• Contact Us
  • Events calendar
Entering Swellesley
Pinnacle, Wellesley

The Swellesley Report

More than you really want to know about Wellesley, Mass.

  • Advertise
  • Business index
  • Contribute
  • Wellesley Square
  • Private schools
  • Camp
  • Eat
  • Schools
  • Top 10 things to do
  • Embracing diversity
  • Kids
  • About us
  • Events
  • Natick Report
  • COVID-19
  • Letters to the Editor
  • Athlete of the Week
  • Seniors
Needham Bank, Wellesley
Write Ahead, Wellesley

Wellesley ABC has found a “Home of Their Own”

February 17, 2020 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

The news was jarring. In Fall 2018, the Wellesley A Better Chance (ABC) program learned that Wellesley College would no longer make available the yellow house in the heart of Wellesley Square as a home-away-from-home for the ABC scholars. Since 1972, the college-owned property has been a constant in the lives of the students as they attend Wellesley High School as part of a boarding-school type program. The 4 – 6 students who are part of ABC in any given year are talented and promising young women of color who seek an academically rigorous high school curriculum. Following the WHS academic calendar, they live apart from their families when school is in session, returning home during school vacation weeks and summer break. Most come to Wellesley  as 14-years-olds. Four years later, after experiencing the struggles of life far from home and the triumphs that their hard work has brought, they do what most of their WHS classmates do. They move on to the next step of attending a four-year college.

ABC house, Wellesley
The new ABC house (above) is much closer to Wellesley High School than the current house. We’ll reveal the address after the Board closes on the property. We’re a little superstitious when it comes to real estate doings.

But the ABC scholars don’t succeed without a lot of community help, and they can’t reach their academic goals without a house. The Wellesley community wasn’t about to let the ABC program go without a fight. By late Fall 2018, the Board had kicked into gear, announcing a capital campaign to buy a new house. Presidents Catherine Ward and Ingrid Houghton at the time sounded almost like they were going into battle: “A permanent home will allow us to grow and thrive for decades to come. Better educational opportunities lead to better lives. This premise has been proven true year after year. Wellesley A Better Chance has helped educate nearly 100 women of color at Wellesley High School. All of our graduates have attended college and lead successful careers.”

The gloves were off, but in a nice way. In true Wellesley style, it was time to throw a gala. Springtime is always a nice time for such a soiree, dontcha think? The date of the “Home of Our Own” event was set for May 2019, but the donations came rolling in far before that, and they kept coming long after the successful fundraiser pulled in thousands for the cause.

Now Wellesley ABC has announced that the “Home of Our Own” campaign has reached its ultimate goal: on April 1, 2020, the Board is scheduled to close on a big, beautiful 4-bedroom home that can potentially expand to six bedrooms as needs change from year to year. The new place is much closer to WHS than the current home. All it needs is some minor maintenance chores before the girls, Resident Director Cynthia Russell, and Assistant Director/Academic Tutor Dedra Moore move in.

“The Board of Wellesley ABC is overwhelmed with the generosity of our community and appreciates all of the efforts the hundreds of volunteers and contributors have made to keep our 48-year program moving forward,'” said co-Presidents Ady Balog and Catherine Ward.

The ABC program needs some more help getting to 100% so that they can own the house free and clear. To contribute to this effort, volunteer to help, or for more information on the program, please visit ABC’s website: http://wellesleyabc.org/

“Fundraising has gotten the program to over 90% of its financial goal,” said Jay McHale, co-chair of the Capital Campaign. “ABC continues to seek additional funds so the approximately $1.2 million home can be purchased without a mortgage.”

print

Share

Filed Under: Education, Fundraising, Houses, Volunteering, Wellesley High School

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You have to agree to the comment policy.

Linden Square, Wellesley
Deland, Gibson, Wellesley
Wonderful Wellesley, see what's new

Tip us off…

Please send tips, photos, ideas to [email protected]

 

Advertisements

Wellesley Square
Wellesley, Jesamondo
Edge on Science
Sexton test prep
Feldman Law
Fay School, Southborough
Wellesley Theatre Project
Volvo
Cheesy Street Grill
Admit Fit, Wellesley
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
Never miss a post with our free daily Swellesley Report email
Name: 
Your email address:*
Please wait...
Please enter all required fields Click to hide
Correct invalid entries Click to hide

You can subscribe for free, though we appreciate any contribution that supports our independent journalism.

