OUR HISTORY
The Cambridge Community Center (CCC) was founded in 1929 in the Coast neighborhood of Cambridge by a group of Black pastors, because the local YMCA was open only to white men at the time. For over 90 years, the Center has initiated many Coast firsts, including the establishment of the first nursery school and the first varsity basketball games open to Black people. The latest innovation at CCC is a partnership with the Urban Sustainability Directors Network and the Barr Foundation to establish the Center as the first Resilience Hub in the North East. This project will help further the support of our residents, coordinate communication, distribute resources, and begin to reduce carbon pollution in Cambridge.
Establishing CCC as a Resilience Hub is directly aligned with our mission and a capital campaign that was initiated prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, aimed at making necessary improvements to our aging facility. Built in 1882 as a public elementary school, our building remains one of the oldest wood-framed structures still standing in Cambridge. CCC began using the facility in 1929 and purchased it in 1943. Our renovation plans focus on addressing four priorities: Accessibility, Safety, Efficiency and Resilience. The Center has been able to take many steps into the future while making the most out of a facility built in the nineteenth century, but now is the time to ensure that this work will continue for generations to come.
The Cambridge Community Center (CCC) was founded in 1929 in the Coast neighborhood of Cambridge by a group of Black pastors, because the local YMCA was open only to white men at the time. For over 90 years, the Center has initiated many Coast firsts, including the establishment of the first nursery school and the first varsity basketball games open to Black people. The latest innovation at CCC is a partnership with the Urban Sustainability Directors Network and the Barr Foundation to establish the Center as the first Resilience Hub in the North East. This project will help further the support of our residents, coordinate communication, distribute resources, and begin to reduce carbon pollution in Cambridge.
Establishing CCC as a Resilience Hub is directly aligned with our mission and a capital campaign that was initiated prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, aimed at making necessary improvements to our aging facility. Built in 1882 as a public elementary school, our building remains one of the oldest wood-framed structures still standing in Cambridge. CCC began using the facility in 1929 and purchased it in 1943. Our renovation plans focus on addressing four priorities: Accessibility, Safety, Efficiency and Resilience. The Center has been able to take many steps into the future while making the most out of a facility built in the nineteenth century, but now is the time to ensure that this work will continue for generations to come.
ACCESSIBILITY
EFFICIENCY
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SAFETY
RESILIENCE
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OUR PARTNERS