Today, and this whole week really, is pretty special over here at Beat headquarters. May 7 is the site’s third birthday, which I can hardly believe. I started the Beat because things were happening in Somerville and I wanted to … Continue reading
After passing New England’s first urban agriculture ordinance in 2012, Somerville rolled out a training program to get residents ready to dig in the dirt. Two successful seasons later, the Urban Agriculture Ambassador Program is back and accepting applications for … Continue reading
It’s probably pretty clear to anyone who reads the Somerville Beat that I seriously love this city. I consider myself really lucky to have lived here for the last seven years during which Somerville has transformed from an off-the-beaten path … Continue reading
Congrats to Mia Scharphie on being the randomly selected winner of two tickets to Somerville Local First’s Harvest Fest! Mia’s favorite part of Somerville is “The creativity, maker spirit and craft traditions here–without sacrificing a slow food pace of life!” … Continue reading
Groundwork Somerville may be part of a national organization, but the work it does is hyper-local. From farming in empty parking lots and hiring local kids to maintain those farms to planting gardens at the city’s schools and stocking the Somerville … Continue reading
Forty years ago, four women in Somerville opened their homes as safe houses for women fleeing domestic violence. In doing so, they created RESPOND Inc., the first domestic violence agency in New England. Four decades later, RESPOND is now the … Continue reading
When Mark Alston-Follansbee first moved to Boston nearly 30 years ago, he knew little about homelessness. After realizing that many of the people who asked him for money were veterans like himself, Alston-Follansbee began volunteering and eventually working for local governments … Continue reading
It’s easy to get wrapped up in our culture’s current obsession with food and forget that many people in our community still go hungry. While most of us can go to the local farmers market or hot new restaurant when … Continue reading
Yoga studios around Somerville kicked off 2014 by hosting special classes where the proceeds went to local nonprofits and time was set aside for community-building. Upward Facing Somerville was created by Chandra Cantor, a yoga teacher and Somerville resident who … Continue reading
Somerville is home to creative thinkers of all stripes and this year’s TEDxSomerville is tapping into those diverse resources to put on an event that showcases much of what makes our city such a vibrant place to live. “Somerville has a lot … Continue reading
