We’re Building the Economic Mobility Hub at Rindge Commons

This new, mixed-use development at Alewife, will bring together a state-of-the-art education and job training center, affordable housing, childcare and services available to the entire neighborhood.

We’re addressing the issues families are faced with today.

Housing

Rental costs have increased dramatically over the past 10 years and a lack of affordable housing has increased to record high numbers.

Employment

Systemic disadvantages for people of color make competing for quality employment, especially in industries like technology and life sciences, difficult.

Sustainable income

Without stabilized housing and career-oriented employment, families are struggling to live financially independent.

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An exciting opportunity is underway!

Slated to open in early 2024, the Hub is a new, 70,000 square foot, mixed-use development located at the intersection of Rindge Avenue and Alewife Brook Parkway in North Cambridge. The building is designed to the Passive House standard, the highest environmental and energy efficiency standard.

Comprehensive Services Under One Roof

Adults & young people

Our workforce development and YouthBuild training programs will create new career pathways for adults and youth in the biomed, IT and construction and retail sectors.

Minutes

The hub is a 5 minute walk from a new, 26-acre life science district and is adjacent to the Alewife MBTA station.

Individuals

The new hub will annually serve over 2,800 individuals across multiple services and under one roof.

Households

Financial services will assist families with tax prep services, financial counseling and coaching and obtaining earned income tax credits.

Children

In partnership with the City of Cambridge, 10,000 square feet reserved for a high-quality preschool that will serve 68 children.

Affordable apartments

32,000 will be reserved for the construction of affordable apartments, addressing a critical need in this location.

Creating Career Pathways and Tripling the Impact

The brand new labs and classrooms will double the number of students in our current programs and allow the development of new, accelerated programs to expand our impact.

The first and second floors will house the YouthBuild Woodshop and classrooms. The third floor will include the Biomedical and Information Technology adult career programs spaces. Our tuition-free programs prepare individuals for entry-level jobs in biotechnology and IT support and are designed for people who are looking for a stable, new career with family-sustaining wages and opportunities for growth.

Since 1992, over 600 people have graduated from our programs. 89% of graduates from 2021 have secured in-field employment with average wage gains of $25,000 a year.

Building an Equitable Future

Together with our partners, we’re leading the way in creating equitable communities in Cambridge and beyond with our integrative services, so that everybody can secure a solid economic foundation. By bringing all of our services to one central location, a participant may enter one program and then have exposure and the opportunity to participate in another. We will continue to do what we do best—build homes, careers and futures.

BUILDING HOMES

1,500 people live in our affordable homes, with 250 more homes in our pipeline. We assist over 600 people with rental assistance, housing stabilization, homeless prevention, and home improvement.

BUILDING careers

Support over 130 adults and youth in job training, attainment, and career counseling. 90% of our Biomed and IT training graduates secure in-sector jobs within one year with average salary increase of $25,000.

BUILDING futures

150 people receive financial coaching to plan and save for their future. 318 people have their tax returns prepared at our Tax Help Clinic, returning over $640,000 to the community in tax refunds and credits.

Will You Support the Economic Mobility Hub at Rindge Commons?

To fund the new Economic Mobility Hub, Just A Start launched a $4.25M capital campaign to create the build-out of the training and program spaces, including the development of bio and IT training labs and a woodshop for our YouthBuild program. We thank you for your generous support in meeting that goal!

Due to the rising costs of construction and labor, we continue to welcome donations of any amount as the Hub takes shape towards completion.

Do you share our passion for building pathways to move families and individuals forward? Give today and see your impact in action.

EXTRA: Gifts made to the capital campaign are eligible for Community Investment Tax Credit (CITC), which provides a 50% refundable state tax credit for any donation of $1,000 or more.

Thank You to our Campaign Leadership

CAMPAIGN CHAIRS

Lisa J. Drapkin

Denman Drapkin Group at Compass

Samuel M. Gebru

Black Lion Strategies

Wayne Patenaude

Cambridge Savings Bank

Denis K. Sheahan

Cambridge Trust

CAMPAIGN cabinet

Mark Boyes-Watson

Boyes - Watson Architects

Chris Chandor

The Davis Companies

John DiGiovanni

Trinity Property Management

Jan Devereux

Michael Fish

Dellbrook | JKS

Janet Frazier

Maloney Properties

Chrissy Gabriel

IQHQ

Stephen Gardiner

Rick Henken

Schochet Companies

Michael Kuhn

Cambridge Savings Bank

David Maher

Cambridge Chamber of Commerce

Michael Martin

Wingate Companies

Peter Munkenbeck

Tom O’Brien

HYM Investment Group

Paul Parravano

MIT

Sara Yarling

Broad Street Consulting Group

Thank You to our Campaign Donors

as of January 5, 2024

$500,000+

$250,000 to $499,999

$150,000 to $249,000

$100,000 to $149,999

$50,000 to $99,999

$25,000 to $49,999

$10,000 to $24,999

$5,000 to $9,999