A short
time later, two Boston police detectives on detail in Charlestown
observed the suspect vehicle and stopped it. Two of the suspects were
placed into custody while the third suspect fled on foot. After a short
foot chase the third suspect was also arrested. Recovered in the
vehicle were the masks used in the robbery.

The suspects are
identified as a James Rigano, d.o.b. 7/13/66 of Malden, Eric Leonard,
d.o.b. 7/4/88 of Everett, and Terrence Dunnells, d.o.b: 7/21/79 of
Cambridge, New York. The suspects were transported to Somerville Police
station where they were booked on the charge of armed robbery while
masked and later interviewed. The gun and clothing used in the robbery
were recovered from a trash barrel in Cambridge by Somerville
Detectives and agents from the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force. Two of
the suspects have made incriminating statements in connection with
today's robbery and two other recent bank robberies. Additional charges
will be filed by the appropriate jurisdictions in those incidents. All
three suspects will be arraigned tomorrow in Somerville District Court.

Chief Anthony Holloway noted that this crime was brought to a
quick solution by the keen observations of witnesses who gave police
the plate number and description of the get away car and the prompt
notification of surrounding police agencies. The quick work by two
Boston Police officers on detail brought this crime spree to an abrupt
halt without anyone getting hurt. The investigation is continuing in
cooperation with the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force.

The total approved budget
for the city is $160,032,473, down from the proposed $160,272,078 after
a marathon session of line item cuts that followed a week of department
presentations.

During the Finance Committee meeting that began
June 29, a total of $239,605 in cuts were made during five and a half
hours of deliberation. A public hearing, which saw a capacity audience,
saw two speak in favor of the budget and eight against.

Mayor Joseph Curtatone's administration said the budget is $4.98 million less than in Fiscal Year 2009 and reflects a 22 percent cut in state aid. Gov. Deval Patrick signed the state budget earlier on June 29, indicating proposals for local meals and hotel taxes could go forward.

Curtatone said he would have those taxes ready for Board approval at their July 9 meeting.

Until the final moments before the budget vote on Monday, aldermen argued about budget
issues ranging from overtime spending to whether the mayor's office had
kept them in the dark about litigation payouts – a topic which required
a closed-door session.

Ward 7 Alderman Bob Trane and Ward 6 Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz eventually voted against the budget, citing their disappointment in Youth and Recreation Department cuts. Alderman Tom Taylor was absent for the vote.

The Public Speaks Out

A
group of children opposed to the layoffs of two Youth and Recreation
Department employees spoke during the public hearing portion of the
Board's Finance Committee meeting. They were also sponsored at the
Board's June 25 meeting.

A group of around 80 also marched to
City Hall June 25 to protest the layoffs of Karen Harrington and Carol
Lane, two long-time rec department employees. A petition to keep them
had gathered 160 signatures.

The two who spoke in favor two spoke in favor of the budget
at the June 29 hearing were parents of rising sixth graders at the
Brown school, which at one point faced the sixth grade being cut.

The debate around the school was one of many issues that aldermen debated during a week of budget
presentations from city departments. At the Board's June 25 meeting,
Ward 1 Alderman Bill Roche asked if the city had considered whether the
school could be closed altogether.

Trane left the chambers after
Committee Chairman Maryann Heuston refused to let him ask a follow up
question on the school, telling him to "take a walk" as he got up.

"Unfortunately
the Alderman from Ward 2 likes to stifle debate, because she's so in
line with what the administration wants," Trane said before rejoining
the meeting.

Cuts All Around

As the June 30 deadline for approving the budget approached, aldermen continued to suggest cuts they had lobbied for throughout budget
review process. No cut was too small, and some city officials spoke to
the merits of some items after they had been struck – prompting Heuston
to chastise them for being too slow.

Roche found $11,129 in
unnecessary salary payments. Gewirtz and others questioned the amounts
being spent on police and fire department overtime but ultimately lost
the battle.

Trane won a fight for a roughly 10 percent cut in
natural gas spending for the Public Works Department after the measure
was voted down twice in earlier forms.

At around 11 p.m.,
Alderman-at-Large Bill White asked why the Board was being asked to
approve $112,500 in line item form for a legal settlement for a
discrimination case in the police department without any explanation
from the city solicitor beforehand.

Gannon said that while the
city felt the suit had no merit, it decided to settle with the
plaintiff. White pointed out any claim more than $5,000 needs to go
before the board for approval on an individual case basis.

