The youth leaders of TLTW are celebrating major successes that led to this Advocacy award. In 2018, Teens Leading the Way celebrated major policy victories when Governor Baker signed an iteration of our expungement bill into law. This victory marked a tremendous legislative landmark for youth-led policymaking and for young adult justice improvements in the Commonwealth – and a major win for the young adults who launched this campaign over six years ago.

TLTW youth organizer Stephanie Bellapianta, from Haverhill, said, “Thanks to the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network for recognizing all the young people in TLTW who worked so hard to advocate for change over the years. We know that when youth are given the opportunity to be a part of the civic process, we can rise to the occasion and be great citizens.”

“Our youth organizers have seen unprecedented success this last year, both with the new expungement law, but also with a civics education law that was passed by the legislature. These victories validate the idea that if you engage in our democracy and refuse to give up on the legislative process, you can eventually make change. Now our youth organizers can be proud of the legacy they left on our laws, in addition to the lifelong civic skills and knowledge they’ll take with them forever,” said Geoff Foster, UTEC’s Director of Organizing. UTEC is the lead agency in coordinating the coalition.

TLTW alumni have gone on to do great things, including running successfully for mayor of a major city (current Mayor of Holyoke, Alex Morse) and running successfully for State Representative (State Representative Andy Vargas of Haverhill). The true success of TLTW is both in our civic outcomes of the organizers themselves, in addition to the systems-change advocated for by its members.

More about TLTW: Teens Leading the Way (TLTW) is a statewide, youth-led policymaking coalition which seeks to empower youth to create lasting change through policymaking. TLTW is made up of youth organizers, ages 16-24, from low-income and immigrant communities across Massachusetts, including Boston, Lowell, Lawrence, Worcester, Lynn, Everett, and Haverhill.

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 UTEC started in Lowell, where it was founded by young people in 1999. Next we expanded to serve Lawrence, which is also home to our Mattress Recycling facility – and now we are opening a site in Haverhill! We are proud to work with young people and community partners in the three main cities of the Merrimack Valley.

Please join us to celebrate this milestone at our Grand Opening on Wednesday, June 4th, 2019. We are thrilled to be opening our site in Haverhill and we want to thank you for your support of UTEC and your help in making this new site possible. RSVP on our Eventbrite.

Our new drop-in center is located at 241 Winter Street, Haverhill, MA. Parking is available in the municipal lot at Winter and Locke Streets (across from Dunkin’).

As in Lowell, our Streetworker program will help the community prevent youth violence and gang conflict. Having a physical space in Haverhill will help UTEC Streetworkers “meet youth where they are,” intervene directly to prevent violence and retaliation, and let young people know about the full-time program model that UTEC offers. For young adults (ages 17-25), UTEC offers education, job training in our three social enterprises, and recreation activities.

Governor Charlie Baker recently visited the space to circle up with the young adults and talk about the transformation of their lives since UTEC became a part of it. “A lot of them feel like they’ve been let down by most of the adults in their life,” Governor Baker said. “They don’t feel like that’s going to happen here.”

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Are you or a friend looking to dispose of a mattress? What can you do with the mattress you already have? While dropping it off at a dumpster is an option, it may not be the best option. Mattresses present challenges to the environment, since they take up space in landfills and break down very slowly.

UTEC Mattress Recycling, one of our three social enterprises, deconstructs and recycles mattresses from across northern New England. We contract with municipalities, hotels, schools, universities, assisted living facilities and hospitals. Our young adults participate with the pick-ups and deconstruct the mattresses at our Lawrence facility while learning valuable workplace skills.

When you choose UTEC Mattress Recycling, roughly 85% of each piece’s materials are diverted from the waste stream. Young people hand-cut the mattresses and recycle the many components such as steel, foam, wood, some of the toppers and cotton. With weekly curbside pick-ups in Lowell and recently added Cambridge, recycling old mattresses is step toward a future of sustainability!

We also serve many other towns and cities within the region. Check out our website to see if we serve your town and start your spring cleaning today!

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Phil Buchanan, President of CEP

Giving Done Right, by Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) President Phil Buchanan, tells the stories of nonprofit leaders, including UTEC’s own CEO, Gregg Croteau, who bring the vibrant nonprofit sector to life. UTEC is honored to be featured as an example of a nonprofit that changes lives and measures outcomes to prove it.

In the book, Buchanan and Croteau discuss UTEC’s experience as a recipient of philanthropic support, how the misconceptions of philanthropic best practices have affected the agency’s work, and the distinct challenges of running a nonprofit.

