Minds Matter Students Return from Another Successful Summer

No chance for summer slide at Minds Matter! This summer 53 of our sophomore and junior students enrolled in summer programs across the US and abroad. These experiences will allow our students to take college-level courses, explore new cities, and meet new people along the way. Read below to find out about Weiner’s transformative summer in Argentina:

One of our seniors, Wiener Douyon, spent the summer in Argentina participating in a language immersion program. Initially, it wasn’t easily for Weiner to adapt to unfamiliar culture and new language. Volunteering with a local orphanage allowed him to step outside of his comfort zone and adopt a positive outlook on his trip. He says, “I am now more open to building relationships instead of permitting first impressions to influence connections and memories that could be made; this trip has given me a new perspective on life along with the motivation to continue my path towards my dreams." Stories like Wiener’s are the reason for why we do the work we do. Welcome back to all of our mentees returning from their summer programs!

Winston Flowers Charity in Bloom — Year Three!

Minds Matter Boston is proud to partner with Winston Flowers for the the third year in the row to support the mission of our organization!

Through Winston Flowers' Charity in Bloom initiative, 20% of the purchase-price from August's seasonal bouquet will be donated to Minds Matter Boston. Gift this cheerful arrangement of bright citrus roses, accented by mojito hydrangea, lacy alchemilla, and fresh mint, and you’ll be giving more than flowers. These funds will help our program continue to equip highly-motivated students from low-income communities with the resources needed to gain admission to, enroll in, and graduate from four-year colleges.  Purchase one here!

Letter from our Executive Director - 2018 Year in Review

Dear Friends of Minds Matter Boston,

It has been another year of success and accomplishment at Minds Matter Boston!   

With your help and support we were able to increase the number of students in the program by 10% and serve 88 students in the Greater Boston area. We were also able to deepen our program offerings: After a successful pilot of a Writing and Critical Thinking program, we extended the module to both sophomores and juniors, providing students with two years of instruction in these foundational skills. We also piloted an alumni program with the Class of 2017, enriching our students’ college experience and ensuring their persistence to graduation.

Once again this year, 100% of our seniors have gained admission to 4-year colleges. They will be matriculating to some of the nation’s top colleges, including Amherst College, Bowdoin College, Dartmouth College, Vassar College and Wellesley College. The average senior received $45,000 in first-year financial aid, meeting an impressive 93% of their need. We are confident our students can meet any academic challenge in these institutions because they have proven, again and again, that if given the opportunity, they can perform at the highest levels.

We were very pleased to see continued growth in our volunteer base, with more than 200 volunteers dedicating their time, talent and heart. There is no more tangible vote of confidence than busy people committing their time to support our mission of equality in educational opportunity.

We invite you to review our FY2018 IMPACT REPORT, which shows the powerful effect of Minds Matter Boston on its students and community. We realize none of these great outcomes would be possible without our donors, friends and volunteers. We are deeply grateful for your support.

Sincerely,
Rachel Kanter
Executive Director

Thank you for your support at the 2018 Spring Soiree

Thank you for joining us at our Spring Soiree on Thursday, June 14th! With the help of 450 community members, we raised over $240,000 for Minds Matter! We are humbled by the success of this event, and are sincerely grateful to all who helped make this our most successful Soiree to date! Please take a look at the photos from the event. We can’t wait to see you next year!

2018 Minds Matter Graduation

Class Graduation

This past Saturday, May 20th, 27 Minds Matter seniors crossed the stage at MIT having completed 3 years of the Minds Matter program.They will be matriculating to some of the nation’s top colleges, including Amherst College, Bowdoin College, Dartmouth College, Vassar College and Wellesley College. The average senior received $45,000 in first-year financial aid, meeting an impressive 93% of their need.

We were proud to have City Councilor, Ayanna Pressley, give the commencement speech, where she implored our students to find joy despite moments of adversity. Congrats to the class of 2018!Over the past three years, we have witnessed these students demonstrate the necessary commitment and motivation needed to excel in college.  We wish each of our students the best of luck and are happy to officially call them MMB Alumni!

Winston Flowers Charity In Bloom - Year Two!

For the second year in a row, Minds Matter Boston is proud to partner with Winston Flowers to celebrate the holiday season and support the mission of our organization!

Through Winston Flowers' Charity in Bloom initiative, 20% of the purchase-price from November's seasonal bouquet will be donated to Minds Matter Boston. These funds will help our program continue to equip highly-motivated students from low-income communities with the resources needed to gain admission to, enroll in, and graduate from four-year colleges.

Please consider supporting Minds Matter through the purchase of this beautiful bouquet!

This custom-designed arrangement is available anywhere in the United States.