White
threatened to cut the line item down to $0 prior to going into
executive session, with Police Chief Anthony Holloway in attendance.
The item was later approved.

White had earlier challenged City
Solicitor John Gannon to explain whether the city would move forward
with a lawsuit against the Federal Aviation Administration challenging
excessive airplane noise if they lost the current case.

The
city spent $77,000 more than the allotted $100,000 for outside legal
counsel in FY09, mostly on the suit, which has cost the city $158,000
so far.

"We're in this to win," Gannon said.

The Parking Battle Continues

During the earlier public hearing portion of the final budget
meeting, resident Bob grilled the Board on letting the Traffic and
Parking Commission force the changes through without public input.

"That's
the biggest joke I ever heard in my life," one senior resident said of
the proposed citywide permit parking requirement. "What do you do when
you have a large family, ration them out? This is a joke. Why force it
down everyone's throat whether they want it or not?"

The parking
changes proposed to take effect August 1 were dealt with mostly at the
Board's June 25 meeting. The aldermen rejected a resolution 5-6 that
would have asked the Parking and Traffic Commission to reconsider
citywide permit parking and extend meter hours in Davis and Magoun
Squares.

Sean O'Donovan, Tom Taylor, Dennis Sullivan, White and
Gewirtz voted to send the resolution to the commission. Bruce Desmond,
Jack Connolly, Walter Pero, Roche and Heuston voted against it.

The changes, Heuston said, were a major factor in determining the budget
and that the potential revenue had already been worked in. Gewirtz said
the recommendations of a recently convened parking task force will be
released by mid-July.

The Vote

As the clock struck midnight, the Aldermen approached the final vote on the budget, with all weighing in on the cuts being a "shared sacrifice" except for Trane and Gewirtz.

Both
said the 21 percent cut to the Youth and Recreation Department was
unfair, with Gewirtz stressing it could lead to an increase in youth
violence – which White said was unlikely. Gewirtz also pointed out the
two top administrators in the department, James Halloran and George
Scarpelli, are earning $70,000 a year.

"I mean no disrespect
to my colleagues on the Board," Gewirtz said. "I'm going to do this
because of the kids coming up every night. As a form of protest I'm
voting 'no' this evening."

She also pointed out that the mayor's
proposal to put $3 million in a "rainy day" fund went against the
current cuts the Board had just issued.

"It's raining now," Gewirtz said.

"I'm
a little confused," Roche said in response. "Nobody likes cuts, nobody
likes layoffs. There's nobody around this board that's happy. What if
we all voted no? What would that do? The city wouldn't have a budget. It's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard."

After the 8-2 vote, with Trane and Gewirtz voting against the budget, Gewirtz was the lone vote against the $3 million rainy day fund allocation.

At
the end of the meeting, Heuston noted that the state will likely make
cuts to its local aid in the middle of the fiscal year, in January,
when that $3 million may be needed.

"I would submit that this is as fair and balanced a budget as it can be," Heuston said.

The budget took effect July 1.

Investing in a programmable thermostat can save a family on average, $180 a year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency; it also helps fight global warming by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. A programmable thermostat allows families to change the temperature in their homes at selected times. For example, it can be programmed to lower the heat or cold air when the family is away during the day and you can program it to raise or lower the temperature when people begin returning home. Programmable thermostats are simple to install and prices can start as low as $30 depending on the thermostat you choose.

Many desktops are not created energy efficient, so take a minute to utilize the power management setting on your desktop, which can save you $40 to $80 each year. You can increase you money savings by choosing an idol time of a few minutes to automate when your computer enters an energy saving mode.

Replace floodlights with motion sensor lights that turn off automatically. Floodlights left on all night not only increase your electricity bill, but also can negatively impact local wildlife. If your neighborhood squirrels aren't enough to convince you, motion sensor lights can also increase the security around your home by pouring light in the area when the sensors go off.

Going green isn't only about saving electricity around your house. Water is another commodity that is often wasted. By installing low-flow water fixtures, you will see a drop in your monthly water bill. Many older toilets use 5 gallons of water per flush. Try replacing it with a low-flow model toilet that uses less than a gallon of water. Shower fixtures also come with low-flow options and start as low as $10. Remember that leaky faucets and pipes can drip over 3 gallons of water per day, which can add up when your water bill comes. It's worth taking the time to fix it your self, or calling in a local professional plumber to solve it.

