The Brick House is heading into an exciting phase of growth this year.
In addition to our ongoing Teen Center and youth education programming and our Community Connections coalition with parents and families, we are starting out on new initiatives thanks to three major new grants — the Baystate Better Together program, which supports public health advocacy in partnership with Montague Catholic Social Ministries, and two through the state Department of Public Health to support youth work, the Healing, Equity and Leadership (HEAL) program and Project AMP.
Several new staff members have joined us this summer and fall
We’d like to welcome Hannah Bertrand, our new Youth Programs / Project AMP Coordinator, and two new Americorps members, John Camerota and Eamon Rudel. Learn more about them on our staff page. Madeline LaPorte has join us as our Business Assistant.
On the governance side, our Board of Directors grew from three to seven members over the last year and is anticipating continued expansion. Though the Brick House has been an organization for 30 years and in our current building for 15, the pandemic shutdown and its aftermath have left us a larger, better-supported organization than ever before. We have important work ahead of us!
Saying Good-bye to Kwamane
Amid this transition, we are sad to share with our staff and partners that Kwamane Harris will be leaving his role as Executive Director. Kwamane’s work has been integral to guiding us through the pandemic on a growth track, and we are very grateful for his leadership over the last two and a half years.
Expanding the Executive Director position from part-time to full-time was a central goal Kwamane took on when he joined us, and will be a legacy he leaves to his successor as he pursues other endeavors. Kwamane’s tenure in the position has been a great success. He has challenged us to grow as an agency, and has been a great support for staff in their own professional development. We will miss him, and we wish him the very best.
Our Interim Executive Director
Mike Jackson, the former President of our Board of Directors will serve as an Interim Executive Director while we engage in a search process for a permanent, full-time ED at the Brick House to begin in 2023.
If you have any questions or would like to get involved please reach out to us! Email: director@brickhousecommunity.org.
Sincerely,
The Brick House Board of Directors
Alex, Deborah, Jim, Julia, Sarah & Sean