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Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers
Overcoming barriers · Promoting health and quality of life · Building and uniting communities · Maintaining cultural pride
Services
MAPS provides a wide range of health and social services to the Portuguese-speaking community.
The agency offers a variety of social services and educational programs that help community members with limited English skills adjust to American society, manage daily life issues and remain safe from harm. MAPS also provides many services designed to promote healthy lifestyles and prevent disease.
Youth Programs
Youth development, peer leadership, prevention of substance abuse, HIV/AIDS and violence, promotion of healthy eating and physical activity, and other services for children and adolescents.
Office Location: Dorchester
Hours: After-school program. Call for current schedule of activities.
Cost: Free
Referrals: Not required
Program Contact: Elisangela (Lyzz) Almeida, Youth Program Supervisor
(617) 825-5897, lalmeida@maps-inc.org
Primary Funders: Mass. Dept. of Public Health, Boston Public Health Commission, Boston Globe Foundation, Jimmy Fund/Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Anna B. Stearns Charitable Foundation, StreetSafe Boston Summer Grants, The Medical Foundation, United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley
Portuguese Language Courses
10-week courses in the Portuguese language
Office Location: Cambridge
Hours: Weeknights and Saturdays. Call for exact dates and times.
Cost: $180 per course
Referrals: Not required
Program Contact: Wagner Bastos, Coordinator
(617) 864-7600
Primary Funders: Client fees
HIV Mental Health Project
HIV education, prevention and other services to clients with mental health issues, in partnership with the Cambridge Health Alliance.
HIV education, prevention and other services to clients with mental health issues, in partnership with the Cambridge Health Alliance.
Office Location: Cambridge
Hours: Weekdays 9 am-5 pm
Cost: Free
Referrals: Not required
Program Contact: Junior Catão
(617) 864-7600, jcatao@maps-inc.org
Primary Funders: Cambridge Health Alliance, US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration
HIV/AIDS Case Management
Case management, referrals and assistance for individuals living with HIV/AIDS in the community
Office Location: Cambridge
Hours: Weekdays 9 am-5 pm
Cost: Free
Referrals: Not required
Program Contact: Antonia Alves, Coordinator
(617) 864-7600, aalves@maps-inc.org
Primary Funders: Boston Public Health Commission (Ryan White CARE Act funds), Broadway CARES/Equity Fights AIDS
HIV Counseling & Testing
Confidential testing and counseling for HIV for high-risk community members.
Office Locations: Allston, Cambridge, Somerville, Dorchester
Hours: Flexible to meet the immediate needs of clients- nontraditional evening and weekend hours (business cell phone numbers below)
Cost: Free
Referrals: Not required
Program Contacts: Norma Malkiel, Boston Area Supervisor, Prevention & Education Programs
(617) 820-7209, nmalkiel@maps-inc.org
Adir Baldelim, HIV/STI Prevention Specialist
(617) 820-7207, abaldelim@maps-inc.org
Primary Funder: Massachusetts Department of Public Health
HIV Prevention & Education
Outreach, education, risk reduction and referrals to HIV/Sexually Transmitted Infections testing, counseling and other services for high-risk Portuguese speakers throughout the area, as well as Spanish-speaking men in the Framingham/Marlborough region
Office Locations: Allston, Cambridge, Dorchester, Framingham, Lowell
Hours: Weekdays 9 am-5 pm/outreach nights and weekends
Cost: Free
Referrals: Not required
Program Contacts: Adir Baldelim, HIV/STI Prevention Specialist
(617) 787-0557, abaldelim@maps-inc.org
Jose H. Almeida and Mirna Festi, Men’s Health Educators (Boston area)
(617) 787-0557, holiveira@maps-inc.org, mfesti@maps-inc.org
Washington Ramos, Men’s Health Educator (Framingham/Marlborough)
(508) 397-9051, wramos@maps-inc.org
Gabriel Roncancio, Spanish-Speaking Men’s Health Educator in Framingham
(Framingham/Marlborough) (508) 259-9889, groncancio@maps-inc.org
