Annual Report 2009 2 from the executive director Mat Rosa our mission The mission of Piers Park Sailing Center is to provide Dear friends and supporters, recreational, educational, and personal growth When I am asked to describe Piers Park Sailing Center I am never at a loss for words. opportunities for individuals of all ages and abilities, If you begin to look at our mission statement we have set an impressive goal to through the exciting and high-challenge activity of introduce the world of sailing to everyone, especially those who never would sailing. otherwise be given the opportunity.

All of our staff are rewarded by experiencing the success stories that happen Piers Park Sailing Center (PPSC), is a 501(c)3 everyday at Piers Park. To hear a group of teens who are in awe from seeing their non-profit community-based organization, established neighborhood for the first time from the water is quite a thrill. Sharing in the joy with as a complimentary asset to the redevelopment of someone who spends their days in a wheelchair, and is now in control of a boat and Harbor’s underutilized urban waterfront. Piers sailing free, is truly remarkable. Park is a valuable resource that reconnects the The best way to describe our organization is Access and Impact. citizens of with their identity as a Access: Piers Park Sailing Center is one of a few public points for the public to waterfront community with a seafaring heritage. reconnecting the community experience one of Boston’s greatest resources, . Providing this opportunity to people of all ages and abilities is what makes us a unique asset to this community.

Impact: More than just sailing, we are providing a safe and enriching environment for our history the youth of our city to grow and flourish. For people with disabilities, the Prior to the development of Piers Park, East Boston had the empowerment to be achieved through sailing is like none other. For the community we least amount of dedicated green space of all the Boston offer a great way for people and families to connect with each other and the marine neighborhoods. Piers Park was designed, in cooperation with environment. local Governor-appointed community representatives and At Piers Park, we feel there is no better way to experience this world-class city than residents, to provide direct and immediate access to Boston under sail. Every year, more people are agreeing with us, which is why it is our goal to Harbor. One of the key components of the project was the continue expanding in 2010 to meet the increased demand for services. design of Piers Park Sailing Center. Piers Park has received an Adaptive Environments Award as well as an International We are driven by an impassioned staff full of energy and new ideas, excited to take Piers Park Sailing Center to the next level. I am proud of the accomplishments made Excellence on the Waterfront Award. this season and eager to share them in this Annual Report. Over the years, Piers Park Sailing Center has expanded Thank you for your continued interest in Piers Park Sailing Center. We look forward to considerably from a facility providing programs for building upon our success in the future, providing Access and Impact to the recreational boaters, to now serving an ever-widening communities we serve. spectrum of participants. Through our Outreach we touch the With gratitude for your support, lives of hundreds of at-risk youth, provide Empowerment for people living with disabilities and a source of Adventure for Mat Rosa our entire community. Mat Rosa Executive Director

3 4 outreach Community Served East Boston, better known as “Eastie,” is the primary future leader program community served by PPSC. Future Leaders are sailors that have Eastie is a low-income, been involved with the program for Our unique youth development program provides a dynamic several years, embodying the racially diverse educational experience in a fully-inclusive environment for youth of all abilities. characteristics of good citizenship, neighborhood. 84% of leadership and teamwork. Future incoming immigrants to the Leaders earn a stipend, while working city of Boston, reside in alongside PPSC senior staff to ensure Individual Youth Program Participants Eastie. each participant has a safe and enriching educational experience that 2008 Olympic sailing gold medalist Anna 2006 The U.S. Department of Justice builds confidence and serves as a strong resume builder. Tunnicliffe visits PPSC. Pictured with Future Harbor Explorers and the U.S. Census Bureau Leader Nicole Forina (15). 2007 classify East Boston as an extremely disadvantaged 2008 community. This is highlighted out of school time by such factors as the 2009 After School Sailing percent of single parent spring and fall sailing program families, the percent living below the poverty line and unemployment. East Boston Summer Youth Sailing has a Community Disadvantage Index rating that falls between 8 and 10. 0 100 200 300 400 500 This rating places Eastie as one of the most PPSC provides underserved youth with the skills, knowledge and experience disadvantaged communities harbor explorers necessary to become competent in the City of Boston. environmental education sailors and confident young people. In recognition of the need for additional out-of-school time programming for Once a hub of the maritime East Boston youth, PPSC led fall and spring after-school programs for 72 In partnership with and manufacturing trade, students in 2009. the marine today East Boston has only a advocacy tall ships in boston few industries remaining on its project bread organization, Save the Harbor/Save working waterfront. PPSC health & wellness education the Bay. In 2009, strives to encourage the Youth served are 163 youth awareness of this trade provided with free participated in this through its industry specific nutritious lunches and hands-on based programming. encouraged to make program that healthy lifestyle promotes PPSC also provides services choices and take part understanding and to the Boston neighborhoods in daily physical stewardship of local of South Boston, Dorchester, exercise. In 2009, ecosystems and an Over 300 local youth had the once in a lifetime opportunity to over 2000 free appreciation for the experience Sail Boston 2009 first hand aboard a traditional tall ship. Roslindale and the lunches were served. marine environment. neighboring cities of Chelsea, Lynn and Revere. 5 6 sailing is an activity that is beneficialadaptive and empowering for people with disabilities. Every program offered at PPSC is a fully-inclusive experience companion sailors for people of all ages and abilities. Our innovative companion sailor initiative provides able-bodied volunteers to sail alongside adaptive sailors. This innovative volunteer program partners volunteer PPSC Adaptive Sailing Enrollment members with adaptive sailors 50 who require support to sail. Not only does the program Of all youth participating at PPSC, 19% are living with a Adult provide adaptive sailors with physical, sensory or cognitive disability. In 2009 88% more additional opportunities to 40 sail, but it also creates a disabled youth particpated in our fully inclusive programs. Youth heightened awareness and understanding of the needs of the disabled in In the photo: A PPSC companion guides two disabled sailors. 30 the local community.

