News In Print

For press inquiries, please contact John Ward at John_Ward@rocainc.com or at (617) 889-5210 ext. 255.
- May 19, 2013 Molly Baldwin Globe 100 Innovator - 2013 - The Boston Globe - 19 May 2013
- May 20, 2013 Roca Founder Named Globe 100 Innovator by The Boston Globe_Press Release
- March 24, 2013 Report slams state for lack of corrections reform_The Boston Globe
- March 15, 2013 Molly Baldwin - Executive Profile - BBJ -
- March 14, 2013 Chelsea Record
- February 15, 2013 El Planeta - Tuboston com 25th Anniversary story
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August 30, 2012 Roca’s Performance Benchmarks FY'12
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August 1, 2012
Roca Chosen to Lead a First-in-the-Nation ‘Pay for Success’ Effort in Massachusetts Wednesday, August 1, 2011 at 11 a.m.
Chelsea - Roca has been selected to help lead the nation’s first ever ‘pay for success’ effort, named by Governor Deval Patrick today as an initial successful bidder for two Social Innovation Financing (SIF) contract. -
June 23, 2011
Grand Opening-Roca Springfield Facility Monday, June 27, 2011 at 11 a.m.
Springfield— The grand opening of a new facility developed by Roca, which has partnered with the Hampden County Sheriff's Department to provide high risk young men transitional employment programming in Springfield, will be held on Monday, June 27, 2011 at 11 a.m. at 25-33 School Street, which will house the program in Springfield. -
May 18, 2011
Governor Patrick Joined Youth Empowerment Leaders at Roca Annual Breakfast
Patti LaBelle and Keisha Whitaker, chip in to help youth agency combat violence, promote change, achievement -
December 4, 2010
Roca’s 3rd Annual Benefit Concert raises over $125,000 to Help Massachusetts’ High Risk Young People Move out of Violence and Poverty.
Roca’s VIP Reception and SOLD OUT Concert was sponsored by TD Bank and TD Insurance and was centered on redemption. -
May 12, 2010
Roca's 5th Annual Breakfast raises over $230,000!
Roca hosted over 400 people to hear Sister Helen Prejean, the author of the national best seller and inspiration for the Academy Award winning movie, Dead Man Walking, who delivered the keynote address at its fifth annual fundraiser. The morning was an inspiration to all who attended. See Boston Latino TV's coverage of the event here. -
February 12, 2010
Roca Wins $2.3 Million Federal Grant from the Department of Labor.
As the sole recipient in MA of this “Pathways Out of Poverty" grant—as the group of funding awards is known, authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009— Roca will launch 3G Jobs! (“From Green Gangs to Green Jobs”). Based on Roca’s nationally recognized Intervention Model for Very High Risk Youth, 3G Jobs! is a road toward economic self sufficiency through a unique, green pathway out of poverty. -
January 11, 2010
Roca receives $150,000 from the State Street Foundation.
Roca today announced that the State Street Foundation will award the organization a $150,000 grant to help fund its High-Risk Youth Intervention Model in East Boston. Roca designed the High-Risk Youth Intervention Model to help young people engaged in destructive behavior to become more productive members of society. - Roca wins prestigious Bank of America "Neighborhood Builders" Award!
One of only two recipients selected from 140 applicants in the Greater Boston area. The award provides Roca with a $200,000 grant, over two years, as well as specially designed leadership development programs for its staff. Find out more in the Chelsea Record, the Boston Business Journal, and on Mass Non-Profit. -
July, 27, 2009
National Grid Supports Roca’s Youth Intervention Model
The National Grid Foundation awarded Roca $20,000 to support Roca’s High Risk Youth Intervention Model which utilizes intensive youth-adult relationship-building to leverage young people into a process of personal change, and to help them connect to education, employment and life skills opportunities.
