The deadline for listings is noon, Sept. 11 for the Sept. 14 issue. Send listings to [email protected]. Note: 617 should be dialed before numbers below, unless another area code is given.
Meetings
Jamaica Pond Association Board of Directors, first Monday of the month, 7pm, Jamaicaway Tower, 111 Perkins St.
JPNC Public Service Committee, to discuss removal of billboards and security grates in business districts in Jamaica Plain, Tues., Sept. 4, 7pm, Curtis Hall, 20 South St. Info: jpnc.org.
District E-13 Police, monthly community relations meeting, Thurs., Sept. 6, 7pm, Latino monthly meeting, Thurs., Sept. 13, 7pm, Strategic planning meeting, Thurs., Sept. 20, 7pm, E-13 Police Station, 3345 Washington St. Info: 343-5624.
State of the Safety Net Forum, speakers from local organizations report on legal services, family crisis, food security, homelessness prevention, welfare, child care, battered women’s support services, elder services and other critical community needs, discussion to follow, Sat., Sept. 15, 3-6pm, First Baptist Church, 633 Centre St. Info: SurvivorsInc.org.
JPNC Housing and Development Committee, agenda tba, Tues., Sept. 18, 7pm, Bowditch School, 82 Green St. Info: jpnc.org.
JPNC Parks and Open Space Committee, agenda tba, Thurs., Sept. 20, 6:30pm, JP Licks, 659 Centre St. Info: [email protected].
Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council, agenda tba, Tues., Sept. 25, 7pm, Julia Martin House, 90 Bickford St. Info: jpnc.org.
JP Problem Properties Committee, first Wednesday of the month, 10:30am, E-13 Police Station Community Room, 3347 Washington St. Info: Robert Torres, 722-2060.
Jamaica Hills Association, second Wednesday of every month, 7:30pm, Springhouse, Allandale Rd. Info: jamaicahills.org.
Egleston Square Organizations, including JPNDC, the YMCA, 826 Boston, Teen Empowerment, St. Mary of the Angels and more meet at 1pm on the first Tuesday of every month. Info and Egleston Square Events Calendar: eglestonsquare.mainstreets.org.
Office Hours
State Rep. Liz Malia, third Friday of each month, 8-9:30am, J.P. Licks, 659 Centre St. Info: 722-2060.
Jullieanne Doherty, JP Coordinator from the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services, 4th Monday of the month, 2-6pm, JP Branch Library, 12 Sedgwick St.
Youth/Families
Homework help, starts Sept. 24. BPS teachers, Mondays, 4-6pm. Connolly Branch Library, 433 Centre St. Info: 522-1960.
Support group for LGBT parents with young children, Wednesdays, 7:30-9pm, Parlor Room, St. John’s Church, 1 Roanoke Ave. $60 for the series, packages available if both partners are participating. Info: [email protected].
Boston Area Health Education Center’s High School program, for 10-12 graders interested in health career exploration and job shadowing. Register for a tracking number at bostonyouthzone.com/BYF.
Support Group for Young Parents, a program of Jewish Family and Children’s Services, open to all faiths, for parents with children from birth to one-year, registration not required. Thursdays, 10:30am-noon. Info: 781-647- 5327/[email protected].
Swim League, Boston Center For Youth & Families seeks youth participants seeks youths ages 6-17 for a competitive swim league. Experience not necessary, but participants must be able to swim one length of the swimming pool, Hennigan Community Center, 200 Heath Street. Info: Bladimil Pujols, 635-5198/[email protected].
Sports
Free fit kits, mesh bag filled with sports equipment to play a number of games and activities, sponsored by BCYF. Available at Hennigan Community Center, 200 Heath St. Info: 635-5198.
Health/Fitness
Red Cross Blood drive, Sat., Sept. 1, 10:30am-3:30pm, Curtis Hall, 20 South St. Info: 800-733-2767.
Info Session on chronic kidney disease and dialysis options, learn more information regarding hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and kidney transplantation in a special presentation by Kevin Tucker, MD, Joe Curran, RN, Terry Moore, RN, Pauline Gray, RN, Serita Hernandez, RN, and Karen Heiko-Wong, LICSW, Thurs., Sept. 13, 11am, Faulkner Hospital, Atrium II, 1153 Centre St. Info: 983-4456.
