Measures of short term success include:

In 2014, our advocacy work led to a $200,000 increase for shelter housing for homeless teen mothers in the Massachusetts FY15 budget. We also saw the passage of An Act Relative to Bullying in Schools, which requires all schools to have bullying prevention plans, with provisions for pregnant and parenting teens as a group specifically in need of support in this area.

Young Men Matter Too! (YM²), funded by the federal Office of Minority Health, helps young men in Springfield and Holyoke build a foundation of success through participation in Wyman’s Teen Outreach Program® (TOP®).

The YM² project vision is that young men in Springfield and Holyoke, Massachusetts will have increased support, education, and skills to protect their sexual health and achieve their academic goals.

A significant portion of the funds will be passed through to four partner organizations in Holyoke and Springfield to implement TOP® and to create a coordinated network of support for young men across the community. Our partners are the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Holyoke, YMCA of Greater Springfield, Lee B. Revels Scholarship and Mentoring Foundation of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, and the Springfield Renaissance School.

1. By March 2015, 100% of partner sites’ TOP facilitators will demonstrate increased knowledge and skills to implement TOP with fidelity, appropriately adapt the program, and evaluate the program at their sites.

2. By August 2017, at least 150 males ages 10-18 will have participated in TOP programming in at least 5 TOP clubs across the state.

3. By July 2017, 80% of youth who complete TOP will demonstrate increased self-efficacy and self-regulation skills (as measured by pre and post tests); thus leading to decreased incidence of teen pregnancy, course failure, and school suspension.

4. By August 2017, 90% of partner agencies will describe increased collaboration to support young men in their communities.

Long term Goal: To reduce teen pregnancy, course failure, school suspension, and school dropout among young men ages 10-18 in Springfield, and Holyoke through implementation of the Teen Outreach Program.

The Alliance is one of only 9 organizations across the country awarded a $1.1 million grant to support its Youth First initiative in Springfield and Holyoke. The grant is an initiative funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to test the effectiveness of community-wide approaches to reducing teen pregnancy.

Objective 1-1: By September 2015, 100% of implementation partners will have increased capacities to select, implement, adapt, evaluate, and sustain culturally appropriate evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention programs (EBIs).

Objective 1-2: By September 2015, 100% of clinical partners will have increased capacities to select, deliver, evaluate, and sustain quality, culturally-appropriate sexual and reproductive health services for adolescents.

Objective 1-3: By September 2015, the number of youth referred to culturally appropriate reproductive clinical services will increase by 25%, and the number of youth utilizing clinical reproductive/ contraceptive health services will increase by 25%.

Objective 1-4: By September 2015, youth will delay initiation of sexual intercourse by 10%, or if sexually active, will decrease incidence of intercourse by 10%; and the number of sexually active youth using condoms and/or contraception will increase by 10%.

Objective 2-1: By August 2011, Youth First will have 100% of project staffing and partner collaboration in place to implement the community-wide initiative.

Objective 2-2: By October 2011, Youth First will have a data-informed Community-Wide Plan developed for 100% of strategies proposed in the community-wide initiative.

Objective 2-3: By September 2015, at least 50 youth will have increased capacities to design, plan, and lead community assessments and teen pregnancy prevention activities.

Objective 2-4: By September 2015, 100% of Core Planning Team and Collective Impact Partners will have capacity to sustain the community-wide teen pregnancy prevention initiative.

Objective 2-5: By September 2015, there will be an increase in knowledge of evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention strategies among key decision-makers, community members, and youth-serving providers.

• Monthly TA and Training Tracking Tool
• Training and Event Surveys
• Program Partner Assessment Tool
• Program Attendance Log
• Program Fidelity Tracking Tool and Appendix
• Program Observation Tool
• Youth Outcomes tools (pre/post surveys and retrospective pre/post surveys)
• Clinical Partner Needs Assessment Tool
• Teen Clinic Survey
• Mystery Shopper Activity
• TA/Training Satisfaction Survey
• Annual Surveys

In just 2 years, our CDC-funded Youth First initiative has achieved its 5-year goal of reducing teen births by 10% in Holyoke and Springfield. The teen birth rate in Springfield dropped 14% and Holyoke’s teen birth rate decreased 32% – the largest decrease of any Massachusetts city.

Brenda joins the Alliance most recently having served as the co-founder and Executive Director of Mujeres Aliadas (Women United), an international non-profit dedicated to addressing the needs of women and girls in rural Mexico. Organizational programs included a midwife school, a women's network for empowerment, a teen pregnancy prevention initiative, and a sexual violence referral network. Brenda was responsible for all daily operations, fundraising, recruitment of staff and Board, and the development of a strategic plan that successfully allowed the organization to be turned over to local control in 2013.

Prior to founding Mujeres Aliadas, Brenda served as the Director of Midwifery Service for the Access Community Healthcare Network in Chicago, where she expanded dignified healthcare options for women and adolescent girls from primarily lower socio-economic levels. In her capacity she managed a team of midwives, started a doula service for young, high-risk women, and initiated a domestic violence program.

Brenda's previous positions included serving as the co-founder and principal of Partners in Women's Healthcare, Inc. and as a clinician and adjunct faculty of midwife service at the University of Illinois. A certified midwife, she earned both her Bachelor's of Science and Master's of Science in Nursing from the University of Illinois.

2014 990

2013 990

2012 990

2011 990

2010 990

2009 990

2008 990

2014 Audit

2013 Audit

2012 Audit

2011 Audit

2010 Audit

2009 Audit

2008 Audit

IRS Letter of Determination