Cambridge, MA – October 20, 2022 - Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation is pleased to announce a $50,000 grant to Just A Start to support their new Economic Mobility Hub at Rindge Commons, which will be in North Cambridge near the Alewife MBTA station. The 70,000 square-foot, mixed-use project, which broke ground in July of 2022, will include a 19,000 square-foot training center with workshops and classrooms for various programming as well as 24 affordable apartments, four pre-school classrooms, and a new space for the organization's headquarters.
“Our Charitable Foundation is honored to contribute to the development of this important project for the Greater Boston communities,” said Andrea Borowiecki, Vice President of Charitable Giving & Community Engagement at Rockland Trust. “The project perfectly aligns with what Rockland Trust as a community-orientated bank believes in, by providing resources to our neighbors that enable them to flourish to their full potential.”
The Economic Mobility Hub at Rindge Commons is being developed in an easily accessible and highly diverse area. The location is ideal for public transportation access from many surrounding communities including Chelsea, Everett, Lynn, Malden, Medford, Revere, and Somerville. Currently, Just a Start houses 250 families within the area.
”Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation’s generous contribution allows Just A Start to expand services to those we currently serve and increase capacity via the Economic Mobility Hub, to reach even more families spanning Cambridge and beyond,” said Carl Nagy-Koechlin, Executive Director at Just A Start. “With the continued support of partners like Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation, we advance our vision of an equitable community where everyone can secure a solid economic foundation.”
Slated to open in April of 2024, and it is predicted that the Economic Mobility Hub will serve 2,800 people within Cambridge and surrounding Metro-North communities. With affordable housing, pre-school classrooms, training programs, and employment nearby, it will truly be a thriving and equitable community that accelerates economic mobility throughout the region.