Yoga classes, meditation and stress reduction classes, low cost, some free, English and Spanish, MindBody/Health Promotion Center, 10 Green St. Info: 983-4226.
Community walking club, organized by Faulkner Hospital, all ages welcome. Wednesdays, 2-3pm, through Nov. 14, weather permitting. Meet at Arnold Arboretum’s Hunnewell Building. Info: 983-7451/ [email protected].
Care to Care, a support group for family caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias, second Wednesdays of the month, 6:30-7:30pm. Springhouse, 44 Allandale St. Info: Meredith Griffiths, 522-0043/[email protected].
Stroke Support Group, last Weds. of every month, 1-2pm, Faulkner Hospital, 1153 Centre St. info: faulknerhospital.org.
Seniors
Crossroads Café, free lunch and social event for seniors and their guests, often featuring live music and educational presentations. Food made with local produce and other healthy ingredients. Bread, produce, milk, and leftovers to take home as available. Saturdays, First Baptist Church, 633 Centre St., 12:30–2pm. Info: 524-3992/[email protected].
Community Cafes, entertainment, good company and a tasty, hot meal, sponsored by Ethos. 3 JP locations: Mon-Fri, 11am-1pm, Farnsworth, 90 South St; Weds.-Fri., 11am-1pm, Soul & Salsa café, Julia Martin House, 90 Bickford St.; Weds. & Fri., 9:30am-1:30pm Nate Smith House, 155 Lamartine St. Reservations required, $2 suggested. Info: 522-6700.
Workshops for Older People Raising Children, support and training for child caregivers where at least one caregiver is over 55 and child is not Department of Children and Families-involved, 10am-12pm, 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month, Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, 157 Green St; 10am-2pm, 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month, Julia Martin House, 90 Bickford St. Info: MSPCC, 983-5850.
LGBT Bereavement Group, a project of Ethos and the LGBT Aging Project, call 522-1292 to find the group closest to you.
Classes
Computers for beginners, intro to computers, Excel and PowerPoint, month of September, Curtis Hall Community Center, 20 South St. Info: [email protected].
Meet the Lender$ seminar, learn about mortgage lenders in this workshop led by the City of Boston’s Department of Neighborhood Development, Mon., Sept. 10, 5pm, Connolly Branch Library, 433 Centre St. Register: 635-4663.
GED Program, GED, pre-GED, beginning and advanced ESOL classes, individual tutoring, computer-assisted learning and college and career readiness offered by the JP Community centers Adult Learning Program. Classes: evenings, English High School, 144 McBride St.; mornings, Curtis Hall Community Center, 20 South St. Info/Registration: 635-5201/[email protected].
Boston Neighborhood Network Open House, learn about trainings and broadcasting opportunities available through Boston’s cable access station, first and third Thursday of every month, BNN Studio, 3025 Washington St. Info: 708-3224/[email protected].
Spanish-English Language Exchange/Intercambio de Idiomas en Inglés y Español, English speakers can learn Spanish and Spanish speakers can learn English, Saturdays, 11:30am, Connolly Branch Library, 433 Centre St. Info: 522-1960.
Practice speaking English, ESL conversation group for new adult English learners, Mondays, 6:30pm, Thursdays, 10:30am, Connolly Branch Library, 433 Centre St. Info: 522-1960.
Spanish-English Language X-Change/Intercambio de Idiomas Ingles y Español, Thursdays, 6:30pm Jamaica Plain Branch Library, 12 Sedgwick St. info: 524.2053/bpl.org.
Classes at the Arnold Arboretum, arboretum.harvard.edu.
Volunteers
Tutor adults, JP Adult Learning Program seeks volunteers to help students toward their GED or learning English as a second language, two hours a week. Info: [email protected]/635-5201.
Jamaica Plain Ecology Advocates, seeking volunteers for litter cleanups and more. Info: on.fb.me/GKO1em.