Recycling has hit an all time money saving high with the non-profit grass roots network called, FreeCycle. Made up of over 7 million members across the globe this group is made of people looking to give and receive free stuff in their own towns. From coffee grinders to winter coats to a full size metal headboard, all the items that would have otherwise been thrown out are here looking for new homes. Instead of tossing your old patio set, post it on the website and check if another Somerville resident could give it a second life. Not only does this reduce trash removal but it also supports the local community by offering free stuff for neighbors. Visit the Somerville group page at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FreeCycle-Somerville-MA/.

Water your plants and yard in the morning before the sun evaporates most of the water. If you have a garden that you water frequently purchase a chic rain barrel from your local garden store that will collect rain. You can then use the fresh rainwater to fill up your watering can. Remember to empty the barrel frequently, as stagnant water can be a breeding ground for insects such as mosquitoes.

Traditional cleaning techniques are becoming an eco-friendly staple, which may mean doing things how your grandmother does them. Somerville resident Eda Lasser, who turns seventy-six next month, explained, "I have always washed my clothes with baking soda, vinegar and a little elbow grease. I have done it all these years because the chemicals in the soaps burn my hands and they smell awful." Laughing Mrs. Lasser went on to say, "Now a days these kids think it's a hip, tree hugging thing to do! If they only knew I've been doing it for sixty years and how much money I save. So yes, I suppose I'm a little green myself. Guess you can never be to old or young to be green." There are also manufactured eco-friendly cleaning products that are not has harmful as chemical based cleaning products so it greatly reduces the risk of harmful exposure to children or pets.

Going green is about being smart and deciding how thrifty you want to be. Local resident Vanessa Williams explained, "What surprises me are the different ways to go green that actually save money, and yet we still don't take enough advantage of them. In this current economy, I think going green is the best thing we can do for ourselves, our wallets, and our world."

Once you start making changes to be more eco-friendly, you will notice that you are not alone in your efforts. Being green saves money but it also reduces waste, pollution and saves natural resources that are limited. "I try to be as sustainable and green as possible by unplugging or turning off appliances that are not in use, utilizing a water filter and using a reusable water bottle instead of disposable bottles," said Heather Brigham, a resident of Somerville. "I also recycle, and take public transportation instead of driving. It's easy and important to have a sustainable lifestyle that is environmentally friendly and often budget friendly too!"

Being eco-savvy is easier than you think:

Always shut off unused lights

Unplug chargers that are not being used since they continue to use energy when they are plugged in

Shut the faucet off when you brush your teeth

Wash your laundry in cold water then line dry clothes since automatic dryers use about 6% of household energy according to the EPA

Use the dishwasher only when it is completely full

Use dishtowels instead of paper towels

Save gas by making sure your tires are properly inflated

Print on both sides of paper

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle! If you need a recycling bin visit the Department of Public Works between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. with proof of residency

Always dispose of old paint, chemicals and oil properly. Remember that if you have left over paint, ask local community groups or neighbors if they could use the paint. You could also try posting it on FreeCycle.

Dr. Doug Brugge of Tufts University School of Medicine is excited about finally starting a study which he has been preparing for since 2008. On Monday morning at Mt. Vernon Restaurant, he announced data-collection would commence shortly. "Our current goal is to start in early to mid July," he tells a small gathering of concerned residents. "This is the start. We're going to be in Somerville conducting this study for a year. We'll be knocking on doors; we'll have air-monitoring vans driving on the streets," he says. Dr. Brugge has named his study CAFEH, Community Assessment of Freeway Exposure and Health; it has received a $2.5 million grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, an arm of the National Institutes of Health. Two other neighborhoods are slated to be identically tested after Somerville: Chinatown in Boston and South Boston, both near major traffic routes.

Mayor Curtatone was present at Monday's kick-off festivities at Mt. Vernon Restaurant. Saying of the study, "I'm here to support the effort…to build awareness to the overall health of the community." And Mayor Curtatone was able to inject some hometown pride, saying that working together is "…going to start undoing the mistakes of the past, and that's really what makes us an All American city."

John Durant, Associate Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering at Tufts held short, informal tours in of one of the vans that will be driving around East Somerville neighborhoods collecting air quality data. The van it outfitted with computers and gadgets all designed to better interpret and collect pollutants in the air. "Our goal is to cover a swath of Somerville on either side of 93" says Durant. This swath translates to 400 meters on either side of I-93 and intersecting roadways.

