PBHA Summer Urban Program Auction celebrates campus return

Throughout the pandemic, Phillips Brooks House Association’s Summer Urban Program (SUP) sustained critical programming, supporting the social and emotional needs of hundreds of Greater Boston area youth.  The re-emergence of campus celebrations brings a familiar tradition back just in time for a landmark anniversary.  On April 20, PBHA will be hosting the 20th Annual SUP Auction where guests can bid on a wide variety of items and experiences for a great cause.

SUP is a network of 11 summer day camps and an evening ESL program for immigrant and refugee teens in Boston and Cambridge. The Summer Urban Program is driven by four core values: joy, wellness, support, and community.  For more than 40 years, PBHA has been making transformative experiences possible for over 800 kids each summer.  SUP provides academic enrichment, afternoons of educational field trips, and artistic, cultural, and service-learning activities, along with overnight camping trips.  Support from the greater Harvard community ensures that SUP will thrive for years to come.

Financial support for SUP ensures that the financial challenges felt by families are minimal.  Six weeks of summer enrichment through SUP will cost families $140 per child this summer.  No child is turned away if a family cannot afford to pay.  SUP is also committed to eliminating the digital divide facing many families.  Campers have access to Chromebooks, internet hotspots, and wellness kits to supplement academic enrichment activities.   

Two veteran government officials, José Massó and Marta Rivera, will receive the Summer Urban Program Impact Award for outstanding service to the the Greater Boston community.   José Massó is the Chief of Human Services for the City of Boston and oversees a diverse portfolio of city departments including Boston Public Library, Boston Centers for Youth and Families, the Office of Veterans’ Services, and the Office of Youth Engagement and Advancement.  Marta Rivera is the Commissioner for the Boston Center for Youth and Families and has led human services efforts in Boston for over 30 years.  Harvard University Marshal Katie O’Dair will serve as the honorary chair of the auction.

To register for the PBHA Summer Urban Program Auction or to sponsor a camper, visit https://www.pbha.org/sup-auction.