David brings over fifteen years of leadership in the nonprofit sector to the founding of SCI. Prior to starting SCI, David served as Executive Director of Generations Incorporated, which under his leadership grew into a national model for intergenerational programming. He also started and directed the Kentucky Community Service Commission, a state entity appointed by the Governor responsible for AmeriCorps and other service programs. David graduated from Harvard University in 1991 with an A.B. in Government, and from Woburn High School in 1987. He is a member of the LeadBoston Class of 2000 and was chosen for the Social Innovation Forum in 2003.
Last week, I promised to “highlight some hopeful stories of kindness, compassion and neighborliness” that emerge in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, I’d like to focus on an amazing outpouring of community spirit we have seen here in Woburn, and the role SCI AmeriCorps member Jenna Francis has played… Read More »Volunteers Stepping Up in Woburn
Recently, we shared an article on our social media platforms suggesting that we use the term “physical distancing” instead of social distancing, as we need social connection and support now more than ever. Picking up on this idea, we are going to label our series of posts highlighting ways people… Read More »Distant But Connected
These are clearly challenging and scary times. But we are often at our best when faced with big challenges. We plan to highlight some hopeful stories of kindness, compassion and neighborliness that emerge; and we’d love to hear what you are seeing! I will get this started with my story… Read More »We Need Each Other Now
A new book “Who You Know”, about the importance of social capital for student success, tops our list of recent social capital reads. Read More…
This program year we are expanding the successful Cultural Connections Supper Clubs. Diverse groups of teens and adults will learn about new cultures by cooking their cuisine together. Read More…
Wow! I realized it has been over a year since I blogged here on the SCI site. Not for lack of blogging though–as some of you know I share my passion for tasty, healthy food on a blog called Cooking Chat. I thought it would be a good time to… Read More »Six of My 2016 Social Capital Highlights
During my drive to the office this morning, I learned about an interesting Milwaukee neighborhood initiative that is taking a “social capitalist” approach to helping young black males. OK, the NPR story didn’t use the term, but I think it definitely applies! When one youth got arrested for some vandalism in the… Read More »Local Social Capitalists Help Milwaukee Youth Succeed
I read data about the Millennial generation with great interest. Sure, size has something to do with it. Now the largest and most diverse generation of Americans, Millennials are positioned to have a big influence on our society. The majority of our AmeriCorps members fall into the Millennial category, so… Read More »Millennials Finding Their Own Ways to Engage
We are all too aware of the academic achievement gap, which has rightfully stirred much effort to close the gap and create equal educational opportunity for students of all backgrounds. New research indicates there is also a disconcerting gap on civic achievement and social capital that is of particular concern to… Read More »Closing the Civic Achievement and Social Capital Gaps
What was President Kennedy’s greatest accomplishment? A good case certainly can be made for avoiding a devastating nuclear war in the wake of the Cuban Missile Crisis, but his call to service has to be right up there. During one of yesterday’s JFK remembrances on WBUR, I was reminded of… Read More »Answering the Call to Service