St. Marks Area Main Streets
The SMAMS Connection                                                                                              July 20, 2007
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Dot-2-Dot Cafe on the Way

Get ready for great coffee and healthy light meals at the Dot-2-Dot Cafe, which is scheduled to open this fall at 1739 Dorchester Ave., across the street from St. Mark's Road.

Owner Karen Henry-Garrett is a Cordon Bleu-trained chef who ran a high-quality catering business in London for five years before moving to Dorchester last year.  She has already shown a commitment to our neighborhood, visiting the  civic associations and investigating several local properties with SMAMS before settling on this one.

A coffee shop has been one of SMAMS' top priorities for years,  and now we're getting the  coffee and much more!  We're happy to be working with Karen on this project, helping with site selection and providing design and financial assistance for exterior renovations.  We look forward to seeing you at the grand opening later this year!
 
SMAMS Annual Appeal

The Dot-to-Dot Cafe is just one example of SMAMS' work.  We have also played a major role in these projects:
  • The new Ashmont Station
  • The "Carruth" commercial/residential building at the  station
  • A major public art installation planned for Peabody Square
  • Plans for the re-design of the Square itself, which will create a safer intersection and add much-needed green space.
On a smaller but just-as-important scale, we have:
  • Helped to renovate storefronts, providing design services and leveraging over $400,000 with a $50,000 investment. 
  • Secured a grant to hire police details that patrol Dot Ave on Friday nights, and applied for another grant (now pending) to hire a youth outreach streetworker.
  • Published business directories and staged the Dot Ave. Scavenger Hunt to introduce residents to our merchants
  • Helped small business owners navigate the City's zoning and licensing system
  • Worked with Council President Maureen Feeney to bring year-round City street cleaners to the neighborhood
This is just a partial list of our projects. What makes it all the more impressive is that these accomplishments have come mainly through the work of dedicated volunteers, supported by one full-time staff member.

Our scope of work has grown tremendously over the years, and we gladly take on these projects in order to revitalize our business district.  But our budget is much tighter than you might think.  Despite generous support from the City of Boston, Countrywide Home Loans, Mt. Washington Bank, and Trinity Financial, there is always a budget gap. 

So once a year we make a direct appeal, asking you to consider making a tax-deductible donation to help us continue working on these vital initiatives.  You can donate securely through PayPal by visiting www.smams.org/donate.php, or you can mail a check, payable to "SMAMS", to: SMAMS, 20 Roseland St., Dorchester, MA 02124.

Thank you for your support! We couldn't have accomplished all this without you, and we're looking forward to working with you on more exciting projects in the coming year.

Sincerely,

Bill Richard                                  Dan Larner
President                                     Executive Director