At sixteen, this Dorchester resident displays a confidence and enthusiasm when he discusses how The Dimock Center has impacted his young life.

He explains that he first came to The Dimock Center at age ten to participate in after-school programs and as a pediatric patient of the health center.

Today, this Dimock veteran is on campus Monday through Friday as a Peer Leader, serving as a tutor and role model for the many younger teens who participate in after-school programs at The Dimock Center. Now, as a teen, he proudly notes he sets his own appointments and visits his doctor on his own. “The people at the health center are great,” he exclaims. “They are polite, friendly and I have had the same doctor for almost six years.”

When asked what The Dimock Center has meant to him, he quite seriously states that his experience has been “life changing,” and he does not mince words when he says that many teens would be “in trouble” were it not for Dimock. He firmly believes that the youth programs provide him and his peers with an important focus in the afternoons and freely admits that The Dimock Center “keeps kids active,” when they probably would otherwise be “just hanging around” and at risk.

In addition to the opportunity to “hang with good people” James explains that coming to The Dimock Center gives him a place to get homework done, the opportunity to collaborate on schoolwork with friends and the chance to build skills.

In particular, he acknowledges activities like the presentation skills workshops, the Medical Foundation meetings (where the teens discuss current community health issues) and the Men’s Group meetings (where the guys discuss local and national current affairs) have all made a positive impact on his life at school and at home.

Natasha Seaton - Transition to Independence

A Roxbury-native, Natasha and her two children, five-year-old Tashiana and three-year-old Thomas, found themselves without a home in December of 2007. The family was referred to The Dimock Center’s Mary Eliza Mahoney Transitional Housing Program by a state agency, and, for the next eleven months, the three have been fully engaged in the programs and services offered by Dimock.

When asked about her life prior to arriving at The Dimock Center, Natasha explains that she and her children had been placed by the state in temporary housing at a hotel. Prior to that, the three lived with her mother, creating a situation where Natasha admits that she still looked to her mother rather than herself for direction in her life.

However, after arriving at The Dimock Center, Natasha took immediate advantage of the support and services provided by the Mary Eliza Mahoney Transitional Housing Program (MEMTHP) enrolling both of her children in Dimock’s daycare and Head Start programs. With Tashiana and Thomas both in structured programs conveniently located on The Dimock campus, Natasha then quickly secured a full-time job with daytime hours that allows her to be home with her children in the evenings.

“The MEMTHP provided my family with great support and a schedule that has helped me to mature as a person,” she says. Natasha feels that her children have directly benefited as well, explaining that “it has been terrific for them to be in great programs and to be around other kids.”

Natasha notes that both her children are thriving, and that Tashiana has “matured” and become very “curious” now that she has moved on to kindergarten with some of her friends from the Head Start program.

During her stay at The Dimock Center, Natasha says she has taken full advantage of the MEMTHP’s education and support services. Where she has learned how to establish and maintain a household budget, set up a personal savings program and worked with program staff to develop her parenting skills.

The Transition to Independence – Natasha and her children moveed into their own three-bedroom apartment in early 2009. Beyond looking forward to everyone having their own bedroom, Natasha explains the sense of pride she feels having secured a home for her family.

“I feel really good as a person and happy,” she says. “Now I feel comfortable in my skin.”

Kevin Davis - Personal Perseverance and Giving Back

In August of 1996 Kevin Davis came to the point in his life where he knew he wanted and needed help. A native of Jamaica Plain and then Dorchester resident, Kevin found The Dimock Center in the phone book and checked himself into Dimock’s inpatient acute services treatment program for addiction.

Determined to turn his life around, Kevin completed the “detox” program and requested a place in The Dimock Center’s John Flowers Recovery Home, where he spent another four months in the halfway house developing the skills he needed to lead a healthy life.

In addition to inpatient care, Kevin shares that he also took full advantage of the outpatient counseling services offered by Dimock.

During this period, Kevin had been separated from his wife of thirteen years, who, unbeknownst to him, had quietly followed his journey and recovery. Thanks to his work at Dimock, Kevin says he reached a place where he and his wife could work on restoring their marriage. Together, the couple participated in marriage counseling services at The Dimock Center, rebuilt their relationship and have now been married for twenty-five years.

Today, Kevin enthusiastically acknowledges that he “would not be where I am today without Dimock” and he still marvels at the breadth of resources available to the community.

Motivated by his own success and grateful for The Dimock Center’s impact on his life, Kevin has remained involved with Dimock ever since. Beginning in 2002, Kevin joined The Dimock Center staff serving in a variety of capacities, including as the program manager for the John Flowers Recovery Home. Even now, Kevin commutes in from his full-time work several evenings a week to assist as a program administrator for the Home.

Simply put, Kevin explains that Dimock “is a part of my life” and he wants to give back to The Dimock Center, while helping others to recover from addiction and escape the desperation of substance abuse.

The Anderson Family – Together at Dimock

For the Anderson family of Mattapan, after-school programs at The Dimock Center are a family affair.

In search of a quality after-school program for their daughters, Jeffrey and Karin Anderson enrolled their middle daughters, Kaelyn (13) and Alexandria “Ally” (10) in The Dimock Center’s Smart Kids program in 2006, upon the recommendation of family friend and Dimock staff member. Their oldest, Jalisa (18), has since joined the teen center program as a Peer Leader, mentoring younger teens who come to Dimock for after-school programs.

When describing the impact The Dimock Center has had on her family, Karin freely admits that “we’re blessed”, explaining that the program structure, accessibility and affordability are key benefits to her family. She also notes, as any engaged parent would, that the “safe environment” and “trustworthy staff” assure her that her daughters are in good hands every day.

Jalisa, Kaelyn and Ally all share that they enjoy the after-school programs. To date, the girls have plugged into dance and theatre classes, joined the Girl Scouts and made new friends through The Dimock Center. Karin adds that Dimock’s computer lab has helped sharpen her daughter’s computer skills and that they are all more outgoing and more confident as individuals. She firmly believes that the Smart Kids and Teen Center programs expanded her daughters’ interests, “opening doors” to the wider world for her girls.

The Andersons also appreciate and enjoy the many events organized by The Dimock Center that engage the entire family, offering Jeffrey and Karin the opportunity to join their daughters on trips to Boston theatre events, as well as Red Sox and Celtics games.

For the Andersons, The Dimock Center is simply a part of their lives every day.