Media Coverage
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August 23, 2012
Chelsea's Roca chosen for "Pay for Success" Pilot Program
Boston (John Laidler, Globe Correspndent) - An area agency has been tapped to help blaze the trail for a new initiative backed by state funding to create innovatives efforts to solved social problems. -
August 15, 2012
Nonprofits quantify their success
Boston (Katie Johnson, Globe Staff) – Government agencies are also starting to demand more proven outsomces from organizations they fund. In Massachusetts, the Patrick administration just launched its Social Innovations Fiancing Program, which rewards agencies that can show their techniques work. It is beleived to be the first state-run "pay for success" grant program. -
October 14, 2011
Patrick Directs $9.7M to Violence Reduction
Boston – In March he (Governor Deval Patirck) visited Roca, a nonprofit agency in Chelsea that counsels youth. -
October13, 2011
Massachusetss Governor Deval Patrick Awards Anti-Violence Grants to Holyoke , Springfield and other Cities
SPRINGFIELD – Springfield will contract with about a dozen different organizations including the Baystate Medical Center and Roca, a private, nonprofit organization that has operated in the city since July of last year. -
June 27, 2011
Youth Intervention Program Opens Springfield Center
SPRINGFIELD, MA (WAMC) - An organization that has claimed success in reducing youth violence in a troubled city in eastern Massachusetts has opened a new center in Springfield to work with high risk young people.. WAMC's Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill reports.. -
June 27, 2011
ROCA organization helping those at risk
Jim Kinney writes about Roca in the Saturday edition of the Republican: "Chelsea-based Roca program setting up shop in Springfield to help Western Mass. youths." -
June 27, 2011
Roca Offers Help For High Risk Young People
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB)--There is new hope for high risk young people in Springfield. It comes from a program that's aimed at saving young lives and reducing urban violence. -
June 26, 2010
Roca Springfield featured in the Springfield Republican newspaper.
Jim Kinney writes about Roca in the Saturday edition of the Republican: "Chelsea-based Roca program setting up shop in Springfield to help Western Mass. youths." -
May 20, 2010
Zaida Gonzalez, Roca's 5th Annual Breakfast Honoree, featured in the Boston Globe.
Joan Vennochi writes about breaking the cycle of poverty and violence that destroys so many young lives in urban America in her article: "Fragile Dreams, Small Victories on Mean Streets." -
April 12, 2010
Roca featured in Coalition for Juvenile Justice Report.
The future for youth involved with the justice system could be dramatically improved by applying the principles of positive youth development (PYD) practice to the juvenile justice systems and services. A new report, Positive Youth Justice: Framing Justice Interventions Using the Concepts of Positive Youth Development, from the Coalition for Juvenile Justice, explores the tremendous potential of helping court-involved youth develop their pro-social strengths and attributes, and increase their abilities to contribute to healthy, safe family and community life. Roca is featured! -
March 16, 2010
Roca featured on the Philanthropy News Digest NPO Spotlight.
Roca is honored to be recognized by the Philanthropy News Digest (PND), a daily news service of the Foundation Center. The Digest is a compendium of philanthropy-related articles and features culled from print and electronic media outlets nationwide. -
The W. Clement & Jessie V. Stone Foundation features Roca in its Grantee Spotlight.
Check out the right sidebar to see Julio's story, profiled by the The W. Clement & Jessie V. Stone Foundation for its web site and newsletter. -
December 17, 2009
Roca receives $100,000 "Out of the Blue" Grant from the Boston Foundation.
The Boston Foundation makes an unrestricted, unsolicited grant to an organization that demonstrates extraordinary leadership and ability to create and sustain high-impact programming that sets a standard for other non-profits and serves the community as a whole. Roca was selected because it has shown a commitment to rigorous evaluation, data-driven decision making and program design, as well as to a continual process of strengthening and refining its own work. -
December 15, 2009
Roca's Young People Featured on the Commonwealth Conversations Blog!
The Governor's Office of Civic Engagement came to Roca to talk to Roca's AmeriCorp groups about their thoughts on Massachusetts, everything from the strengths and weaknesses of local high schools to the high cost of college. -
October 23, 2009
Roca's Essencia Latina performs for the President!
On Friday, October 23, Roca's dance team, Essencia Latina, performs for President Barack Obama, Governor Deval Patrick and guests at a fundraiser for Patrick's re-election campaign. NECN videographer Sean Colahan was at the rehearsal in Chelsea. -
October 9, 2009
Angie Rodriguez, Roca staff & alumni, wowed the crowd of over 1,000 at the United Way's 14th Annual Women's Leadership Breakfast
Angie joins Carla Harris, Managing Director of Morgan Stanley and others to support innovative, quality programs that enable young girls to thrive. When women unite, we make history! -
August 11, 2009
Roca named "Hidden Jewel" on the Innovation Center's Response to the White House Blog
"I felt a poignant, nearly palpable, emotional presence of simplicity and humbleness and sincerity that overcame me when I walked in the door and never fails to overcome me every subsequent time I visit. -
June 20, 2009
Roca highlighted in Patrick-Murray Administration
Communities Count Initiative: We are very excited about working with Roca on this project.. -
June 19, 2009
A Beacon of Hope
Its a belief that as long as youre alive, you can do this. -
April 20 , 2008
'Us vs. Them' Becomes 'We’

