Author: Rupal Ramesh Shah
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Jetpac: The New Face of Diversity and Inclusion
Although Jetpac is an acronym that stands for Justice, Education, Technology, Policy and Advocacy Center, it’s much more than that for Muslim Americans. Shaun Kennedy, Jetpac’s executive director, and Nadeem Mazen, its president, founded the nonprofit in December 2015 in order to increase civic engagement and community service in Muslim communities. Kennedy, who’s from Norfolk…
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Medical Care from a Van: Q & A with Dr. Avik Chatterjee
Dr. Avik Chatterjee, a doctor trained in internal medicine and pediatrics, has been taking care of homeless patients out of a medical van as part of an outreach program at Boston Health Care for the Homeless for the past three years. He works out of the van two days a week, and during his short…
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NuVu Studio: A Non-Traditional Approach to Learning about Homelessness
Last January NuVu Studio in Central Square set out to teach their students empathy and compassion for the homeless. When they were done, the students had designed a vending machine that distributes scarves, a kenetic energy device that charges iPhones, and a new sign for Harvard Square’s Y2Y shelter. NuVu Studio is a full-time innovation…
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Family Reunions Through Miracle Messages
Miracle Messages, based in San Francisco, is an organization that assists homeless individuals reunite with their lost loved ones using short video messages. Kevin Adler, chief executive officer of the organization, started the organization in honor of his uncle Mark in December 2014. His uncle lived on and off the streets for 30 years and…
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Elected Officials Declare Homelessness an Emergency
First it was Los Angeles, then it was Portland, and now it’s the state of Hawaii. All three places have declared a state of emergency to address homelessness. On September 22nd, the Los Angeles city council declared a state of emergency to address homelessness. The city council appropriated $100 million to fund initiatives such as…