CAMBRIDGE, MA -- October 29, 2002 -- A former Board member presented a $5,000 check to the Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers at the health and social service agency's Oct. 28 Annual Meeting, establishing an endowment fund that will help the agency grow into the future.

"I challenge and urge not only the businesses in the Portuguese-speaking community to contribute to the Endowment Fund, but all of you," donor Robert J. Perry told more than 100 MAPS members and friends during the check presentation at the MAPS Cambridge office. Perry served on the Board of MAPS and its predecesssor agency, the Cambridge Organization of Portuguese Americans (COPA), for a total of 23 years. He pledged to donate another $5,000 in the near future to the fund, which will be managed by the Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF).

"With an endowment, MAPS is hereby transforming itself into an institution that will be here forever to meet the needs of the Portuguese-speaking community," said MAPS Executive Director Paulo Pinto in thanking Perry for his groundbreaking donation.

The endowment is a permanent fund that will be invested, providing an annual distribution that supports MAPS programs and operations. Donations in any amount can be sent to the fund in care of MAPS, 1046 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA 02139 or in care of the GLCF at 169 Merrimack St., 5th Floor, Lowell, MA 01852. Donors will be able to name funds within the endowment after themselves or their loved ones, among other options. MAPS also is establishing a planned giving program so that individuals can name MAPS in their wills in order to leave a permanent legacy that helps the community, said GLCF Director David Kronberg.

The Annual Meeting also included Board elections, presentation of the MAPS Annual Report, a vote to update the agency's bylaws, and the awarding of certificates of appreciation to several staff members who have worked at MAPS for five years or more. Elected for new three-year terms were John Carreiro, Edna Coleman, and Carmen Medeiros, while Board members Carlos Da Silva, Mary Ann Lomba, Marcio Nascimento and Josefina Silva were re-elected for another three years.

During the meeting, Pinto noted that the past fiscal year included some major advances for the organization, which served nearly 20,000 clients through outreach and direct services from July 2001 to June 2002. Because of increased foundation and government support in certain programs, MAPS ended the year with a $15,000 surplus. The agency has obtained several new federal contracts for AIDS prevention among substance abusers as well as for its Cape Verdean Youth Program in Dorchester, which, combined with other support, has put the agency in good standing despite major state budget cuts.

Other major accomplishments during the past year included:

• Completing a new five-year agency Strategic Plan for the year 2007;
• Expanding services in many areas including Immigrant Social Services, Youth Programs, HIV Prevention, Domestic Violence Prevention, Elder Services, Interpreting/Translation, and Home Ownership Assistance;
• Making a historic visit to Cape Verde to share information and resources on youth services and other programs with Cape Verdean organizations and government officials;
• Launching a new Website with e-commerce capabilities and many other new features;
• Providing capacity-building assistance to several other community organizations including the Brazilian Business Network and Cape Verde Cares;
• Reorganizing the program structure to allow MAPS to grow effectively and efficiently;
• Providing greatly expanded advocacy around issues such as bilingual education, immigrant rights and funding for key health and social service programs;
• Completing a new client database to centrally track services and client demographics; and
• Renovating the Dorchester office with financial assistance from the City of Boston.

MAPS is a private, nonprofit organization that has provided health and social services to Portuguese speakers since 1970. The agency has offices in Cambridge, Somerville, Allston, Dorchester and Lowell.

###

Copyright © 2002 Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers, Inc. All rights reserved.