MAPS is looking for new Board Members

The mission of Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers (MAPS) is to improve the lives of Portuguese speaking individuals and families from Massachusetts and help them become contributing, active participants in American society while maintaining strong ethnic identity and a sense of community. MAPS works with and for the Brazilian, Cape Verdean, and Portuguese communities to increase access and remove barriers to health, education, and social services through direct service, advocacy, leadership, and community development.

MAPS is looking for committed, energetic, volunteer individuals qualified to join the agency's Board of Directors. The Board of Directors is MAPS' governance body and is responsible for oversight of the agency and its mission, fund development assistance, primarily event/fundraising work, and more. The Board is responsible for setting policies that reflect the agency mission statement. The Board approves and monitors the agency's annual budgets and is responsible for hiring and evaluating the activities of the Executive Director.

The commitment to be on the Board includes attendance of Board Meetings and participation in fundraising and other community related events.  The Board of Directors meets monthly on the fourth Tuesday of each month, except for the months of July and August. Additionally, it is expected that each Board Member participates actively in at least one of several Board Committees, which may mean an additional meeting per month.

All Board Members have to be paid Members of MAPS. To become a MAPS member, you should be of Portuguese-speaking descent, the spouse of an individual of Portuguese-speaking descent or demonstrate fluency in Portuguese. You must be at least 14 years old and a resident of eastern Massachusetts. Other individuals may become members by majority vote of the MAPS Board of Directors. MAPS is a diverse organization dedicated to serving a diverse community and MAPS' Board should reflect that diversity and dedication.

For more information on MAPS, please visit http://www.maps-inc.org  or call the main office at (617) 864-7600. MAPS is a private, non-profit organization serving the Portuguese-speaking community and others in need in eastern Massachusetts
since 1970. Offices are located in Cambridge, Somerville, Allston, Dorchester, Framingham and Lowell.