The people "knocking on doors" are concerned Somerville residents who volunteered. There are two parts to the "knocking on doors" portion of the study: one, the questionnaire, which asks about diet, exercise, smoking history, and general health. The second part of it, though, is thought to be considerably more important because it involves a blood sample. If those randomly selected do the first part but neglect to do the second part – giving blood – it may invalidate their contribution. "Without the blood we can't really get a clear picture of the study," adds Don Meglio, an administrator at Tufts School of Medicine and the organizer of the kick-off Monday morning at Mt. Vernon. A $20 gift card to a local supermarket is the reward for finishing the questionnaire. More money, in the way of a gift card, will be rewarded for giving a blood sample, informs Dr. Brugge. When asked what he really wishes to gain from this study, Dr. Brugge says, "…that it can be one piece which can affect national policy – that is our goal."

***************

It
appears that the "Farm Team" ace reporter (so called) almost got
herself handed a big fat motor vehicle moving violation ticket last
week at the Somerville High Graduation ceremony at Dilboy Field.
Apparently one of the State Troopers doing the detail at the graduation
stopped the reporter in a "Do Not Enter/Off Limits/Restricted" area and
told her to leave…but not until she snapped the trooper's photo and
throwing it on their blog criticizing him for doing his job, then
calling him "grouchy." Well it only proves that nobody is above the
law, not even the Farm Team – especially after that.

***************

Speaking
of the Farm Team, just when people got used to another person not
familiar with the lay of the land in Somerville, she gets promoted –
and we wish her the best. A new Editor is coming to town and Gatehouse
continues to be the brand known as the "Farm Team" paper. We wish Kat
Powers good luck up there in the corporate world and her replacement
good luck here in Somerville – and hope that she doesn't rely on the
Assistant Editor too much – she's still learning how to spell
correctly. The two staffers over there better get Visitor Permit
Parking passes, tickets can be expensive here in Somerville.

***************

Happy
Birthday to our own Cam Toner, who celebrated her birthday on Tuesday,
she's a great lady and is the "go to" person at The News when we need
something. Cam not only runs the office over at College Avenue, but is
Ms. Olio as well – every week she gets calls from many here in
Somerville asking where she gets this stuff. She is closed-lipped to us
as well. Happy Birthday Cam, we love you!

***************

Our
own Somerville Holiday Inn recently hosted a benefit for the Mass Badge
Association's fund-raiser to support Cancer Research and Autism
Language Program for the Children's Hospital, which was a complete
success – lots of money was raised for a great cause, and the Holiday
Inn participated and donated many of the prizes to help raise money.
Great job – and awesome work – thanks to all those that worked hard for
this. The Holiday Inn is a great place to host functions with the large
and beautiful function rooms and all that parking, never mind the nice
swimming pool!

***************

Another Happy Birthday to
one of the famous Tauro brothers, David Tauro is 48 today. He is a
nice, plain, down to earth guy who is liked by everyone – we here at
Newstalk wish him the best and many more birthdays to come.

***************

The
Somerville Lion's are looking for some new members here in the business
community, contact King Lion Billy Tauro for more information 617
293-2016 (he is now getting a reputation of being our quick on the
scene news reporter for the paper). Check out the Lions online at their
own web site www.somervillelionsclub.com

***************

The
ever popular Senator Anthony Galluccio's birthday is Wednesday, June
24th (tonight) – they're having a party for him at the Charles River
Yacht Club – located at 99 Memorial Drive. Anthony is a great guy, too
bad he doesn't cover the entire City of Somerville – He's a Senator who
reminds us of our dear departed friend Charlie Shannon – a person you
could call, talk to and relate to. Happy Birthday Anthony!

***************

Congratulations
to Somerville Police Officers Mike Kiley and Sean Sylvester, who last
week were, along with six Cambridge Officers, awarded a citation for
"Dedication of Duty" by the Cambridge City Council. Via a joint effort
by the Somerville and Cambridge Police Departments, their surveillance
enabled them to observe a suspect put a knife to a victim's throat
which let to the arrest in Porter Square! Both Mike and Sean are great
guys and we also congratulate them for a job well done.

***************

What's
going on up at Medford and Walnuts Streets at the body shop there?
Apparently we heard that the neighbors are complaining that they
constantly park smashed up vehicles all over the streets waiting for
repair to be done. We hear that Alderman at Large Bruce Desmond is
looking into it and is considering not renewing their license; Alderman
Bob Trane is backing him up. Didn't this place have problem about year
or so ago with illegals working there?

