Champion for Change: Cambridge Redevelopment Authority

Exterior view of a red brick building with black shutters in Boston, featuring a staircase leading to a door. A large number "99" is displayed near the entrance, marking the location where individuals can get help at the local rape crisis center.

Who

You! Survivors, friends, family members, colleagues, partners, activists, volunteers, staff, interns, community members, and even your four-legged friends (on leashes) are welcome to join us.

What

Walk alongside us, in solidarity with survivors. Choose to walk in-person or walk “from anywhere.” No matter where you walk, you are showing survivors that they are not alone, and we are all in this together!

When

Sunday, April 21, 2024 | 8:30 a.m.– 12 p.m.

Where

DCR’s Constitution Beach in East Boston

Why

Help raise awareness and funds to support survivors of sexual violence. Your support helps BARCC continue to provide free, trauma-informed care to survivors. It also enables BARCC to advocate for policies and strategies that help prevent sexual violence from happening in the first place.

How

Secure your spot at the 2024 Walk for Change now by registering! You can participate as an individual or as part of a team.

Earlier this year, we received some very bad news: the owner of our building at 93–99 Bishop Allen Drive was putting it up for sale. If a commercial developer purchased the building, we knew we would have a very hard time finding a new home in Cambridge.

Then we learned that the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority (CRA) would be bidding to purchase the building so that the seven nonprofit organizations housed at 93–99 Bishop Allen Drive as tenants, including BARCC, could stay. We were ecstatic when we received word that CRA’s bid to purchase the building from Enroot, a nonprofit that had owned and run programs from the 19,548-square-foot structure since 1965, was successful.

CRA’s commitment to BARCC and all of the nonprofits at 93-99 Bishop Allen Drive is why we are honoring CRA this year as a Champion for Change at our annual Champions for Change Gala & Auction on November 1 at Marriott Copley Place.

“Our mission is to find imaginative, creative initiatives to achieve social equity and a balanced economic ecosystem,” said Tom Evans, CRA’s executive director. “Sometimes it’s hard to explain what that means, exactly, but CRA’s purchase of 93–99 Bishop Allen Drive is a great example of putting our mission into action.”

All of the tenants at “Nonprofit Row,” as 93-99 Bishop Allen Drive is affectionately known, are community service organizations that support Cambridge residents or community members, Evans explained. The building is close to public transportation, which makes it relatively easy for staff and clients to get to the building and the structure is large enough to continue to act as a base of operations for these organizations well into the future.

“Currently, there are no other buildings for sale in Cambridge that are close enough to public transportation for any of the organizations to relocate to,” Evans said. “Given the rising real estate values in central Cambridge, and other accessible locations such as Harvard, Porter, or Kendall squares, it was unlikely that another property could have been developed for the organizations at Nonprofit Row.”

For BARCC, finding another space that offered what we have—and need—at 93–99 Bishop Allen Drive would have been next to impossible. As a rape crisis center, our office must feel secure for our clients, many of whom may wish for anonymity as they seek out support. Given that we reside in a building occupied by other busy nonprofits that work with members of the public, when someone we work with enters the building it is not at all obvious that they are seeking support related to sexual harassment, assault, or abuse. Our proximity to the Red Line and the Number 1 bus is also important because major local hospitals frequently refer patients directly to us and most of them—like many of our staff and people we work with—travel to us via public transportation. Last, our contract with the state, which funds a significant portion of our work, stipulates that we must have a location in Cambridge.

Our base in Cambridge on Nonprofit Row, which has been our headquarters for many years, has been vital to the scope, scale, and effectiveness of BARCC’s work. From our Cambridge office, along with our Boston and Waltham offices, we serve 29 cities and towns—a population of approximately 4.6 million people. Our Cambridge office provides a significant value to the city of Cambridge as a center of extensive free services as well as opportunities for volunteers. The charitable business use of 93–99 Bishop Allen Drive has ensured a stable lease at a cost we can afford.

CRA’s purchase of the building will enable our continued operations and sustain the other nonprofits located at 93–99 Bishop Allen Drive with similar impact to Cambridge residents, neighboring communities, and the nation: the Algebra Project, Cambridge Camping, Cambridge Community Foundation, Next Step Fund, the Sustainable Business Network, and Enroot, who will remain in the building after the sale.

“A lot of credit for this has to go to the city of Cambridge, including the city manager’s office and the Cambridge City Council,” Evans said. “And of course none of this would have been possible without Enroot. They worked closely with us to make this deal happen and as a result the entire city of Cambridge will benefit.”

We are incredibly grateful to CRA. We hope you can join us November 1 as we celebrate CRA as a Champion for Change and thank them for the critical support they have given us in carrying out our mission to end sexual violence through healing and social change.