Norma Malkiel, Boston Area Supervisor, Prevention & Education Programs
(617) 787-0557, nmalkiel@maps-inc.org
Dulce Mendes, Women’s Health Educator (Boston area)
(617) 825-5897, dmendes@maps-inc.org
Maristela Tosato, Women’s Health Educator (Lowell area)
(978) 970-1250, mtosato@maps-inc.org
Elisangela (Lyzz) Almeida, Youth Program Supervisor (Boston area)
(617) 825-5897, lalmeida@maps-inc.org
Primary Funder: Massachusetts Department of Public Health
Immigrant Social Services
Information, individual assistance, interpretation/translation and referrals to Portuguese speakers around housing, employment, government benefits and other daily life issues
Office Locations: Allston, Cambridge, Dorchester, Framingham, Lowell
Hours: Weekdays 9 am-5 pm
Cost: $5 fee per appointment
Referrals: Not required
Program Contacts: Please call the office closest to you:
Allston, (617) 787-0557
Cambridge, (617) 864-7600
Dorchester, (617) 825-5897
Lowell, (978) 970-1250
Primary Funders: Community Development Block Grants through the cities of Boston, Cambridge, Lowell and Somerville; MassHealth (Mass. Executive Office of Health and Human Services); Somerville Affordable Housing Trust; Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation, Blue Cross Blue Shield Catalyst Fund, Cambridge Community Foundation, Draper Laboratory, United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley
Family Support Services
Comprehensive support services to stabilize, strengthen and unify children and families referred to MAPS by the state Department of Children & Families (DCF) due to child abuse, neglect or other high risks
Office Locations: Cambridge, Lowell, Dorchester and Allston (serves clients throughout region)
Hours: Weekdays 9 am-5 pm
Cost: Free
Referrals: DCF
Program Contact: Osvalda Rodrigues, Director of Family Support Services
(978) 970-1250
Primary Funder: Massachusetts DCF
English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Courses
12-week English classes
Occasional classes meet twice a week for two hours and are available in Level I and Level II based on student demand and instructor availability.
Office Locations: Varies
Hours: Contact coordinator for more information.
Cost: Contact MAPS.
Referrals: Not required
Program Contact: Julia Evora, Coordinator
(617) 864-7600, jevora@maps-inc.org
Primary Funder: Client fees
MAPS is looking for volunteer instructors who are experienced in ESOL instruction. Please contact Julia Evora at (617) 864-7600.
Energy Efficiency Solutions for Small Businesses
This program offers community education on electric energy efficiency services for Portuguese-speaking businesses in Massachusetts, in partnership with NSTAR. Currently MAPS is working with businesses in Cambridge and Somerville.
Office Location: Allston
Hours: Weekdays 9am-5pm
Cost: NSTAR covers 70% of the total costs of project and offers customers the option to finance remaining 30% over a 12 month period at no interest.
Referrals: Not required
Program Contact: Mirna Festi, Program Coordinator
(617) 787-0557, mfesti@maps-inc.org
Primary Funder: NSTAR
Find out more:
» MAPS & NSTAR Small Business Solutions (PDF)
List of communities eligible for programs:
Elder Services
• Nutritious lunches, social, recreational and educational activities, individual assistance and connections to services for seniors at the MAPS Cambridge Senior Center four days per week
• Specialized assistance also available for seniors at our Lowell office
Office Locations: Cambridge, Lowell
Hours: Weekdays 9 am-5 pm
Cost: Free ($2 voluntary contributions accepted for lunches and services)
Referrals: Not required
Program Contacts: Julia Evora, Coordinator, Cambridge
(617) 864-7600, jevora@maps-inc.org
Maristela Tosato, Immigrant Case Worker, Lowell
(978) 970-1250, mtosato@maps-inc.org
Primary Funders: Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley, Inc., Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services,
Bushrod H. Campbell & Adah F. Hall Charity Fund, Charles Stark Draper Laboratory,
Charles H. Farnsworth Charitable Trust, JB Fernandes Memorial Trust I, Americo J.
