Why do we exist?

 

The Need

While nearly 1 in 3 (31%) of Boston children live in poverty overall, the concentration is highest in Higher Ground’s target area in Roxbury and Dorchester, where the child poverty rate is 45%-65%, among the highest concentration of children in poverty in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

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Many separate, local mission-driven organizations have attempted to tackle these systemic problems on their own, within their “silos”, but they have too often been stymied without the organizational and planning resources to collaborate effectively. Without backbone organizations that bring partners together in a spirit of collective impact, siloed strategies are insufficient to bring about the positive and lasting change in the lives of people and in communities that are most vulnerable to systemic challenges and disparity.

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Higher Ground serves the Boston community by collaborating with schools and community organizations to serve as an intermediary and backbone organization in maximizing the collective impact of preexisting resources. 

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Higher Ground has evolved in its activity over time. Learn more about Higher Ground's history below.

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Our staff and board members have a wide variety of professional and personal experiences, all contributing to our organizational identity. Meet our board and staff below.