Funding Will Channel Resources to Underserved Boston Youth this Summer

(AFRICAN AMERICAN NEWSWIRE)(Boston, MA) The Boston Capacity Tank ("The Tank"). is pleased to announce its new round of grants totaling more than $340,000.00 to benefit faith and community based programs serving disadvantaged youth in Boston. The new grants will create 139 new summer jobs for young people, and serve 1,850 total youth.

The funding is administered locally through The Black Ministerial Alliance (BMA) in collaboration with the lead agency United Way of Mass Bay, the Emmanuel Gospel Center and the Boston Ten Point Coalition. Established in 2002, the Tank is housed at the BMA offices in the heart of Roxbury at Dudley Station.

The Tank leverages three million federal and private dollars to provide expertise and technical assistance to increase the scale and effectiveness of resource strapped programs that serve some 20.000 young people and their families.

Harold Sparrow, Executive Director of the BMA, said, "Thanks to this latest round of funding we will be able to support a broad range of youth initiatives this summer and give the young people of our community a more positive way to spend their time through meaningful activities."

About the Black Ministerial Alliance

The Black Ministerial Alliance of Greater Boston, Inc. (BMA) is an interfaith organization providing advocacy and programs targeting issues that critically affect people of color in Boston. The general purpose of the BMA is to help Black youth and their families in the Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan communities through church-based programs.

In early 1960's, a group of Boston pastors came together to form the interfaith alliance, now known as The Black Ministerial Alliance of Greater Boston. Today, the BMA is one of the largest and most influential faith-based organizations representing the interests of Boston's Black community. It now has 80 members including neighborhood associations, community development organizations and religious institutions of various denominations serving the Black community in Boston.

As part of our mission, the BMA creates positive change in the Boston area by providing extensive programming for education, training and technical assistance services for churches, youth and families in the communities of Boston's poorest neighborhoods. Today, the BMA is one of the most diverse and active organizations in the city. It has active participation from churches representing over 20,000 parishioners.

We are a convener of resources, acting as a clearinghouse that collects and redistributes funds and technical assistance to build the capacity and strengthen faith-based and community organizations. Current investments in the BMA have served over 60 faith-based and community-based organizations which in turn have impacted over 20,000 youth and families in Boston's poorest neighborhoods.

To reach The Black Ministerial Alliance, call them at 617/445-2737 or visit their Web site at bmaboston.org

Editors: For an overview of the Boston Capacity Tank and a list of new grantees please call Kelley Chunn at 617/427-0046 or e-mail at kc4info@aol.com