***************

Last
week we spoke about former Mayor Kelly Gay snubbing her former
supporters at a function…well apparently she wasn't too pleased and
made a call bitching and complaining to one of the Newstalkers. Then
"Mr. Nasty" – her husband – called and said he wanted a retraction and
that it wasn't true. No retraction here – how do you retract the truth
– simple as that? They need to both get over the loss, and look in the
mirror for the reason why she lost to the better candidate – our own
Mayor Joe. It was funny, she even questioned "loyalty" and said some of
us don't know the meaning. Well, no retraction and there never will be
for the truth – if it's a lie, then make our day and sue us – we look
forward to it. Thank you to all those former Mayor Kelly Gay's
supporters who called us to thank us for saying the truth – how they
both snub and treat people. Loyalty is a two way street, which most
would know, apparently the Gay's think it's a one way street!

***************

What's
with all the bats nesting over on Shore Drive – our ace reporter Billy
Tauro was there to snap pictures and was virtually attacked by hundreds
of bats dive bombing him and his car. But as Billy has proven lately,
he's there – first on the scene and he gets stuff reported – and the
Farm Team still races to catch up.

The weather,
the budget, the economy – yeah, they've all been lousy recently – but
that doesn't mean our sense of community pride isn't strong. In no
time, there will be fireworks at Trum Field – and there will be great
celebration for the community, much like the recent Memorial Day
Parade. It will be yet another shining example of how we as a community
have come together, in the face of adversity.

Of course, there
will be the usual group of haters that will drum on about how we should
save the money spent on that and things like the Memorial Day Parade in
order to save jobs. The same haters who will spew that garbage, but
won't bother to to explain to their Koolaid drinking chums that things
like the parade and the trip to Tampa were paid for by local businesses
and residents of the city – not city government. Funny how they leave
that information out.

Believe it or not, it is possible to stay
upbeat and positive – and still be able to call stupid people, stupid.
To call arrogant jerks who live in a bubble of hate and have a warped
sense of reality – assholes. To laugh at the people who, no matter how
definitively you prove them wrong, still tell you their way is the only
way.

You can do all these things and still have a positive
attitude – we do it all the time – the real problem, the part that
needs to go away in this city, is the group of people who are so
absorbed in their sense of entitlement that they think everyone else is
negative and that there is a conspiracy around every corner. Every 20
or so years they rear their ugly head around here, and then they just
fade away – let's hope they fade soon and spare the rest of us from
their demented rhetoric soon.

The last time Somerville won
the prestigious award-given by the National Civic League-was in 1972, a
time which some say mirrors this current age of new reforms,
innovations and getting through tough times. Somerville was a finalist
in this competition last year, but fell just short-coming in 11th
place-of winning a place on the top 10 communities list.

"Tough
times don't last, but tough people do," said Alderman at Large Jack
Connolly, who was among the 40 Somerville residents (ranging from ages
17 to 79, representing the high school, non profits, business and city
officials) who flew to Tampa, FL this week to demonstrate why
Somerville ranks above the rest. "No matter how tough it is with the
recession, we have seen how people in this community really care."

Mayor
Joseph Curtatone added that during tough times when people are stressed
is when people really come together. He also attributed Somerville's
prestigious recognition to its residents.

"The wonderful thing
about Somerville is that there are so many engaged citizens who want to
make the community better," Curtatone said, "And we've had that for
decades."

The National Civic League is a non-profit
organization that fosters innovative city building and reform. The All
America City award since 1949 has recognized the efforts of
extraordinary communities. Each year the National Civic League honors
ten communities for effectively addressing their most critical
challenges.

The overall theme Somerville chose was "Improved
Communication." The city highlighted its commitment to the MBTA's Green
Line extension through Somerville (which will be complete in 2014); the
efforts of the Somerville Care about Prevention program to educate
about and prevent substance abuse amongst the city's youth and the
adoption of "SomerStat," the 311 hot line number initiative that
streamlines how the public communicates with the city's offices.

"We
have learned how to communicate, and to do it well," Connolly said,
pointing out that 50 languages alone are spoken in the hallways of
Somerville High School. The city has always enjoyed a diverse
population, but over the past couple decades the influx of people from
all over the globe has accelerated at an unbelievable pace. And the
city has met and exceeded those needs.

"We have changed the image of the city by responding to the diverse population that lives here," he said.

