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THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2023 Page 11 Revere Community School awarded $9,750 Partnership Grant from Foundation Trust Special to Th e Advocate T he Revere Community School (RCS) has received a Premier Partner Grant from the Foundation Trust to support current and expanding programming for its 2023-2024 initiatives addressing the learning needs of adults and seniors living in vulnerable communities. This is the Foundation Trust’s second grant awarded to RCS since 2019 in support of English language education and job training opportunities aimed at providing adults and seniors with skills to improve their quality of life. GRANT | SEE Page 19 MVES teams with Diversity North Group to build inclusivity, equity M ystic Valley Elder Services (MVES), a Malden-based nonprofi t aging services agency, recently partnered with Massachusetts-based Diversity North Group consultants (www.diversitynorth.com) to launch an organization-wide diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) collaboration. The year-long MVES DEIA Project will work to lead a cultural shift throughout the organization by off ering team-based learning, coaching and skills development. The goal of this initiative is to enhance current eff orts to provide equitable access to resources, support and opportunities for professional advancement for all team members. MVES CEO Lisa Gurgone shares, “Our goal is to understand: What can we do better as an organization to support our staff ? How can we best honor the cultural diff erences among our staff and the communities we serve? What are the best practices for ensuring MVES systems and structures are equitable? I hope that continuing to build DEIA into our operating DNA will become business as usual at Mystic Valley. We are committed to learning how to do better as an organization because that’s the way we continue to enhance services to older adults and people with disabilities to live independently with dignity in a setting of their choice.” MVES – which serves Malden, Everett, Revere and seven neighboring communities – is committed to driving change in the community and views its partnership with Diversity North Group as an opportunity to engage its network in making tangible progress. “We will use this initiative as a platform for enhancing the dialogue with the individuals we serve, our Board members, and our partners about the importance of inclusivity and cultural competence as we work to meet the needs of the community,” Gurgone explains. Diversity North Group Principal Jasmine Montanez, the manager of the project, says, “We are excited to be launching this DEIA eff ort at MVES because of the wonderful work the organization provides to Massachusetts elders and those with disabilities. MVES is extraordinary in its diversity now, with over 300 staff speaking more than 5 languages, as well as embracing female leadership and older workers.” Diversity North will build on the agency’s nearly 50-year legacy of fostering equity and accessibility. “Our goal is to help MVES internalize their values as a sustainable system that enables the agency to continue making diversity, equity and inclusion part of the fabric of everything they do,” says Montanez. Research shows that, in general, social service agencies that prioritize diversity, equity and inclusion do better work. When employees believe they are heard, and when work is fair and well managed, organizations benefi t through higher employee retention rates, a friendly and productive work environment and better interaction with consumers. “At Diversity North, we believe that to make true change, DEI must be embedded into the rhythm of the business. The goal is for organizations to develop and strengthen their refl ective practices for inclusion and equity,” Montanez notes. MVES is proud to launch this critical initiative with funding awarded through the Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Workforce Development Grant program issued by the Massachusetts Executive Offi ce of Health and Human Services with resources from the American Rescue Plan Act. This initiative will run through late spring 2024. About Mystic Valley Elder Services: Since 1975, MVES has worked to ensure that older adults and people with disabilities have the support they need to live independently and with dignity. Located in Malden, Mass., the nonprofi t agency provides information, care and resources to residents of Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Medford, Melrose, North Reading, Reading, Revere, Stoneham, Wakefi eld and Winthrop. Services include information and referral, management, home care, elder protective services, health insurance counseling, caregiver supports, transportation and Meals on Wheels. For more information, call 781-324-7705 or visit www.mves.org. 5.0 “Revere Community School is Tanning Salon grateful to The Foundation Trust for their generosity and partnership. Their continued support of our work will enable us to develop new and creative programs that directly impact adult learnCome See Why Sizzle Tanning is The Best on the North Shore! P9S REDLIGHT Therapy Tanning SIZZLE OFFERS HIGH-END, STATE-OF-THE-ART SUNLESS AND UV TANNING! 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