As CEO, Croteau is “an educator, mentor, counselor, spiritual advisor, manager, businessman, fundraiser, policy advocate, mediator, and peacemaker all wrapped up into one,” Buchanan writes. Croteau’s role is “infinitely more complicated and difficult than running an equivalent-size business.”

We look forward to the Giving Done Right release on April 16! Learn more about the book and how to pre-order your copy at givingdoneright.org.

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On Friday March 22nd from 8:00 pm – 12:00 am, dance the night away at the Benefit Dance Party held at UTEC’s main hall. All proceeds from the event will have an impact on UTEC’s mission to ignite and nurture the ambition of our most disconnected young people to trade violence and poverty for social and economic success. Donate online or at the door!

For more information about the Halloween Dance Party, please contact: CelebrateLea@gmail.com

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In 2018, the Massachusetts Service Alliance (MSA) selected 17 nonprofits from across the state to host Commonwealth Corps members for the 2018-2019 program year. UTEC is thrilled to be one of the chosen nonprofits to become a host site partner and receive two full-time Commonwealth Corps Education Specialists.

This week (3/11-3/15), is Commonwealth Corps Week at UTEC. It’s an opportunity for staff and young adults to come together to celebrate the power of service and commitment brought by our Education Specialists Diamond and Nicole. They both provide much needed ‘hands-on’ service in our HiSET program, social enterprises, and much more.

“Throughout my service year, I’ve learned more of my own resilience.” says Diamond, who served as an AmeriCorps volunteer for two years at UTEC. “I’ve learned to believe in my knowledge as an educator and I’ve learned to trust myself in a platform built to enlighten as well as empower others.”

As UTEC’s young people prepare for HiSET subject area tests, young adults increase their 1:1 tutoring time to focus on specific areas of need. With Commonwealth Corps members’ support, UTEC introduced “Bonus Block” enrichment classes that complement academic programming, ranging from Music & Sound Recording to dual-enrollment credit courses in partnership with Middlesex Community College.

“Running a class by myself was a huge accomplishment. I never realized how hard it is to prepare classwork and get everyone involved.” says Nicole.

UTEC strives to honor our Commonwealth Corps members’ service every day and recognize that a small gesture can go a long way in thanking them for supporting healthy communities.

Established in 2007, the Commonwealth Corps is a state-funded service internship program which engages residents of all ages and backgrounds in direct service to rebuild communities and address unmet community needs. Learn more about MSA’s Commonwealth Corps program on their recent newsletter. 

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Walmart and the

UTEC is thrilled to announce our first-time grant from the Walmart Foundation for $1,000  for the children enrolled in the 2Gen Center @ UTEC. Through this partnership with the Walmart Foundation, UTEC will be able to continue providing our enrolled young parents with support through essential items for infants and toddlers, including diapers and formula.

The 2Gen Center @ UTEC provides onsite early childhood education for the young children (ages 0-5) of young parents who are enrolled at UTEC. We are dedicated to helping our young families break the cycle of poverty.

Thanks to Walmart for their Community Grant to help us serve two generations at the 2Gen Center!

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The case study includes waste-based business overviews and essential elements of a successful enterprise, along with examples of social enterprises that are succeeding, including UTEC as one. “There’s mattresses everywhere, there’s clothing everywhere, there’s books everywhere. There’s a huge potential,” said Ed Frechette, Director of Social Enterprise Partnerships at UTEC.

Read more of the report on waste-based social enterprises for RWJF. Thanks again to St. Vincent de Paul and the Cascade Alliance for all of their support as we’ve grown UTEC Mattress Recycling over the past five years!

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Here’s your chance to join the Patriots! 

One week before their AFC Championship win, New England Patriots players chose UTEC for the first grant from the Patriots Social Justice Fund because, as Devin McCourty said, “it’s all the things we believe in as a team.” (WATCH the Patriots video here.)

Will you join the Patriots in supporting UTEC? Give $53 in honor of the 53rd Super Bowl. Donate now.

Read more about UTEC and the Patriots from the Sun.

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The UTEC events team was out and about at the Massachusetts Bridal and Wedding Expo at the Shriners Auditorium in Wilmington.  The expo was a one-stop shop for all things weddings. Brides, grooms and guests met top wedding professionals in one place so that they can plan their dream weddings. From giveaways and even catering samples, the Expo was the place to be!

Thanks to everyone who took the time to stop by our booth. Check out UTEC’s beautiful, historic building in downtown Lowell for your shower and wedding plans. You can visit online first and then contact our team for an in-person tour: www.utec-events.org

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