Gene
Brune, who was the mayor from 1980 to 1990, remembers when the city won
the award 37 years ago. At that time he was an Alderman; Lester Ralph
was the mayor. The city back then had gone through some tough times,
marked by political unrest in the 1960s and an administration that was
not as "community oriented," Brune said.

Ralph introduced new
ideas and got away from the "business as usual" type of mentality.
Brune himself was one of the reform candidates who believed in new
programs and grass roots organizations. The city applied for the All
American City award, and won.

"It brought a new spirit to the
city," said Brune, likening that era to today, where Curtatone is the
"new blood" who has infused the city with innovative programs like 311
and keeping the extensive Green Line program on track.

"The cycle has begun again," Brune added, "And this will be very meaningful to the city to instill more pride."

Somerville
representatives flew to Tampa last Wednesday for the three-day affair.
The event included breaking up into workshops, seminars and receptions.

"I will never forget the experience I had in Tampa and I'll be
forever grateful to have been a part of it," said Maureen Bastardi,
said Ward 1 School Committee Representative.

In addition to
meeting people from 28 other cities across the country and making
friendships, Bastardi also got to know her fellow Somervillians better.

"There wasn't an air of competition, but one of camaraderie,"
she said. "I've lost my voice from cheering so loudly and proudly. I
always thought of Somerville as an All American City, but now we have
the official title to prove it."

Connolly said that the award
will have a lasting impact for marketing and applications for grants
and bonds for future projects.

The Board of Alderman will hold a special presentation about this award just prior to convening its meeting on Thursday night.

As springtime
showers fell, the Somerville Homeless Coalition (SHC) kicked off summer
with a celebration to honor the non-profit's volunteers. At the
organization's One Davis Square office, attendees enjoyed refreshments
donated by local eateries and chatted about current fundraising
endeavors. Executive Director Mark Alston-Follansbee and Director of
Development Jennifer Bonardi mingled amongst volunteers, thanking them
for their service and sharing insight into the SHC's purpose and goals.

"Volunteers
help to support our programs by learning about these issues [of hunger
and homelessness] and by helping us to work on ending hunger and
homelessness in our society, especially in our own community,"
Alston-Follansbee says. "It's a relatively small population, and it
could be done if we had the resources."

A highlight of the
evening came when long-time SHC volunteer John Chochrek received the
Carmela Addario Award, named for an early influential board member.

"I've
heard all of these outrageous stories about Carmela," Alston-Follansbee
states. "She would do things like put this big, over-stuffed teddy bear
on a lawn chair in front of her house with a can that said 'help the
homeless' on it. She'd do little yard sales out of her garage all the
time – the money would go into the can, and the can would go to the
SHC."

Carmela's resourceful spirit lives on through the work of
the SHC's current volunteer force. The organization's volunteer arm,
dubbed the Super Hero Corps, mobilizes individuals from a variety of
backgrounds. These "super heroes," united by their common goal of
ending hunger and homelessness, bring a wide range of experience and
skill to the table.

"Volunteers send us the application – this
is the first step in the process – and on it, we ask them if they have
any special skills," Bonardi says. "We try to match up our needs with
what they need as a volunteer. It's fun to find cross-over with those
things that are unique about [each volunteer] ending up being an asset
for us."

Founded in 1985, the SHC was the first program of its kind in Somerville.

"The
story that I heard when I came to SHC in 1990 was that people in
Somerville didn't realize that there was a problem with homelessness
until the red line was extended out to Alewife," Alston-Follansbee
states. "Suddenly, there were people hanging out in Davis Square who
nobody had ever seen before. They were from Somerville, but if you were
homeless from Somerville, you'd have to go to Cambridge or Boston to
get help."

SHC's founders converted a bowling alley in the
basement of College Avenue United Methodist Church into the city's
first shelter, employing only two staff members and depending largely
on volunteers. Twenty-four years later, the agency has grown to 36
employees, has a budget of $2.8 million, and subsidizes 80 apartments
available to homeless individuals as they transition into housing.

"We've
always depended on volunteers, and we're still grateful for them.
[Volunteering] is a great way for people to find out about who we are
and to see what homelessness and hunger are about," Alston-Follansbee
says. "To me, these are social problems that can be solved if we
decide, as a society, to put our minds to solving them."

Many
opportunities exist for community members who would like to volunteer
with the SHC. For more information, visit the organization's website at
http://www.somervillehomelesscoalition.org/.