Francisco Charity and Elders Fund, Cambridge Community Foundation, Paine Social
Services, Project Bread/The Walk for Hunger, Sailor’s Snug Harbor of Boston
Driver Alcohol Education
A 17-week First Offender program for court-referred English- and Portuguese-speaking drivers convicted of driving under the influence
Office Locations: Somerville (classes), Cambridge (individual appointments)
Hours: Consultations available weekdays by appointment
Classes 6-8 pm Mondays for English speakers, 6-8 pm Tuesdays for Portuguese speakers
Cost: $567.22 course fee
Referrals: Court referral
Program Contact: Antonia Alves, Coordinator
(617) 864-7600, aalves@maps-inc.org
Primary Funding Sources: Client fees, Mass. Dept. of Public Health
Domestic Violence Services
Outreach, prevention education, advocacy, individual assistance, translation/interpretation, guided referrals, and related services for domestic violence survivors
Office Locations: Cambridge, Allston, Dorchester, Lowell
Hours: Primarily weekdays, flexible schedule.
Cost: Free
Referrals: Not required
Program Contacts: Martha Vasconcellos, DV Advocate & Supervisor, Boston area
(617) 864-7600, mvasconcellos@maps-inc.org
Kate Lessard, DV Advocate, Lowell area
(978) 970-1250, klessard@maps-inc.org
Dulce Depina, DV Advocate, Dorchester
(617) 825-5897, ddepina@maps-inc.org
Osvalda Rodrigues, Director of Family Support Svcs. And Director of the Lowell Office
(978) 970-1250, orodrigues@maps-inc.org (Contact for Building Bridges project)
Primary Funding Sources: Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Massachusetts Department of Children & Families (DCF), Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety VAWA funds, Theodore Edson Parker Foundaiton, TJX Foundation
Breast Cancer Prevention
Outreach, education and prevention about breast cancer in the community
Office Location: Cambridge, Allston, Framingham, Lowell, Dorchester
Hours: Flexible hours, primarily on weekdays
Cost: N/A
Referrals: Not required
Program Contact: Thais Neiva, Health Educator
(617) 864-7600, tneiva@maps-inc.org (617) 864-7600 x30 (Boston area);
(508) 872-2652 (Framingham/Lowell)
Primary Funding Source: Susan G. Komen For the Cure Massachusetts Affiliate
Batterer Intervention Program
A 40-week program that teaches men how to stop engaging in abusive behavior against their partners/spouses
Office Location: Somerville
Hours: Tuesdays, 6 to 8 pm
Cost: Sliding scale fee depending on weekly income + $100 administrative fee
Referrals: Court, DCF, self-referral, other professional referral
Program Contact: Alirio Pereira, Coordinator
(617) 864-7600, apereira@maps-inc.org
Primary Funding Sources: Client fees, Mass. Dept. of Public Health
Citizenship Assistance
Citizenship preparation classes and related assistance including civics, history and English instruction to prepare for the citizenship interview, as well as citizenship application assistance
Office Locations: Cambridge, Allston, Dorchester, Lowell
Hours: 12-week classes meet once a week in the evening or on the weekend for two hours. Citizenship form assistance is also available by appointment during weekday hours.
Cost: N400 application assistance $20 donation; Classes $30
Referrals: Not required
Program Contacts: Julia Evora, Coordinator
(617) 864-7600, jevora@maps-inc.org
For an N-400 assistance appointment, please call the office closest to you:
Allston, (617) 787-0557
Cambridge, (617) 864-7600
Dorchester, (617) 825-5897
Lowell, (978) 970-1250
Primary Funding Source: Massachusetts Office for Refugees & Immigrants
Besides direct services, MAPS also provides advocacy, leadership and community development services to Portuguese-speaking residents of eastern Massachusetts, as well as capacity building assistance to other service providers in our communities.
Statistics
MAPS Annual Reports include program statistics, financial data and other information about what the agency has accomplished for each fiscal year.