Learn more about the Gala and get your tickets today!

Event Location

Constitution Beach Boston Massachusetts

Our Sponsors

FAQs

Don’t see your question? Send us an email at info@barcc.org

What Do I Do Immediately After an Assault?2024-10-22T16:47:12+00:00

The first few days after a sexual assault can be a very confusing time. You may have questions and be faced with difficult decisions. During this time you may not want, or be ready, to make many of these decisions. This is normal and okay.

You can call our 24-7 hotline at 800-841-8371 any time or chat online 9:00 a.m.–11:00 p.m. to talk to a hotline counselor about your options.

To learn more about your choices after an assault, visit Immediate Actions.

How Do I Get In Contact with BARCC?2024-10-22T16:48:18+00:00

You can call our 24-7 hotline at 800-841-8371 any time or chat online 9:00 a.m.–11:00 p.m. to talk to a hotline counselor.

If you are interested in time-sensitive medical care and evidence collection options, we recommend that you call the hotline 24-7 at 800-841-8371 or chat online [Link to Chat Online] 9:00 a.m.–11:00 p.m.

If you would like to begin counseling, legal advocacy, immigration, or case management services at BARCC, please submit a request online on our Request Services Page or by phone at 617-492-8306, and our service access team will explore your individual needs with you.

To protect the privacy rights of survivors and their families, we do not communicate about cases via email. Please call us at 617-492-8306 during regular business hours to talk about how we can help you.

Legal process notices, summonses and court orders should be sent to:

Keeper of Records
BARCC
99 Bishop Allen Drive
Cambridge, MA 02139

Office: 617-492-8306

What Happens When I Reach Out to the Hotline?2024-09-06T09:54:58+00:00

We support people in all stages of their experience. This could be immediately after an assault or years and even decades into the healing process. Here what will happen when you contact either the phone hotline or webchat.

  • A friendly, nonjudgmental person who believes you will answer the call. The person will tell you that if you share that you plan to end your life and are unable to engage in safety planning, they may call 911. You always have a choice to share or not to share.
  • The person will ask some questions to identify what will help you in this exact moment.
  • The person will share ideas and options about what to do next, but how to move forward is your choice.

BARCC will not share your information with anyone unless you provide consent. You do not have to share any information you don’t want to. You can call anonymously by choosing option 2 in the main menu or by using our web chat.

What Happens After I Submit a Request For Services?2024-10-22T16:49:54+00:00

A trained rape crisis counselor will respond to your request within three business days. If you want to talk to someone before that, please call the hotline 24-7 at 800-841-8371 or chat online 9:00 a.m.–11:00 p.m. If you have not heard from someone after several days, please call our office at 617-492-8306 to request services.

How Do I Get Training for My Business, Community Group, or School?2024-10-22T16:50:17+00:00

Request a Training, Workshop, or Speaker or e-mail engagements@barcc.org. You will hear from BARCC’s training intake coordinator within 24 business hours regarding your request. Submitting the form does not confirm your requested training; you must speak with the intake coordinator first to assess the needs of your organization and confirm logistics. We kindly ask that you make requests three weeks prior to the date of your event.

Are BARCC’s services confidential?2024-10-22T16:50:42+00:00

Yes. All written and verbal communication concerning a client is kept private and will not be shared with anyone outside BARCC unless the client says it’s OK in writing—except as required by law in three cases:

  • If we believe that a client is at high risk to hurt themselves or someone else
  • If we believe that a child under 18, an adult 60 and over, or a person 18–59 with a disability requiring assistance with activities of daily living, is being physically, emotionally, or sexually abused, or neglected
  • If ordered by a court; if you think you might be involved in a court case, please talk with a BARCC legal advocate about your privacy and confidentiality rights

We will tell you when we are required to make a report and what information we will share. We will not share more than what is required by law.

You may choose what information you want to provide to BARCC. You will not be denied services if you choose not to tell us certain identifying information, including immigration status. Learn more about our confidentiality policies.

Are BARCC’s services free?2024-09-06T09:55:40+00:00

Yes. BARCC’s services are free and confidential for survivors of sexual violence and their families, friends, and partners.

I don’t live in Boston. Can I still call BARCC?2024-10-22T16:52:04+00:00

Our service area is generally defined as within the Greater Boston area, covering 29 cities and towns. If you live in this area or were assaulted in this area, please don’t hesitate to reach out to BARCC through our 24/7 hotline 800-841-8371 or send us a chat from 9:00 a.m–11:00 p.m. daily. If you are beyond our service area, we can connect to your local rape crisis center and other resources that may help yo

2024-09-10T11:36:29+00:00
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