SMOC Rental Assistance provides rent aid to low income and eligible families throughout Massachusetts. Assistance allows families to rent homes in the private real estate market and apply the aid to their rent. Average assistance is 60 to 70-percent of the total rent. The local SMOC office is located near free street parking. Applications and more information are available on the website listed.
MetroWest Legal Services, formerly South Middlesex Legal Services, provides free civil legal representation to low-income clients. Eligible clients reside within 36 towns throughout Massachusetts. The donation-driven firm aims to protect the rights of the poor, elderly and disabled. It accepts cases pertaining to domestic violence, abuse, custody and family law.
Located in downtown Framingham, the Concord Street Salvation Army is a warm and supportive community organization dedicated to providing local assistance to youth and adults in the form of worship, bible study, character building programs and a well-stocked food pantry. To maintain the supply the center is currently soliciting food donations. The center also offers a thrift store that sells clothes and furniture. Free parking is available in the rear lot.
Criterion Child Enrichment is a private, non-profit organization, that provides child development services and family services.
Founded in 1985, the office in Framingham serves the communities of Ashland, Dover, Framingham, Holliston, Hopkinton, Natick, Sherborn, Sudbury and Wayland. With 13 offices, the organization serves more than 4,000 families a year in the Commonwealth.
The Organization provides newborn services and early intervention services. The early intervention program assesses developmental needs and then provides educational and therapeutic strategies. Children from birth up until age 3 are eligible for these services. Team members, who may work with a family, include speech and language therapists, physical and occupational therapists, developmental specialists, psychologists and social workers.
The organization also provides educational and health screenings, developmental assessments, home visits, community groups and parent groups.
Families are not charged for early intervention services. Early Intervention programs are certified and funded, in part, by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
Located in the Meadows office building on Route 9 west, the MetroWest Health Foundation provides more than $5 million in grants and financial support to 25 communities, including Framingham.
The foundation, run by a 12-member Board of Trustees, supports community-based and community-driven programs. There are also two special grant boards. In additional to grants, the foundation supports research and works to address regional health issues like healthy aging and childhood obesity.
Based in Framingham, The Knox Trail Council of Boy Scouts of America serves three districts of Scouts in MetroWest and Central Massachusetts.
The Liberty District, which includes Framingham, also includes Ashland, Holliston, Maynard, Natick, Sherborn, Stow, Sudbury, & Wayland.
The Knox Trail Council is the consolidation of the Norumbega and Algonquin Councils in 1996.
The Council also manages the E. Paul Robsham Scout Reservation in Bolton and the Nobscot Scout Reservation - in Framingham/Sudbury.
Nationally, the Boy Scouts just celebrated its 100th year.
Scouts participate in Den and Troop meetings, go on outings, earn badges, do community service, and go camping.
Walden School is a learning center for the deaf located near downtown Framingham. It is a non-profit organization that educates and treats deaf children from the ages of 8 to 21. It is licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Board, as well as the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care Board. The staff is over 50 percent deaf and exceptionally skilled in American Sign Language. Its goals are to enable deaf children to function in home and school environments, and help them to be able to fit into society seamlessly.
The MetroWest Chamber of Commerce serves Framingham and nine other communities.
The Chamber offers networking breakfasts, after-hours networking events, a women's leadership series and more.
The organization helps small-business owners and executives of large corporation to forge business relationships.
The President and CEO of the Chamber is Bonnie P. Biocchi
The Kiwanis Foundation of New England solicits and donates money and property for the purpose of supporting charitable, religious and educational organizations. The foundation also supports the needy by working to help them become self-supporting, gain an education and to become productive citizens. Membership in Kiwanis provides many networking and community service opportunities. The organization's headquarters are located on Union Avenue, one block from the main branch of the Framingham Public Library.
The Christa McAuliffe Center offers math and science classes designed for both teachers and students. All classes are based closely on the Massachusetts Science and Technology/Engineering Curriculum Frameworks. The program is located on the Framington State University campus at the rear of O'Connor Hall. The program offers simulated space flights for middle school students.
Metro West Harvest is a food rescue program that was founded in 1989 to help solve Framingham's hunger problems. Its volunteers assist in gathering and delivering food and prepared meals to needy shelters, pantries and families in the area. Metro West Harvest is 100% volunteer operated.
This is the headquarters of the Lupus Foundation of New England. The foundation's mission is to educate and support people suffering from lupus and their loved ones. The foundation promotes awareness and funds research that will hopefully lead to better treatments and potentially a cure for the disease.
The Framingham Historical Center (formerly the Framingham Historical Society) is a nonprofit organization that preserves the history of Framingham through exhibitions, tours, lectures and events. It maintains three historical buildings: Edgell Memorial Library, Village Hall and the Old Academy.
The Framingham History Center is located inside the Old Academy Building, at 16 Vernon Street. Residents can visit the center to learn about Framingham's past, conduct research and view historical artifacts.
On all three floors of the Old Academy building is the society's permanent exhibition, called "The Framingham Timeline."
The exhibit highlight the history of Framingham from 1700 to now. Included in the exhibit is a Revolutionary War cannon, a Daniel Chester French bust of the Civil War's General George H. Gordon and a NASA space suit worn by Framingham's Christa McAuliffe.
The United Way of Tri-County is an organization that raises money and connects volunteers to opportunities, while trying to meet the needs of the communities it serves.
The United Way organization is connected to businesses, governments, spiritual organizations, schools and agencies within its service areas. It keeps all donations raised in a particular service area within that service area. Volunteers who live and work in the service area annually decide where funds are spent. Money is spent in the areas of education, health and basic needs.
The United Way of Tri-County is one of 1,340 independently operated United Way organizations in our country. The United Way of Tri-County was incorporated in 1997 through the merging of five United Way organizations: the United Way of Assabet Valley, United Way of Neponset Valley, the United Way of Metrowest, the Westborough United Way and the Clinton Community United Way.
Today, the United Way of Tri-County serves 34 communities in three counties, Norfolk, Middlesex and Worcester, including the community of Framingham. It has an office in Framingham on Park Street.