Faulkner Hospital, active adults to volunteer at various areas in the hospital, including patient information, the Taiclet Family Center, gift shop and the Retail Therapy Center. Info: 983-7424.
Springhouse Retirement Community, volunteer activities can include reading to a group. Cooking, playing music or calling a bingo game, 44 Allandale St. Info: Jacki Katz [email protected].
The First Baptist Church in Jamaica Plain seeks volunteers for the Crossroads Cafe, its Saturday lunch for seniors. Volunteers needed for set-up, cooking, serving, performing, or teaching a subject of interest to seniors. 633 Centre St. Info: 524-3992/[email protected].
Ethos on Amory Street is looking for volunteers in the following areas: friendly visitor, medical escort, shopping assistant, telephone reassurance caller, office assistant, ombusman, money management, internships and other group projects. Info: 477-6623/[email protected].
FriendshipWorks for Elders seeks friendly visitors, medical escorts, pet pals (to visit elderly people with pets), walking partners, and volunteers to provide one-time and short-term assistance. JP chapter volunteers offer friendship and care in English and Spanish. Info: JP chapter, 277-5248/fw4elders.org.
Volunteers Needed to Help Seniors Understand Their Medical Bills, Action for Boston Community Development seeks volunteers for Serving the Health Information Needs of Seniors (SHINE) program. Info: Elaine Cronin, 348-6226. 12-day training qualifies volunteers to staff hotline for seniors with questions about Medicare. A program of Action for Boston Community Development. Info: Emily Shea, 348-6380.
Horizons for Homeless Children, seeks volunteers for its playspace programs at locations throughout the state, including JP. Info: 445-1480.
Boston Partners In Education, seeks volunteers to tutor and mentor BPS students. Info: 451-6145/bostonpartners.org.
Bikes Not Bombs, seeks volunteers and interns to help with administrative work, events-planning and curriculum development. Info: bikesnotbombs.org.
Dare Family Services is recruiting foster parents in JP to provide safe, loving homes for local foster teens that have been abused or neglected, especially ages 10-18. Info: 427-6500/darefamily.org.
American Cancer Society, to drive cancer patients to and from treatment. Info: 800-227-2345/cancer.org.
Friends of Jamaica Pond seeks volunteers, Info: friendsofjamaicapond.org/524-7070.
826 Boston Writing Program, Egleston-based program has oodles of opportunities for volunteers to work with BPS students. Info: 826boston.com.
Jumpstart Community Corps., seeks volunteers (ages 55+) to work one-to-one with preschool children in Boston neighborhoods including JP. Volunteers serve 6 hours a week during the school year. Comprehensive training and $800 stipend provided. Info: Katharine Gamer, 542-5867 x515.
Public Notices
Saturday hours at Boston Public Library neighborhood branches return on September 8. Connolly: 9am-2pm. JP: 9am-2pm. Egleston: 9am-2pm.
Home for Little Wanderers back-to-school drive, accepting donations of school supplies through Sept. 28. Needed supplies or for cash donations: thehome.org/backtoschool.
The JP Unitarian Church Food pantry will reopen Thurs., Sept. 20, 11am-noon, 6 Eliot St. Info: 524-1634.
Boston Bikes subsidized Hubway memberships, $5 annual Hubway memberships to low income Boston residents who qualify. Info: 918-4458 or 534-5690 (non-English).
Borrow Laptops, every Boston Public Library branch has laptops available for library cardholders to borrow for up to 2 hours of in-library use.
Street Sweeping, City of Boston and state Department of Conservation and Recreation programs, Info/Schedules: Boston, cityofboston.gov/publicworks/sweeping/; DCR, mass.gov/dcr/sweep.htm.
Former Employer Contesting Your Unemployment Claim? Harvard Legal Aid bureau student attorneys may be able to represent you at your hearing. Spanish, Portuguese, Creole support available. Info: 495-4408.
Pay by Plate, a new option is available for Boston parking ticket payment on the City of Boston’s website, cityofboston.gov.
Large Apt. Building Recycling, if you are a Boston resident living in an apt. bldg. with 6+ units, have your landlord call 635-4959 to set up recycling.