Dear Friend,

It’s National Youth Homelessness Awareness month which makes us mindful of the young parents we have the privilege to serve. This month we’re sharing Jasmine’s story and how she came to be a mom when she was barely older than a child herself. Horizons is there for her, supporting her as a teen mom while her daughter thrives in our classroom.

Horizons Introduces First UPK Classroom
In a breakthrough in educational development, Boston’s Mayor Marty Walsh recently announced Universal Pre-K for the city. Referred to by educators as “UPK,” the program is designed to guarantee equitable access to free, high quality education for every four-year-old resident. Horizons was quick to pursue this opportunity through grant funding for its numerous students and was specially selected through Boston’s Expansion Grant. The UPK curriculum, in conjunction with Horizons services, helps to further level the educational playing field for disadvantaged children. <Read more>

Meet Nelson and Jazie 
Toddler students Nelson and Jazie have formed an inseparable bond in our Jamaica Plain Early Education Center. Their friendship has prompted Nelson to come out of his shell while bubbly Jazie now has a best buddy to help guide around the classroom.

Both children are thriving with the consistent loving care and essential place for play Horizons provides them. Read about their companionship and growth in the classroom. <Read more>

Horizons Hosts Health Conscious Cooking Classes
For families experiencing homelessness a lack of access to affordable and nutritional food options and insufficient food preparation areas can make it challenging to get healthy meals on the table.To ease the burden this creates for families, Horizons teamed up with Cooking Matters, a national organization dedicated to educating parents and caregivers with limited food budgets how to shop for and cook healthy meals. Click here to learn more about the 6 week course that helped our parents maximize their grocery budgets while building upon their nutritional knowledge.

The Horizons Center Takes Shape
Progress on the Horizons Center continues and enthusiasm is building as we look ahead to a grand opening in the late fall of 2020. Over the recent months, construction has continued on the bones of the structure and its exterior. It was exciting to celebrate with families this summer as they got to make their mark on the new space by adding their names to a beam that would later be hoisted into the very top position on the building. As we reach the end of 2019, the focus will turn toward the fit-out or setup of the inside of the building.

From an organizational perspective, the team is already making administrative adjustments that will facilitate a smooth move next year. Click here to find out more about this project.

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