
About Us
About The Welcome Project
Somerville's leading immigrant organization, The Welcome Project builds the collective power of immigrants to participate in and shape community decisions.
We are based at the Mystic Public Housing Development, and we work with immigrants throughout the Greater Boston Region. Our efforts combine services, leadership development and opportunities for civic engagement -- from our interpreter training program for bilingual youth (Liaison Interpreter Program of Somerville or LIPS) to English Classes that help adult learners to navigate a new culture and community and our Summer Youth "Culture Camp." Explore these pages to learn more.

Our Mission
Somerville's leading immigrant organization, The Welcome Project builds the collective power of immigrants to participate in and shape community decisions. Through programming that strengthens the capacity of immigrant youth, adults and families to advocate for themselves and influence schools, government, and other institutions.
Our History
The Welcome Project is a community-based organization that began in the Mystic Public Housing Development in Somerville, Massachusetts in 1987, following state mandated racial integration of the development.
As new residents were arriving from Haiti, Central America, Viet Nam and other parts of the world, many were victims of discrimination and harassment where they were most vulnerable: at home. The founders of The Welcome Project, a dedicated group of tenants and community members, came together to help support and empower these new residents.
For over thirty years, The Welcome Project has evolved to work with the immigrant community throughout the city, while continuing to be closely linked with Mystic Housing residents. Our overarching goal since the beginning has been to strengthen Somerville's community life by encouraging equitable access to the city's social and economic resources. In 1987, this goal was specifically linked to supporting the safe integration of the development.
Today, The Welcome Project provides programs for immigrant and lower-income families that hone leadership and personal development, provide access to employment and education, help residents to learn English and the nuances of a new culture and engage more fully in the civic life of the city.
Our Staff

Walter Mena
Executive Director

Director of Family Education and Community Engagement
Sara Lodgen

Warren Goldstein-Gelb
Program Advisor

Grant Sabean
Director of Development and Marketing

S. Aram Guptill
Senior Director of Multilingual Education

Emilio Cruz
Director, Somerville Workers Center

Suany Lima
Executive Administrative Assistant

Smirline Jacques
Youth Programs Coordinator
Our Board
Jessica Galimberti
President


Lutanuis Renaudin
Vice President
Martin Cawsey
Treasurer


Susan Ostrander

Laura Brooks

Min Ma

Tim Groves
Clerk

Georgiana Chevry

Angie Mejia

Bob Dempkowski
Board Committees
Executive Committee
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Jessica Galimberti (President)
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Tim Groves (Vice President)
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Martin Cawsey (Treasurer)
Program Committee
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Min Ma (Chair)
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Susan Ostrander
Fundraising Committee
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Susan Ostrander (Chair)
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Laura Brooks
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Tim Groves