The Haitian Coalition is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve the social, educational, and economic development of Haitian youth and families living in Somerville and the Greater Boston area. It was founded to serve Haitians living in Somerville and surrounding communities following the flight of thousands of Haitians to the Greater Boston area after a September 1991 military coup in Haiti.
Haitian activists founded the Coalition in 1992 to meet the needs of these new immigrants who lacked the resources to thrive in Massachusetts. By 1997, the Coalition had gathered enough support from the community to become an independent nonprofit organization. In its early years, the Coalition fought racism, promoted Haitian culture, and helped Haitian residents gain access to services and programs from legal aid, social services, voter registration, and small business training.
Today, we continue to offer these and similar resources to our clientele primarily comprising of underserved Haitian immigrants. We offer literacy, ESOL and citizenship classes for adult learners and the elderly; health and education campaigns; support services and tobacco education for youths; parenting workshops and more. One of our newest initiatives is a partnership with Tufts University that brings resources to residents of Haiti’s Balan community.
The Haitian Coalition of Somerville 