20 instruction empowerment PPSC provides a fully-funded Adaptive Learn-to-Sail program for adults, encouraging students to sail as independently as possible. In this 10 program, we have graduated paraplegics, quadriplegics, amputees, as well as individuals with disabling conditions resulting from various causes such as polio, strokes, and traumatic brain injury. Seven out of seven Piers Park 0 2006 2007 2008 2009 Adaptive Sailors achieved medals at this year’s mid level competition, the Clagett Regatta in Newport RI. photo: L to R – Johnathan Evans- Silver, Hugh Freund-Gold, sip and puff Charlie Croteau-Bronze, Mark Bos-Bronze & Maureen 2009 was a landmark season at Piers Park Sailing Center. After a year of McKinnon-Tucker-Silver. (Missing research, planning and execution PPSC unveiled its’ newest piece of from photo: Jim Donahue-Bronze PPSC benefits from the Adaptive Equipment. Through work in collaboration with an anonymous & Dennis Moran- Silver.) dedication of its donor and the Department of Conservation and Recreation, PPSC is Adaptive Sailing now one of the very few venues in the country offering Sip & Puff 300 technology. special event Number of Disabled Coordinator, Maureen The system is used at PPSC by quadriplegic sailors who can only move 250 Participants McKinnon-Tucker. their head, eyes and mouth. This state of the art technology is ideal for participation Maureen is the 2008 people who have limited or no motor capability. It enables them to be 200 This past season, we Beijing Paralympic in command of a sailboat, via a Sip & Puff or medical joystick interface. successfully collaborated 150 Gold-Medalist in sailing, This is an important victory for sailors at PPSC and further proves that with other disabled service and the first women to win disabled people can accomplish anything, given the right tools. organizations, offering In the words of one sailor using this system, "If you multiply that sense of 100 special sailing events to in her event. Maurenn is freedom a thousand times, that's how I feel. I leave behind my large groups of people 50 a true inspiration to the wheelchair, a team of carers and suddenly it's just me." with disabilities. disabled community. 0 2006 2007 2008 2009 7 8 community in the news...

membership BOSTON HERALD (Front Page); May 10, 2009 Membership benefits extend beyond just sailing. About 1,200 low-income, minority and disabled children signed up for the free summer sailing program. Members prove to be a crucial aspect of Piers Park is home to the only fully handicapped-accessible dock in New England. Luz Zambrano of operations. Volunteer time, professional East Boston, whose sons, David and Daniel Rodriguez, sail at Piers Park said, “When they are out there on the water they look services offered, special event attendance, different, confident, happy and proud that they can do something that many people can’t do.” David, 14, said he simply loves and word of mouth marketing are all critical to sailing. “It’s just really fun. I feel different on the water,” he said. “A lot of people don’t know how to sail and what it means to be our continued success. out on the water.”

