In the late 1980s, the streets of Hyde/Jackson Square in Jamaica Plain were so overrun with drug dealers that the Boston Police referred to the neighborhood as the “cocaine capital of Boston.” In response to the drugs, gangs, and violence that took the lives of many young people, a diverse group of neighbors organized the Hyde Square Task Force in an effort to reclaim the streets. We soon discovered that, together, our energy and resources had a powerful and positive impact on the quality of life for everyone in our community. Our efforts led to the incorporation of the Hyde Square Task Force as a non-profit organization in 1991. Our mission is to create a clean, safe, and friendly neighborhood in Hyde/Jackson Square, a neighborhood that places its priority on young people. Through our after school programs and community organizing initiatives, we strive to develop the skills of youth and adult residents so that they are empowered to enhance their own lives and build a stronger urban community. We serve over 500 youth and their families annually directly through our programs, which include:
•School-based after-school and summer programs for area elementary and middle school students
•A Paths to Career and College Program for over 125 middle and high school students that includes one-to-one mentoring, tutoring, career and college planning, and SAT Prep.
•Youth leadership and youth organizing programs for teens
•Youth workforce development programs
•A Parent Engagement Initiative for Boston Public School parents
•A Latin and Hip-Hop Dance program and a variety of recreation programs
•Cultural and Arts programs for youth and parents
We also reach thousands of area residents through empowerment activities such as voter registration and youth advocacy, and community events including our Annual Meeting & Thanksgiving Dinner, Three King’s Day, and the JP World’s Fair.
The Hyde Square Task Force was featured in 2003’s United Way of Massachusetts Bay promotion materials, where it was stated that Task Force is a “cutting edge” agency whose impact “on one of Boston’s largest youth populations is palpable.” The UWMB goes on to describe our “innovative after-school and youth development programs.” The Boston Educator, a publication of the Boston Public Schools, recently featured our Teen Literacy Tutors Program at the Kennedy School, stating that the Hyde Square Task Force “is fast becoming a model of the ways that a school and community can work together to improve the lives of everyone in the neighborhood.” Last year, the Hyde Square Task Force was recognized by Boston's After School For All Partnership for excellence in the category of "Teen Leadership & Achievement."
The Task Force is governed by an elected Board of Directors made up of a diverse group of local parents, former youth leaders, business owners, and professionals who are elected by the membership at our annual meeting. With a current budget of over $1 million, the Hyde Square Task Force has strong fiscal practices and successfully manages grants ranging from $2,500 to over $100,000/year. Our staff includes 11 full-time employees and many part-timers, including over 50 teens who perform a variety of community service activities in the neighborhood as literacy tutors, as community organizers/planners, and as cultural educators / performers. All of our programs utilize volunteers. In total we have over 80 volunteers, many of them college students who give between 8-10 hours per week.