, and commitment. They are self-starters who are likely to make good use of flexible resources. The Boston Neighborhood Fellowships are not awarded to individuals who hold public office.

Selection Process
A small selection committee reviews the nominations and makes the final selection. TPI's staff conducts a complete review and reference check for each finalist.

Selecting a group of fellows that represents the diversity of Boston is prime consideration.

Each Boston Neighborhood Fellow receives a grant of $10,000 each year for a period of 3 years.

The funds are absolutely unrestricted. The recipients may use them to stabilize their personal finances, to take time off for special projects or a sabbatical. Some might choose to go back to school or obtain some skills training. Others might choose to use the funds as social venture capital to seed new projects. Recipients will not be required to continue in their present work.

No reports will be required of recipients on their activities. Other than appearing at an initial presentation, they will not be required to work together or to attend meetings. Fellows are invited to share their experiences and discuss their work over the course of the year, but participation is not mandatory.

One goal of the BNF Program is to be a highly visible mechanism for public recognition of excellence in community service.

The BNF Program provides an opportunity to identify and support the best practice of community service in neighborhoods of Boston.

This program has been replicated in Florida by the Palm Beach Community Foundation, and a similar effort is now in the planning stages in Baltimore.