Adult Enrollment THE BOSTON GLOBE; July 11, 2009 150 Piers Park focuses on underserved, disabled children. Membership On July 9th the center offered more than 100 other students a little something extra than their regular summer boating classes, a 120 Lessons chance to apply what they have learned while aboard the 72-foot brigantine FORMIDABLE, one of the 45 tall ships that have Above: Instructor, Santiago Enrique, a cadet at the Mass. sailed into Boston Harbor. The center’s programs primarily serve students from low-income backgrounds and with disabilities. The 90 Maritime College loves to teach in all conditions! sailing dock and fleet of adaptive boats are all handicap accessible, said Maureen McKinnon-Tucker, director of the 60 disabilities program. 30 instruction PPSC is a premier location for sailing on BOSTON BUSINESS JOURNAL; July 17, 2009 0 2006 2007 2008 2009 Boston Harbor. Students of our many different The staff of SAP Global, the market and technology leader in business software sailing courses are provided with professional solutions, spent a day volunteering at Piers Park Sailing Center, a non-profit community sailing center serving youth at-risk and “I have nothing but good things to say about instruction from US Sailing certifited intructors. individuals living with disabilities. The revenue generated from adult lessons Piers Park Sailing, your program, and the and memberships goes to support the free EAST BOSTON TIMES; August 12, 2009 instructor. The lessons and membership are a programming for underserved youth and PPSC expands its reach. people with disabilities. Since the start of the summer, PPSC and 303 Café in Jeffries Point have been teaming up. great value, I really enjoyed it.” “This season, we have been working hard to expand and improve all of the programs offered at the sailing center,” said PPSC Executive Director Mat Rosa. “We are continuing to reach out to the local community to get involved with one of East Boston’s hidden treasures.” building job skills adventure In the summer of 2009 PPSC volvo ocean race NBC Nightly News ...and on TV Originally aired September, 2009 launched a pilot program to In the spring of 2009, the Volvo Broadcast focused on the begin restoration of our fleet of Ocean Race made its only stopover adaptive program at PPSC. 11 Sonar class 23-foot sailboats. in North America. All this excitement PPSC engaged teens identified was enjoyed by many Piers Park as most in need of services from participants as this world-renowned WCVB, Channel 5 the center to take part in the event came to Boston Harbor. June 19, 2009 restoration. Participating youth, Emmy Nominated: Magazine Program most of whom are high-school Feature/Segment age youth, benefit not only through the extensive interactions WBZ, CBS Corporation with positive role models in a CENTRO safe environment, but by learning March 29, 2009 skills that are instrumental to finding jobs in the future. NNN

Photo: Youth participants aboard a Volvo Ocean Race Boat. July 13, 2009 Expenses Revenue 9 250000 200000 150000 100000 200000 150000 100000 50000 50000 0 0 Programs Expenses bySource:PreviousYear Comparision Income bySource:PreviousYear Comparison