Click on Entering Natick sign to read our Natick Report

Entering Natick road sign

Most Read Posts

  • Family withdraws plan for large house near Wellesley's Brook Path
  • One final Hunnewell clap-out & shouts of "Judie! Judie! Judie!" for beloved crossing guard
  • Bench near Wellesley High honors Tom Zinck
  • Wellesley Business Buzz: Merchants raise 'Parking, parking, parking' concerns in Wellesley Square; Lockheart Restaurant sign goes up
  • The Wellesley aqueduct bathrooms at Hunnewell Field have landed

Upcoming Events

Jun 28
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Fay School admission information session

Jul 6
10:00 am - 11:00 am

Open House at Boston Outdoor Preschool Network

Jul 16
10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Wellesley Square July Jubilation Sidewalk Sale

Jul 19
8:00 am - 9:00 am

Fay School admission information session

Jul 20
10:00 am - 11:00 am

Tour at Boston Outdoor Preschool Network

View Calendar

Popular pages

  • Wellesley’s 7 official scenic roads

Recent Comments

  • Susan on Wellesley Business Buzz: Merchants raise ‘Parking, parking, parking’ concerns in Wellesley Square; Lockheart Restaurant sign goes up
  • Susan Glynn on Wellesley Business Buzz: Merchants raise ‘Parking, parking, parking’ concerns in Wellesley Square; Lockheart Restaurant sign goes up
  • Jerry on Wellesley Business Buzz: Merchants raise ‘Parking, parking, parking’ concerns in Wellesley Square; Lockheart Restaurant sign goes up
  • EK on Family withdraws plan for large house near Wellesley’s Brook Path
  • Amy G. on Big Wellesley garage sale, June 18th, plus Town rules for holding your own sale

Links we like

  • Great Runs
  • Jack Sanford: Wellesley's Major League Baseball Star
  • Taquitos.net
  • Tech-Tamer
  • The Wellesley Wine Press
  • Universal Hub
  • Wellesley Sports Discussion Facebook Group

Categories

  • 2021 Town Election (24)
  • Animals (416)
  • Antiques (49)
  • Art (576)
  • Beyond Wellesley (47)
  • Books (365)
  • Business (1,500)
  • Camp (11)
  • Careers/jobs (48)
  • Churches (79)
  • Clubs (228)
  • Construction (295)
  • Dump (127)
  • Education (3,108)
    • Babson College (250)
    • Bates Elementary School (16)
    • Dana Hall School (34)
    • Fiske Elementary School (9)
    • Hardy Elementary School (44)
    • Hunnewell Elementary School (42)
    • MassBay (55)
    • Schofield Elementary School (24)
    • Sprague Elementary School (19)
    • St. John School (2)
    • Tenacre Country Day School (11)
    • Upham Elementary School (35)
    • Wellesley College (608)
    • Wellesley High School (961)
    • Wellesley Middle School (203)
  • Embracing diversity (69)
  • Entertainment (786)
  • Environment (749)
  • Fashion (141)
  • Finance (14)
  • Fire (162)
  • Food (342)
  • Fundraising (612)
  • Gardens (157)
  • Government (556)
    • 2020 Town Election (47)
    • 2022 Town Election (14)
  • Health (850)
    • COVID-19 (200)
  • Hikes (3)
  • History (388)
  • Holidays (405)
  • Houses (153)
  • Humor (47)
  • Kids (849)
  • Law (8)
  • Legal notices (6)
  • Letters to the Editor (62)
  • Media (70)
  • METCO (4)
  • Military (11)
  • Morses Pond (108)
  • Music (568)
  • Natick Report (29)
  • Neighbors (273)
  • Obituaries & remembrances (73)
  • Outdoors (642)
  • Parenting (62)
  • Police (757)
    • Crime (386)
  • Politics (551)
  • POPS Senior Profile (8)
  • RDF (6)
  • Real estate (330)
  • Religion (131)
  • Restaurants (332)
  • Safety (150)
  • Scouts (2)
  • Seniors (120)
  • Shopping (143)
  • Sponsored (6)
  • Sports (980)
    • Athlete of the Week (6)
  • STEM (107)
  • Technology (164)
  • Theatre (392)
  • Town Meeting (23)
  • Transportation (230)
  • Travel (17)
  • Uncategorized (1,230)
  • Volunteering (346)
  • Weather (177)
  • Wellesley Election 2019 (21)
  • Wellesley Free Library (276)
  • Wellesley's Wonderful Weekend (19)
RSS Feed Icon Subscribe to RSS Feed
Deland, Gibson Insurance, Wellesley

© 2022 The Swellesley Report
Site by Tech-Tamer · Login