Grants $159,825 $181,836

Fee Based Income

$180,726 $209,010

Personnel

$129,919 $61,915

Fundraising Events financial overview

$111,134 $66,386 Fundraising

Individual Donations $41,604 $30,377

$28,862 $28,589

Marketing

$8,298 $1,501 Corporate Sponsors

Administrative $7,292 $27,784

$23,739 $54,500 FY 09 FY 08 FY 09 FY 08

$23,746 $22,662

Revenue SourcesbyPercentage Expense AccountPercentages Fundraising Events Fee Based Income Foundation Grants Development Fundraising and Expenses Program 8% 20% 8% 8% $351,489 $354,837 7% FY09 7% FY 09 85% 57% Overhead Administrative Corporate Sponsors Individual Donations - Administrative overheadremainsconsistent at6.7% and programexpansion. - Significantinvestmentmade infacilityimprovement - Decreasedpersonnelexpenses by15% sources - Increasedearningthroughfee-basedrevenue totaling $51,300 - Acquiredgrantsfromsevennewsources, - IndividualDonations:43%IncreasefromFY08 highlights highlights 10 11 12 contributors collaborators 303 Café Action for Boston Community Development, Inc. Alexander Graham Bell Association Amelia Peabody Foundation ASTA The Boston Foundation Boston Youth Fund Boston Harbor Shipyard and Marina Citizen Schools Boston Marine Society Community Boating, Inc. Boston Youth Fund Courageous Sailing Center Clipper Ship Foundation Department of Conservation and Recreation Distrigas East Boston High School East Boston Foundation East Boston Neighborhood Health Center East Boston Neighborhood Health Center East Boston YMCA A Harbor Explorer getting to know East Boston Savings Bank Easite Pride Day Committiee some sea life, thanks to our Eastern Salt Company Eastie Youth Task Force collaboration with Save the First Priority Credit Union Harbor Save the Bay. EMarc Our annual fundraiser, Smooth Sailing, Google raised over $25,000. Many thanks to Excel Academy Greenberg Traurig, LLP The Hyatt Harborside for underwriting Hart Nautical History Museum at MIT Janey Fund Charitable Trust this annual event at one of the most Hyatt Harborside beautiful venues on Boston Harbor. John H. Alden Trust Majors Medical Supply jetBlue Maverick Landing Community Services The Kraft Family National Safe Boating Council Herb Chambers Outdoor Explorations Lynch Foundation Paraclete Academy Massport Participants from one of our “Give it Perkins School for the Blind Meridian Charitable Foundation a Try Day” events, in partnership Piers PAC with local disabilities service The New England Revolution Project Bread organizations. New England Ropes Project Child The Lynch Foundation Salesian Boys & Girls Club Pepe & Hazard, LLP Save the Harbor Save the Bay Project Bread Sport in Society The staff of SAP Global held a day of The Peabody Foundation The Boston Harbor Association service at Piers Park. We thank them Red Sox Foundation Umana-Barnes Middle School for their support and contributions. Robert & Kay Strelitz Up2Us Roseland Properties United States Coast Guard SAP Global US Sailing The Shapiro Family Foundation WINarc US Sailing Winthrop Yacht Club YMCA of Greater Boston Groups of youth from Winthrop High School agencies such as the World T.E.A.M. Sports YMCA visiting the sailing YMCA of Boston center. ZUMIX 14 13 meet our team board of directors Mat Rosa Executive Director Mat is a resident East Boston, MA who brings a diverse background in Tim Feeney non-profit management and a Director of Operations passion for sailing to Piers Park Sailing Center. Holds a B.A. in Politics and a A lifelong sailor who fell in love with U.S. Coast Guard 100 ton Masters. the water at a young age in Nova Executive Committee Previously Director of Latin America’s Scotia. A U.S. Coast Guard 100 only non-profit adventure trekking and ton Captain’s License and a US Chair, Carlos Nolasco, CUNA Mutual hiking organization, serving inner city Sailing Certified Basic Keelboat youth and indigenous communities. Instructor who has spent a number Vice Chair, Jim Donahue, US Disabled Sailing of years as a project manager in the production of marketing and Treasurer, Steve Jewett, Appingo advertising for a multinational Maureen McKinnon-Tucker retailer. Clerk, Joey Cuzzi, East Boston YMCA Adaptive Sailing Coordinator First woman in history to become Gold Medalist in Paralympic Sailing at the 2008 Beijing Board Members Games, serves on the board of the Spinal Cord Phil Gutowski Injury Association, nominated for 2008 Rolex Waterfront Coordinator Bob Brennan, FDA Yachtswoman of the Year, and Paul Hearne Disability Leadership Award. Extensive Maritime industry Julie Crockford, Conservancy Has played a key role in the success of PPSC’s experience, including USCG programs for people with disabilities and is a 100-ton Masters License and Marcia Duffy, Marine Consultant strong voice for disability advocacy. member of New York Maritime Offshore Sailing Team. Joe Fagone, Unison Site Management Concentrating on facility operations and expanding Karen Mignone, Pepe & Hazard Hugh Freund programs for the local community. Head Instructor Brian Murphy, Faulkner Hospital Single leg amputee, and a member of Neal Splaine, Rubin & Rudman, LLP the US Sonar Sailing Team in the Dan Keen Paralympics. Has spent 13 years racing Brett Van Gelder, Microsoft and instructing youth and disabled sailors Naval Architect/Engineer throughout the East Coast. He currently New York Maritime graduate and sails on the Roger Williams University competitive sailor, dedicated to keelboat racing team where he studies designing and improving Honorary Member architecture. specialized equipment for people with disabilities and teaching marine Rich Wilson, Ocean Classroom trade skills to PPSC Future Leaders. Stephanie Gaucher Youth Programs Coordinator

First learned how to sail at Piers Park and graduated through the Future Leader program as a teen. Now a staff member at PPSC focusing on marine education and students with special needs.

Piers Park Sailing Center 95 Marginal St. East Boston, 02128 (617) 561-6677 www.piersparksailing.org [email protected]